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5.0

Toyota FJ Cruiser

Starts at:
$23,320
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New 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser
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Compare trims
RWD 4dr Auto (Natl) RWD 4dr Auto (SE) RWD 4dr Auto (GS) 4WD 4dr Man (GS) 4WD 4dr Man (Natl) 4WD 4dr Man (SE) 4WD 4dr Auto (Natl) 4WD 4dr Auto (GS) 4WD 4dr Auto (SE) Shop options
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Key specifications

Highlights
Gas V6
Engine Type
16 City / 20 Hwy
MPG
239 hp
Horsepower
5
Seating Capacity
Engine
Gas V6
Engine Type
4.0L/241
Displacement
239 @ 5200
SAE Net Horsepower @ RPM
278 @ 3700
SAE Net Torque @ RPM
Suspension
Double-Wishbone
Suspension Type - Front
4-Link
Suspension Type - Rear
w/Stabilizer Bar
Suspension Type - Front (Cont.)
w/Stabilizer Bar
Suspension Type - Rear (Cont.)
Weight & Capacity
4,050 lbs
Base Curb Weight
N/A
Curb Weight - Front
N/A
Curb Weight - Rear
N/A
Maximum Payload Capacity
Safety
Standard
Brake Assist
Electrical
N/A
Cold Cranking Amps @ 0° F (Primary)
N/A
Maximum Alternator Capacity (amps)
Brakes
Pwr
Brake Type
4-wheel
Brake ABS System
N/A
Brake ABS System (Second Line)
Yes
Disc - Front (Yes or )

Engine

Gas V6 Engine Type
4.0L/241 Displacement
239 @ 5200 SAE Net Horsepower @ RPM
278 @ 3700 SAE Net Torque @ RPM

Suspension

Double-Wishbone Suspension Type - Front
4-Link Suspension Type - Rear
w/Stabilizer Bar Suspension Type - Front (Cont.)
w/Stabilizer Bar Suspension Type - Rear (Cont.)

Weight & Capacity

4,050 lbs Base Curb Weight
N/A Curb Weight - Front
N/A Curb Weight - Rear
N/A Maximum Payload Capacity
5,000 lbs Dead Weight Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.
500 lbs Dead Weight Hitch - Max Tongue Wt.
5,000 lbs Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.
500 lbs Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Tongue Wt.
N/A Maximum Trailering Capacity
19 gal Fuel Tank Capacity, Approx
N/A Aux Fuel Tank Capacity, Approx
N/A Curb Weight
0 lbs Total Option Weight

Safety

Standard Brake Assist

Electrical

N/A Cold Cranking Amps @ 0° F (Primary)
N/A Maximum Alternator Capacity (amps)

Brakes

Pwr Brake Type
4-wheel Brake ABS System
N/A Brake ABS System (Second Line)
Yes Disc - Front (Yes or )
Yes Disc - Rear (Yes or )
12.6 x -TBD- in Front Brake Rotor Diam x Thickness
12.3 x -TBD- in Rear Brake Rotor Diam x Thickness
Not Available Drum - Rear (Yes or )

Factory warranties

New car program benefits

Basic
3 years / 36,000 miles
Corrosion
5 years
Powertrain
5 years / 60,000 miles

Certified Pre-Owned program benefits

Age / mileage
7 years / less than 85,000 miles
Basic
12 months / 12, 000 miles
Dealer certification
160- or 174-point inspections

Consumer reviews

5.0 / 5
Based on 4 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 4.5
Interior 4.5
Performance 4.7
Value 4.5
Exterior 5.0
Reliability 5.0

Most recent

Best Car EVER!

This car has met then exceeded my expectations, and then some! It's mind boggling. If you don't like the FJ's design, change it? It has more options than Jeeps these days, and it's appreciating in value!! PEOPLE WANT THEM! Why? Because they rock, they're reliable, easy to work on, can go anywhere, and you can personalize it for what you want or need! If you're in the market look into an FJ, just be prepared to fork over more money than you'd expect and "high miles" are a relative term with these beasts. Think 12-15K miles / year or less for the age, and under means that you're probably getting a steal. Also, KBB is a hard judge, especially if they're completely stock. From commuting, to off roading, river crossing, pulling people out of ditches, and jeeps out of mud holes, this thing can do it all.
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
Comfort 4.0
Interior 5.0
Performance 5.0
Value 5.0
Exterior 5.0
Reliability 5.0
3 people out of 3 found this review helpful. Did you?
Yes No

Our dream car

This has been our dream car since they came out with them. The inside is everything i thought it would be.
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
Comfort 5.0
Interior 5.0
Performance 5.0
Value 5.0
Exterior 5.0
Reliability 5.0
2 people out of 2 found this review helpful. Did you?
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2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser review: Our expert's take

By Scott Burgess


The M1A2 Abrams tank has better visibility than the 2009 FJ Cruiser.

It’s not really a fair comparison — the tank includes high-tech optics to operate its 120 mm smooth bore gun and the FJ Cruiser has a windshield slightly larger than a basement window.

