Iconic Toyota FJ Cruiser Finally Ends Global Production After 17 Years
Though the FJ Cruiser left the U.S. market in 2014, it was still going strong internationally. Now, it’s all over.
The venerable off-road Toyota FJ Cruiser is finally done (no, really) after sticking around nearly long enough for its retro-themed looks to be cool again. Production of the blocky off-roader ended in South Africa, Cars.co.za reported this week, the final bastion for the 4x4 that began life in 2006.
In its final form, the FJ Cruiser retained the same bulletproof 1GR-FE 4.0-liter V-6 (Eds note: I can still hear how it sounds on start in my head.) hooked to a five-speed automatic and four-wheel drive. The exterior of the final editions of the FJ Cruiser should be instantly recognizable to anyone in the U.S., even though the car left our market in 2014.
Of course, that wasn’t the end of the road for the FJ around the world. In its home country of Japan, the FJ disappeared in 2018. Toyota subsidiary Hino built the model and shipped it to other markets, including the Middle East, the Philippines, and South Africa. Sales ended in the Middle East late last year. The truck no longer appears on Toyota Philippines' consumer site, either.
The FJ Cruiser was reportedly quietly pulled from Toyota South Africa’s consumer site, and when reached, the automaker told Cars.co.za it could “confirm global discontinuation of the FJ Cruiser product line as of December 2022.” The final editions sold in South Africa were largely like the models that went on sale nearly 20 years ago, with the exception of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility in the infotainment system (!). The outlet in South Africa reported that Toyota sold just three new FJ Cruisers there last month for about $44,750 USD (318,000 Rand) as stocks began to dry out.
A lot has changed for Toyota since the FJ Cruiser left the U.S. in 2014, although the appetite for the quirky off-roader has consistently simmered. The automaker quickly teased then dashed hopes of a battery-powered successor with the Compact Cruiser concept last year.
Dang. There goes another real one.
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