2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

The Mini Cooper of SUVs

It's stylish, fun, practical and affordable. Buy one if you want to stand out on the street or trail.

Performance

Both RWD and 4WD versions of the FJ Cruiser beat our expectations on the highway and two-lane roads, where they cruised effortlessly and quietly at speeds up to 80 miles per hour. Passing several cars at even faster speeds was a breeze, the engine barely flexing at 3,600 rpm.

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The steering is direct and the automatic transmission shifts smoothly. The brakes inspire confidence, easily stopping the 4,050- to 4,295-pound truck with no drama (vehicle weight varies depending on transmission and drivetrain). Despite lots of wheel travel for off-roading, the front of the vehicle didn't dive toward the road much when stabbing the brakes — behavior that usually indicates the suspension has been well sorted. Anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control and brakeforce distribution are all standard.

Projected fuel economy for RWD models equipped the automatic transmission is 18 mpg city/22 mpg highway. FJ Cruisers with 4WD and the automatic should get 17 mpg city/21 mpg highway. The 4WD model equipped with the manual transmission gets an estimated 16 mpg city/19 mpg highway.

The FJ's most impressive attributes emerge when the road turns to dirt, mud and rock. A 4WD model equipped with the six-speed manual transmission had plenty of suspension travel for knotted terrain, negotiating a rutted, uneven and demanding off-road course with alacrity.

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There's no hill-descent control, though. These systems, typically found on pricier SUVs, regulate downhill speed on rough terrain by automatically adjusting throttle, transmission and brakes.

The independent front suspension allows 7.9 inches of wheel travel, while a four-link solid rear axle with coil springs yields 9.1 inches. At higher speed off-road, and during more aggressive maneuvers on trails, the FJ Cruiser jounced and bounced enough for us to repeatedly apply the brakes and quell superfluous body motions. The short wheelbase and long suspension travel are likely culprits.

For the money, the FJ Cruiser offers astounding capability on and off-road, great utility and comfort, with unique styling.