Here's Why the Toyota FJ Cruiser Should Come Back 

Bought my 2013 brand new for $34,500 then totalled it in 2018 and insurance paid me $37,700. 12 out of 10!!!!!

I can no longer call myself a car guy. I had no idea the FJ had 3 windshield wipers.

My FJ kept me sane during the past year of lockdowns. Giving me access to all the mountain and desert secrets that California was trying to keep from me.

What’s crazy is, that doesn’t look like something from 2010

The return of the Bronco gives that much more incentive for Toyota to bring back the FJ Cruiser

Child: Can you read me a bedtime story daddy? Doug: Pulls out bumper to bumper warranty book.

Recently got one that has 190k miles and I swear that engine purrs like it has only 50k miles. Engine just doesn't skip a beat. Awesome, awesome truck.

"Acceleration is fine and it gets a *1* out of 10" Literally anything above zero is "fine"- lmao

9:10 doug starts talking about pepper grinders * i skip 30 seconds* He is still talking about pepper grinders

10 years, 260,000 miles and NO ISSUES. 10 out of 10!! My FJ has served me well. Only one transmission scare which I was expecting with all the highway commuting miles, but it turned out to be a rusted fluid line. These trucks just work. Coming from a Land Rover Discovery that lived in the shop, I'll take the simplicity and reliability any day.

The "pepper grinder" shaped gear lever was supposed to be a removable, working shovel handle. Also, some of the interior lighting was supposed to be removable, and act as flashlights. The front seats were also supposed to be able to fold down flat. Last thing I remember reading, is that the entire inside of the vehicle was supposed to be waterproof, so that you could easily hose it all down without having to worry about damaging anything on the dash. The rumor is Toyota scrapped all those features to obviously keep the cost down.

I sold my 2011 FJ cruiser this year after driving it for 10 years and put 150K miles on it… best car ever. Zero issues in 10 years.

Toyota FJ: the hummer h2s' little brother chose to not do stereroids, didn't get a girlfriend, and had better grades in school, he was mocked when younger, but down the line gets a top job at a NYC firm and now and then gets visits from siblings to his manhatten apartment, with the occasional secret 'i love you most' text from mom.

"I have seen actual pepper grinders" -Doug 2019

When I was little, I used to call it “look! It’s Toyotas hummer!”

My dad has a 2007 Fj Cruiser and I love riding in it and driving it. It’s held up super well over the years.

Outside the car: immaculate Inside the engine compartment: recently finished mudding in concrete

Guys I got it. For the temperature gauge the E/M stands for Everyone (Celsius) and Murica (Fahrenheit)

The FJ Cruiser is one of my all time favorite vehicles. I always loved the cool looking subwoofer-I always wanted to hear what it sounded like. The 3 wipers is super awesome too. It's just so unique, so me!

E/M is empirical/metric. It makes perfect sense for anyone that understands the difference.

21:27 When the same color FJ Cruiser rolls up behind him.

Doug the type of guy to say, "hello, sir" when looking at his reflection in the rearview mirror

I'm on my second FJ and love them. Bought both new. I'm 6'4 and test drove a 4 Runner and just didn't fit in the seats in terms of shoulder room. I went with the FJ because it has a TON of interior room (at least for the driver and front seat passenger... the back seats are claustrophobic). Agreed on the windshield... I'm due for windshield #4. They get nailed by rocks and then crack. Don't forget Toyota reliability. I'm at about about 200K miles on my second one and no problems whatsoever (and it's been to the Arctic Circle and back). Awesome vehicle.

21:27 did anyone notice that there was another fj cruiser behind Doug, Same color as well!

"English (Imperial)/ Metric" for the temp display. Likely a nod to the FJ 40.

i own a 2014 fj trd ill be the first to admit, i have abused the vehicle...in fact i once drove it 18 months without an oil change... ive taken it on trails, through mud, driven it through 9 different states... and through all of that its never even had a HICCUP....nothing, not one problem.... toyota builds vehicles to last, and the fj may be the toughest they ever built

I purchased my 2014 specifically because it’s short... I have a small driveway..... Love the vehicle, smooth on road ride and great off road, best of both worlds. Great resale value.... can’t go wrong with this truck.

