The Toyota FJ Cruiser has officially been delisted in South Africa after a 12-year run on the market.
On 1 November 2022, the FJ ceased production and the local arm of Toyota told The Citizen that it will run out the final batch before discontinuing the rugged 4×4.
Toyota South Africa has now confirmed to TopAuto that the Cruiser is no longer for sale and that the last remaining units found their owners.
In the five months from November through to the end of March 2023, the automaker sold 73 units of the SUV in the country, according to Naamsa’s monthly reports.
Goodbye FJ
As the FJ will now only be in the domain of the used market, it’s helpful to know what to look for when shopping for one.
First launched in 2006, the SUV only made its way to South Africa in 2011, where it was one of the more niche entries in the Toyota catalogue.
The 4×4 uses a five-speed automatic gearbox in tandem with a 4.0-litre, V6, naturally-aspirated engine, with petrol being directly injected from two separate fuel tanks with a capacity of 72 and 87 litres, respectively.
The combined 159-litre tanks are necessary as the Cruiser has a rather thirsty consumption of 11.4l/100km, but this is made up for with 200kW and 380Nm of power – translating to a 0-100km/h time of 7.6 seconds, a top speed of 175km/h, and a towing cap of 2,250kg.
An electrically-activated rear differential lock is standard, too, as is the switchable Active Traction Control programme.
Looking at its dimensions, the FJ measures 4,670mm in length, 1,905mm in width, and 1,830mm in height; boasting a made-for-4×4 approach angle of 34 degrees, a departure angle of 31 degrees, and a ground clearance of 245mm.
While it may look like a two-door SUV at a glance, it this high-rider actually sports a pair of rear-hinged back doors for greater ease of access.
This leads to an interior with leather bucket seats, a leather multifunction steering wheel, cruise control, manual air conditioning, an overhead switchboard, a six-speaker sound system, and a reverse camera.
If you got one of the very last models, a 9-inch infotainment screen with on-board navigation and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support is also included, otherwise, it’s a standard radio with Bluetooth support.
Outside, the Cruiser is additionally fitted with mudguards, side steps, scuff plates, and 17-inch alloy wheels.
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