Having had the opportunity to ride in the tank recently, I can tell you that it can spin its turret in a few seconds, providing 360 degrees of vision, and that it would never be parallel parked.

The FJ Cruiser, meanwhile, now comes with a backup camera and sonar to help with backing up but even after a week of testing the FJ, I felt apprehensive pulling into a parking space with cars on both sides. As you approach, the car on the right nearly disappears from sight. The one thing both vehicles truly share is that they were designed for big open spaces. They just weren’t made for zipping through city streets and squeezing into nooks or crannies.

The FJ feels like a good deal, when you see the starting price right below $25,000. However, sticker shock can occur quickly when you start including add-ons. My nicely loaded 4×4 included a number of options such as keyless entry, running boards, towing package, roof rack, a locking rear differential and back camera mounted in the rearview mirror and topped out at $33,000.

For me, the FJ has a cartoonish feel to its exterior. Every piece of it seems slightly exaggerated. Its design points back to the legendary FJ40, which roamed the plains of Africa in search of wildebeests and elephants. The modern FJ keeps its headlights uncomfortably close together, which seems to make it look even wider. The body style is unique and no one will mistake it for anything other than an FJ. The signature white roof also adds an interesting touch.

The big, squared off wheel wells covered in plastic cladding add to the rough riding looks and were designed to accommodate up to 32-inch wheels.

Toyota uses suicide-type doors for the second row, which means the hinges are on the opposite side of the door from most vehicles. They can only be opened if the front doors are already open, similar to the way many extended cab pickups work. However, the second row doors are tricky to open because you have to reach all the way inside the vehicle to pull the handle and when you do open them, they open with a slant downward, as if they were going to fall off.

Even with the additional space, climbing into the back is no easy feat. The high floor makes it more difficult to step up and the front seats gobble up a lot of space. The back is not where I’d want to be.

Once you’re strapped into the FJ, though, it provides a very good ride.

The 4-liter V-6 generates 239 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque, which is more than enough power to push around this 4,000 pound off-road vehicle. (For 2010 models arriving at dealerships soon, Toyota will add 19 more horses through additional tuning and dual variable valve timing.)

On regular roads, the FJ feels a little stiff and bouncy — a result of the big tires and steel frame. The road noise is bearable, but still quite noticeable. It can cruise easily on the highway, though I couldn’t imagine taking long trips in the Cruiser.

All of the attributes that make it slightly clumsy on the road, however, make it exceptional off-road. Toyota has packed the FJ with capabilities. Riding on 32-inch tires, you have 9.1 inches of ground clearance. In previous test drives, there was never a hill or trail the FJ Cruiser could not overcome. Weekend mudders will love the FJ. The only thing holding it back are optional rocker panels, which I’d suggest removing before you hit the trail or risk the trail removing them for you. But if you don’t know the difference between a trail head and a Starbucks, there’s no reason to buy this vehicle.

Inside the FJ Cruiser, the feel is spartan but comfortable. The small front windshield makes it difficult to see much and the three little windshield wipers are distracting. When I drove it in the rain, I laughed when the wipers kicked on.

While it may take you to the wilderness, the FJ wants to provide you with as many comforts of home as possible. The upgraded eight-speaker stereo, known as FJammer, includes an audio jack for a personal music device.

The cloth seats are comfortable, but could use some better bolstering, especially if you’re going to do some serious off-roading. And the plastic flooring means it’s easy to clean if you spend a lot of time tracking mud into the vehicle.

There’s something extreme about the feel inside the FJ Cruiser, as if Toyota is trying too hard to say how rugged it is. The heavy metal looking trim, the exposed metal, the big knobs made for manly hands wearing gloves all detract from the interior feel instead of adding to it. Ruggedness isn’t something you design with a certain look; it’s designed with a certain feel. The interior of the FJ Cruiser feels fake. Whenever I see a shiny new FJ Cruiser in a parking lot or driving down the road, I wonder if that person really knows what his vehicle can do on a steep hill or muddy field.

Off-roaders don’t detail their vehicles, they abuse them.

However, for the few FJ owners who spend more time in the mud than they do on asphalt, they will be richly rewarded with a fun, very capable vehicle.

And for those willing to hold out until the end of September, they’ll be rewarded with a mildly updated 2010 FJ Cruiser. Aside from the additional power and a 1 mile per gallon jump in city mileage, from about 15 mpg, the new model year will bring outside mirrors with illumination markers, smoked rear privacy glass and steering wheel audio controls.

Very capable and stylishly freaky, the FJ Cruiser offers a lot, as long as you have space to play. Like the tank, it has a purpose, and using it for anything else doesn’t make much sense.

sburgess@detnews.com (313) 223-3217

Read more

Safety review

Based on the 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser base trim
NHTSA crash test and rollover ratings, scored out of 5.
Frontal driver
5/5
Frontal passenger
4/5
Nhtsa rollover rating
3/5
Side driver
5/5
Side rear passenger
5/5

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