Suzuki should come back to the USA and just sell the Jimny. They’re really missing out for no reason.

Both of my FJ's values just went up thanks to this video. Thank you sir.

"TOUGH angry robust aggressive looking offroadery pattern that looks macho" -Doug 2019

Doug, I just met you today and you were So cool! I told you how I have watched you since 2012 and I was rolling in my FJ Cruiser - 306k miles and going strong! Thanks for just taking a moment to chat! Again, congrats on all the success! Take care man!!

I now own a yellow 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser 6MT, and it just so happens to be my first car, and I am not disappointed whatsoever.

Little kid : what storys you have Doug: pulls out owners manual

At 21:27 there's a second FJ cruiser in the background lol

I own this exact car, 2010 Trail Teams. Bought it new in 2010 and now have 44,000 miles on it. Love it with all its quirks. Will never sell it.

The light on the side mirror helps spotters judge the width of the vehicle in dark trails. The FJ, Tacoma, 4Runner, Prado, etc share the same underpinnings so they're quite capable and they're tried and true. Think of this as the Japanese Hummer, with the footprint of a Jeep Wrangler.

I've paid off my FJ after 5 years of ownership and it has only gone up in value! It's crazy how well these things hold money.

my grandfather was one of the lead designers for this car. i’ve seen some of the early concept sketches and i have a mini version of it in my room, it’s kind of sentimental for me even though it’s not my type of car at all

14 years, 180k miles, 2 accidents and no problems. This car is a unit.

My dad had one(an '08, if I recall correctly). I lived it, but here are my most memorable takeaways: 1) It sucks to tow a boat with such a short wheelbase. 2) If you do much highway driving, you will need to replace a windshield every six months. 3) They need mid-grade or premium fuel. 4) The backseat was surprisingly spacious, more than the little back door suggests. I have never been in a factory vehicle that felt as solid and controllable in shitty, icy conditions.

First date: Girl: So how do you like the pasta? Doug: For more of my thoughts on Red sauce pasta, check out my column on autotrader.com/oversteer

Doug the type of guy to buy "tough off-road pattern" bathroom mats.

I see these on the road everywhere where I live and I have always been intrigued. Thank you for finally satisfying my curiosity!

Looking back on it, it's crazy to me that I learned to drive on an FJ Cruiser. My dad had a TDR Pro model when I was in high school and it was the best.

The E on the tempearture gauge stands for Exchequer Standards, another name for the imperial system of measurement. The m stands for the metric system.

Here in middle east the fj is REALLY popular and it's actually has a 2019 model

What’s nuts is that this is a Toyota, renowned for boring designs, even the head of the company admitted their cars are boring. But this still seems almost modern and not from 2010. It’s also really reliable and a funky shape with cool colors. No wonder these things haven’t lost any value really

This is the reason I love this vehicle, it is the ultimate quirk KING!

"Every two door SUV eventually fails and gets cancelled." *laughs in Lada Niva*

Doug: *Makes a video on a million dollar supercar* Me: "meh" Doug: *Makes a video on an old Toyota* Me: yes daddy

My dad loves these. Especially with some of the vibrant colors you could get.

This is the kind of review I like to see! Doug reviewing strange cars, got sick and tired of all the hyper cars and regular daily drivers. Give me more BMW Isettas, VW Kubelwagens!

coincidentally, this was uploaded today that I decided to buy an FJ Cruiser. :-)

I like the styling and it grows on you. Toyota should bring this back, I agree with you it would be great in today's market. As for those doors...try closing the front door then slam the rear half door closed, makes for an interesting result!

Took me 15 years to decide if I liked the FJ. I now own one and it's one of my favorite vehicles ever. I'll probably never sell it (unless I trade it in on a newer one).

#Doug "E/M = English(imperial) / Metric" units of measurement

“Alright, I better get back to work now” *Doug uploads a new video* “Nevermind”

I thought I was a good design till I when saw this FJ. The thing is amazing. Respect to Jin Won Kim (designer) Akio Nishimura (chief engineer). If I ever put up such a masterpiece on planet earth, Then even if I die, I would not complain. I give it 11 out of ten on everything and I dislike whoever dislikes it.

