FJ 1 and done, New 4runner in 2010

[UofRichmondRover]

Work on the styling, visibility, and make a 4-door FJC that would cover the 4Runner market. Diesel too. Or just sell the 70 series here:xxrotflma

 

[Life_in_4Lo]

Tundra
Sequoia
4Runner
FJ Cruiser
all have major sales slumps

All Lexus models except the LX570 dropped sharply

The FJ Cruiser is a relatively low volume vehicle. They would drop it rather than the 4Runner, which enjoys a very strong brand name and sales history.

The RAV4 and Highlander are strong sellers for Toyota. They would kill the Tundra, Sequoia, FJ Cruiser before they killed any of their strong selling street suv's.

The A-BAT was a reaction to the strong sales of the Honda Ridgeline. Now that the Ridgeline sales are dead, I doubt they will bring the A-BAT unless it is too late in development.

I also worry that the 4Runner will be killed off in that they may make it IRS soccer mom, pseudo-highlander. In which case, this generation would be the last of the affordable, premium offroad suv's.

The "Trail Edition" 4Runner w/ elocker in a SR5 pkg seems to hint they are adding offroad features to the 4Runner... possibly b/c they plan to kill the FJC?....

 

[Martinjmpr]

The FJC was one of those vehicles that gets an A for effort and a C- for execution. The fact that (AFAIK) it was made solely for the US market means it was never intended as anything other than a fashion piece, trying to cash in on the nostalgia market (a la the Chevy HHR, PT Cruiser, New Thunderbird, Chrysler 300, etc.)

Outside the US where Toyotas are working vehicles, the Prado and other LC series vehicles continue to sell very well, and honestly theres no reason for Toyota to sell 3 Prado-chassis vehicles in the US (Lexus GX470, which is just a US-market Prado, 4Runner and FJC.)

 

[DaveInDenver]

I dunno if the worldwide sales of Prados and Cruisers is down (maybe the pimped ones in Australia would be dinked, just like here), but I think it would be cool if instead of the FJC, Toyota would have offered 4Runners with a few different basic options. It would be enough just to have a 4Runner with a manual transmission option, the SR5 level is pretty basic. In a pipe dream we'd just get a full range of 120 trucks, like the 3-door versions (which the FJC is based on I presume). Offering a 4Runner with a 6 speed and a locker would be a nice option anyway, forgetting for the moment that a D4D would be sweet.

BTW, Martin, the Tacoma is also build on the 120-series platform.

 

[Rallyroo]

Toyota did kill the Voodoo Blue color which is the start of bad things to come. I don't get it though since when I go to the toyota.com website the FJC is in Voodoo Blue. But when I check specs, voodoo blue is no longer an option.

 

[Martinjmpr]

BTW, Martin, the Tacoma is also build on the 120-series platform.

Well, it's a quibble I suppose. After all pickup =/= SUV. My point was simply that offering 3 SUVs in similar classes just doesn't seem very smart from a business viewpoint because there are costs associated with maintaining multiple platforms, yet they essentially cannibalize sales from each other.

But then again, I couldn't understand why Toyota offers both the Sequoia and the LC series both as $50k+ luxo SUVs, or why they offered the newly stretched RAV4 and the Highlander since, again, they seem to be aimed at the same market.

 

[LRNAD90]

I hope Toyota seriously reconsiders scrapping the A-Bat thingy. In my eye its Fugly. To bad Toyota feels they have to develop trucks for the North American market, they could really streamline by simply supplying us with the international platforms that meet North American spec. I think we could all agree on that.

Can you picture a A-Bat ute? Whip out the plasma cutter and box full of consumables.

+1 on the fugly (but I think the Ridgline is fugly too). And while I , and I am sure most Expo members, would agree that bringing in the international truck platforms would be great, I think we are such a small minority of sales for Toyota that it would probably be a bad buisness decision, there just aren't enough of us to keep Toyota profitable...

 

[Rallyroo]

Just think, for Halloween you can dress up the A-Bat by adding wings and a tail and you'll get yourself a Bat Ray. /sarcasm

 

[haven]

Autoblog is jumping on the "bye-bye FJ Cruiser" bandwagon. They cite the same Automotive News report that says the FJC won't receive any further design attention, and will be allowed to fade away in a couple of years.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/15/toyota-supra-is-doa-fj-cruiser-wont-be-refreshed-more-hybrids/

Sales numbers on the FJC Wikipedia page show a steep dropoff this year. If sales numbers stay low but steady, the FJC could continue in production for quite a while, says I.

Chip Haven

 

[The BN Guy]

FJ leaving soon

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/15/toyota-supra-is-doa-fj-cruiser-wont-be-refreshed-more-hybrids/

Looks like Toyota is dropping the FJ Cruiser!

Also, there's only room for one body-on-frame SUV from the automaker, so the 4Runner will be re-engineered for the 2010 model year, will debut in either New York or Chicago, and the FJ Cruiser will complete its lifecycle and be dropped in the next few years.

Buy one while you still can!

 

[sinuhexavier]

The bright side is they will be instant classics, the Defender was only offered here in N.A. for a short number of years and look what it did to it's panache.

 

[Corey]

I am glad I have mine, best vehicle I have ever owned.
Great offroad as proven by many, and great in town and on the freeway.
They like to play in the woods and relax too.

 

[mcm4090]

You may like or dislike the FJC but you must admit Toyota's marketing of the FJC made it an icon. If they are welling to drop the FJC expect others auto makers to fellow.

 

[Wanderlusty]

I doubt they drop it too quickly, I could see them making it for a few years longer, just I am guessing you will not ever see any changes, and eventually it will go.

 

[rionorte]

With the FJ Cruiser being possibly axed, does that settle that debate of it being a Land Cruiser? :hehe:

Ill definitely look at buying one of the last year of production units. They never really piqued my interest when they came out. But with all the aftermarket parts to make it the way you want - well I actually stop to look at a new TT model being shown in front of a Sams Club entrance today.