OFF-ROAD FJ… IS RIGHT ON THE MONEY
2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser
By Melanie Droz
A weekend at the Dunes made having the 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser an adventurous experience. With a V6 engine, it was easy for us to keep up with the dune buggies sporting custom motors. The FJ proved a source to be reckoned with on the sand drags where several quads, dune buggies, sand rails, and SUVs line up to race at 3:00 p.m. every day. Despite the Fushion Yellow exterior, we were able to speed by our competition.
Not only is the Cruiser quick, the optional off-road package provides Bilstein shocks, locking rear deferential, 16” Alloy tires, cyclone air filter, A-Trac, and a multi-information display that includes inclinometer, compass and temperature gauge. By using the part-time 4X4 system along with the off-road package features, the FJ was charging hills of any size. We dominated a razorback roughly 50ft., and the Cruiser had the capacity to climb higher. However, I was too scared to risk it.
Even if the FJ were to crash, my in-laws assured me that it was safe to venture the dunes. The 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser earned 5 stars government safety ratings for frontal crash driver and side crash front and rear seat. I felt a bit untouchable in the FJ once I was comfortable with its handling; nevertheless, I had to master a few baby hills before tackling the 50ft. mountain.
Unfortunately, my sister-in-law found herself out of gas and stranded in the sand rail a couple miles from camp. Luckily, we had the FJ Cruiser, which includes a towing hitch and wire harness that we used to haul the trailer to her rescue. Regardless of the added weight, the Cruiser still offered a smooth ride. In addition, we were able to use the cargo tie-down hooks to keep the cooler stable in the cargo area. You can never be too safe; we didn’t want to find ourselves stranded as well without the necessary refreshments.
Running out of gas was not the only obstacle we had to face during our weekend in the desert. On Saturday, it rained off and on all day, so the sand was a bit muddy in some areas, which forced the Cruiser to work a little harder. I think it made the grade. The skid plates were extremely helpful in keeping the mud from spurting up and causing damage to the vehicle, and the three windshield wipers in the front and rear wipers kept our view from being obstructed.
With all the sand, mud and rain, we were still able to keep the FJ clean; my father would be so proud. The carpet floor mats and cargo mat made it easy to shake out the pounds of sand. In addition, the water-repellant seats kept the rain water from soaking in, which helped keep our butts warm. Lastly, the rubber-like cabin and cargo area flooring allowed us to just sweep out the excess sand when we got home.
The ride home was also enjoyable; however, I missed the small hills and bumps I had gotten accustomed to in the dunes. I tried to take a speed bump with the same force, but it just wasn’t the same. However, the driver sunvisor, flip down side visor and 4 cupholders made the 2 and a half hour ride home to Phoenix tranquil. On the other hand, the $30,272 price tag doesn’t leave much change for the nearly $4,000 estimated annual fuel cost. With 16mpg city and 20mpg highway, this SUV is for the serious off-roaders.
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