This is one of my favorite Toyota’s off all time and SUV’s in general

Doug on Tinder: “So tell me all of your quirks and features”

"There is a giant subwoofer mounted in the cargo area, and apparently when you press the subwoofer button, it activates that sub-woofer and things really start ...sub...woofing " -Doug Demuro

We need FJ Cruisers and Honda Elements again. I'd love a real 4WD lifted Honda Element in 2022.

I bought my 6-speed FJ in 2007 and just sold it with 287,000 miles 1 week ago it was one of the hardest things I ever did . It is by far my favorite truck I ever owned... and I loved the mirror lights until they blew out in the first month so I replaced them and not even 3 months after the 2nd set blew out . After the 4th time I never replaced it again while owning it . and you mentioned the glove box by the steering wheel . That is where i kept all my valuables and my truck got broken into twice and they never thought to check there . And as far as the blind spots it is big at first but luckily the side mirrors are quite large it makes up for the blind spots when changing lanes. I do side work stuffing big pieces of marble or lumber and chopped wood and also do animal rescue . My FJ took an absolute beating over the years without any damage to the inside and she never failed on me . Anyone considering buying a used FJ cruiser .DO IT!!! I never loved any truck more then that crazy little fun box. And last thing about the design . You either love it or hate it but I loved the look of this truck it definitely grows on you . Especially now a days with all the modern trucks all looking identical . This truck definitely stands out . Best 16years of driving while I owed my fJ ... Great video PS - and I never in my 16yrs owning this truck EVER worried about it breaking down , and toward the end the bottom frame of the truck was going to rust off before the engine died she still ran great for almost 300k miles . Reliability should be 100 out of 100

Doug is the type of guy that farts in the toilet then flushes it.

A week ago, CNBC uploaded a video about the FJ Cruiser and started with "THIS". Today, Doug uploads THIS. Coincidence? *I think not!*

Great job Mr. DeMuro. Excellent video.

I love my 2010 trail teams. Had no idea how rare of a car it was when I got my hands on it.

Doug the type of guy to climb over a glass wall to see what is behind it

You know you're in America when it is "just a 4 liter V6".

I've had my 2014 for almost 10 years already and still loving it!.

I have seen these FJs for sell with 90,000+ miles and they are asking over $30,000 for it so you know these vehicles are durable and the value doesn’t depreciate too much. Probably also because they are discontinued that keeps the value high.

The FJ Cruiser is still available in some international markets. I owned one for 8 years, and it's one of the best cars I've ever owned. In the 8 years, I just spent my money on oil changing and fuel.

21:26 anyone catch the FJ pull in behind Doug? Wonder if Doug did 🤔 He had a 4Runner TRD to his left, and an FJ behind him. Haha. Good stuff.

I just recently acquired an FJ and couldn't resist to watch Doug's take on it.....I don't have the pepper grinder due to mine being a manual, but I found it hilarious that he said you can operate climate dials with your feet, with shoes on! :) I must say, the car has personality unlike most modern cars these days. Funny thing is that I had my eye on FJ for a long time and was debating if I should put snow tires on my baby, the '02 Saab 9-3 Viggen convertible, but ran into a mint '07 one owner Fj that was bought, religiously maintained at the same dealer that it was later traded to and drove as if it came of the production line that morning. 120k on the clock and the previous guy replaced everything at the dealer....including the windshield wipers...all three of them lol. I made a deal at $18.250 and now 3 payments later I see them going for around 27000 with 2-3 previous owners....insane! There are a few common things I've noticed FJ community is complaining about. Some creaking noise from the dashboard but not on all of them even though mine has it from time to time. Another thing is that gasoline nozzle tends to backpressure due to the angle of which Toyota engineered its' hose going into the reservoir tank. Also, a lot of people are complaining about frames getting rusty in just few years and hood not being welded properly. Few things That pleasantly disappointed me, lol, are the music system....loud enough but also the clarity was on point. The engine power is on point as well and it has that real engineering feel to it while driving and being far from bouncy off-road feel for the daily driving. The sound of its' engine is very pleasant to the ears too. I must disagree with Doug on the rear seats. They're not the most spacious, but far from cramped. Me standing at 5'9" I find them really easy to get to when moving front seat backrest for a second and hopping in. Also, the 400W outlet in cargo area is a really cool feature to have for camping. I love the car more each day and don't think I'll be selling it ever...just like the Saab

I have the RED one, the 2012 Trail Teams edition. It’s a great vehicle.

