FJ Cruiser The Ugly Duckling is a Swan

• Mark MusutuI was overtaken by a rowdy driver in a funny looking thing of a car sporting a Toyota badge a while back.

The first time I saw the Toyota FJ Cruiser, I wondered what kind of mistake on four wheels it was.

I wondered whether Toyota designers had major problems of some sort and were trying to vent it out on this thing.

This car is bold, very bold actually, tall, radical, forward and impudent. It’s a statement of design. It was a little too much for me to stomach when I first saw it and so my defenses went up immediately

.

Weeks later I had my second encounter with it. I came across a yellow one (it looks awesome in yellow); this time around I had more time to size it up and comprehend its form and function.

I came to the understanding there was no mistake made at all, it was a deliberately designed to be deliberate and had no apologies to make. I love that approach.

Looking at it closer, I could see that it is a Land Cruiser and resembles its ancestor, the legendary FJ40, as it was designed and modelled as a celebration of it.

The FJ40 is an icon that was made in 1963 and saw production up to 1983. It has proven to be one of the strongest cars ever, the old Land Cruiser is still very much a part of our day-to-day lives, it is synonymous with the Australian outback and still trotting the African landscapes mainly in safari-related affairs.

I come from a family background of safaris and it brings back memories to me; I vividly recall the FJ40 picking me up from school, I can almost hear its growl as it idles.

I also recall its air vents placed between the dashboard and windscreen which I used to think were small windows.

I remember being told that the tough FJ40 was usually used by farmers in Zimbabwe to do the work of a tractor. Connecting the FJ Cruiser to the legendary FJ40 and understanding what it’s about, also taking a look at its general (retro yet very modern and funky) design and architecture, I melted and fell for it.

I love the outdoors – boating, mountain climbing, parasailing, camping – and I have since found a new hobby which is FJ Cruising, and it fits well into the bracket.

I’ve not seen a car so connected to fun, funk and outdoors as this one. I think everyone feels funky every so often and there is no better car to fit such a mood or character, it could just as well have been named P Square.

The FJ Cruiser is meant to appeal to the younger and more active market.

Opening its suicide (backward hinged) doors, you can confirm that it’s practical and made to carry stuff such as big speakers, big cool boxes, big tool boxes, surfboards, etc.

Climbing into the interior, you will notice that you get a sense of being in some sort of safety shell because of short windows, more like being in a tank or Humvee or something military. Toyota made this vehicle to take on the Hummer.

It also has its exterior colouring on some places on the inside.

Standard features include keyless entry, satellite radio, rear view camera, USB port, iPod dock and a JBL sound system to play Bob Marley through 11 speakers.

The FJ Cruiser is not a feminine car (the gap between pedals is wide), though she may occasionally use it to drive to the gym. This car is something a man would guard as jealously as he guards his home DIY tools. Everything about the interior is in line with its rugged charecter.

The FJ Cruiser is powered by a V6 engine and is considerably powerful but does tend to labour on steep hills.

Power is distributed via a five-speed auto or six-speed manual and has an amazing box axle mounted on a truck-based ladder frame.

Beyond the tar and concrete, in rugged terrain, the FJ Cruiser is in its element, it’s a Land Cruiser and it excels in off-road ability.

Here you are aided by a rear diff lock which, when 4WD is engaged, restricts the movement of the diff and ensures traction is optimised on slippery or uneven surfaces; active traction control (A-TRC) which is a smart technology that provides additional handling and control when handling off-road, it’s an alternative to the diff lock.

Only something made by Land Rover can rival a Toyota Land Cruiser on the off-road. The FJ Cruiser inherits a rich off-road legacy and by no means falls short.

Auto industry analysis is that markets don’t really connect to very bold cars and that they tend to be more comfortable with gradual changes or less bold offerings.

But the game usually played in the auto industry is that discontinuing a product means making way for another and Toyota are up to something with more prowess in every sense.

In the words of Tony Cramb, the executive director at Toyota Australia: “It’s renowned for its ability to transverse the rugged, at the same time offering plenty of utility for all types of activities and equally being suited for day-to-day driving”.

The FJ Cruiser stands as an icon that has helped bring back renewed and youthful energy to the Toyota brand and I look forward to what Toyota is going to do to keep this legacy alive.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.