Yeah, yeah. We're well aware that Jalopnik's intelligent (and attractive!) reader base already knows that the "FJ" in FJ Cruiser is a tribute to Toyota's iconic vintage FJ40 off-roader. However, what about the origin of the FJ moniker in general? Contrary to what some enthusiasts believe, it doesn't stand for four-wheel drive. But we're getting ahead of ourselves.
Toyota rolled out the FJ Cruiser in 2007, toward the end of the retro car craze that introduced vehicles like the Chevy SSR and Ford's 11th-generation Thunderbird. Critics praised the FJ Cruiser's driving dynamic and its unique styling that was surprisingly little changed from the splashy concept vehicle. That said, the cute ute had several drawbacks, including poor fuel economy, blind spots the size of Montana, and a rear seat that was both cramped and difficult to access.
After a few short years, Toyota pulled the FJ from the U.S. market in 2014, though it continued to be sold elsewhere around the globe until 2022. As is the case with some artists and musicians, the FJ Cruiser didn't go viral until after its death. Values for used FJs, even high-mileage examples, shot through the roof during the pandemic, though prices have abated slightly since then. And now, it's reported that Toyota will revive the retro FJ as a baby Land Cruiser as soon as next year. With that in mind, what's the deeper meaning behind "FJ"?
According to Car and Driver, the story begins in the early 1950s, during the Korean War. American troops stationed in Korea needed trucks, and it seemed advantageous to source them from nearby Japan, still occupied by U.S. troops following World War II. Toyota developed an off-road-oriented vehicle that, like Britain's Land Rover, drew heavily from the Allied force's plucky military Jeeps. It was even called the Toyota Jeep BJ, referencing its Type B six-cylinder engine.
Unsurprisingly, the "Jeep BJ" label didn't sit well with actual Jeep-maker Willys, which threatened legal action. (That's a good thing, too, or this article would be talking about the BJ Cruiser, which sounds like something else entirely.) Although Willys wound up fulfilling the need for trucks in Korea, Toyota forged ahead with its off-roader under the new name Land Cruiser. The Land Cruiser grew popular and incorporated a new, more powerful F-Type engine, hence the FJ Land Cruiser. So in spite of Willys' litigious overtures, Toyota managed to sneak J-for-Jeep into the name anyway. For the record, Toyota ceased selling the FJ40 Land Cruiser on U.S. shores in 1983.
So what about the "Cruiser" in FJ Cruiser? One obvious explanation is that it's a playful, shortened take on Land Cruiser — like the FJ Cruiser itself. At the same time, we can't help but wonder if the name was cribbed from Chrysler's hugely successful PT Cruiser, another retro-styled vehicle of the era. After all, Toyota had no qualms about lifting the Jeep name once upon a time.
Facebook Conversations