I live in the Southwestern part of Saudi Arabia where there's mountains and rough terrain and difficult roads.. to make it short; I can't emphasize enough how much I love this car. It is so popular here because of its reputation. It didn't stop in 2014 here, the last model was 2019 and I'm so sad. No modern car is like her; she's got this Oldschool-though-reliable-I'll do it all-I'll be with you for ever-I won't need much from you to operate, and I'm practical as fuck Rare-DNA in it. Thank you Doug for making people know about this sexy piece of Japanese engineering goodness. Note: Excuse my non-native complex sentence-making skills.

One of the interesting quirks is that the interior is totally washable with a hose.

You can sleep flat inside the SUV when you fold the back seat and put the front seat in the forward position and the back window become a nice circulation window even when it's rain. This is like a Honda element on steroids. This car is a gem and that is why the value is incredible.

When I was a teenager I was mesmerized by this thing whenever I saw it.

Mercedes: "We can cover the entire windshield with just one wiper." Toyota: "Hold my beer."

21:27 There was another FJ Cruiser behind him

I just bought a 2014 FJ...3 days ago! Luv it! Toyota put the cruise in cruiser!

That style of backup camera is on my '09 Taco, and honestly, despite its size, it's incredibly useful to have a backup camera in the same field of view as the regular rearview mirror. Most modern backup cameras are nice and big, sure, but you have to LOOK AWAY FROM THE MIRRORS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO BE USED TO BACK UP WITH. I'm already looking at the mirror anyway, so it makes sense that the backup cam is there. Way better than some modern mirror cameras that take up the entire mirror for the backup cam (like new Jeeps)

If Toyota brings it back, it would be a re-styled BMW X5

Doug is the type of guy to fold his laundry before washing it

Everyone wants one!The little town I live in I see several running around.They were just a cool ride with the Toyota craftsmanship.

Just bought 1 today ..2007 w 6 speed ...315400 miles from the original owner! 3 inches of services records...

Fun fact: they never left showrooms in Bahrain. They still sell them, and they are absolutely everywhere.

Everyone: Can we have 2 windshield wipers Toyota: 3 take it or leave it

I had owned my FJ for four years before I realized there was the storage compartment above the steering wheel. It's now my favorite feature.

I recently looked up a few used models... some recent, low miles models sell for the same price they sold when new. Insane.

The FJ Cruiser has a peper grinder for a gear lever. Does the Ghibli??

“An absolutely massive knob” Douglas DeMuro 2019

I just got my learners permit and my mom's boyfriend let me drive his fj cruiser, it was so fun and yes its quirky 😂

I agree with Doug about the three windshield wipers

For the temperature, the E/M probably stands for English/metric units

Doug the type of guy to only put actual gloves in the glovebox

just picked one up and loving the ride - go post

I decided to write this post after coming back from my annual maintenance appointment. I got a 2008 FJ Cruiser Special Edition (Canada) with only 68,000 kms on it. Since I got my vehicle I keep getting the question, are you selling your vehicle? And, during my maintenance appointment today I got the same question 3 times from different car salesmen. On top of that, I just got a call from the dealership to ask me if I was willing to change my vehicle for a newer type of vehicle (other than FJ cruiser of course). So, the more I get the question about selling my car and even calls from the dealership, the less inclined I am to sell it. It is an indication of the quality of the vehicle, and since I have only put on 68,000 kms since I got it in 2008, I will have a great car for many years to come.

Doug: The type of guy who gets a farmer's tan from reviewing an SUV.