The Toyota TJ Cruiser appears to have been green lit for production, with reports out of Japan - and now the rest of the world - suggesting the funky-looking people mover will make its production-form debut in May.
And if you ask us, that's very good news, with the TJ Cruiser injecting some much-needed cool into a segment that has begun to feel a little same-same.
The TJ Cruiser sits between the C-HR and the RAV4 in Toyota's line-up, but it's so unlike either of them that its stands apart from both.
For one, it's more a people-mover than an SUV (the 'T' in the name stands for 'Toolbox') with a hugely versatile interior that transforms into a van-like space. The front and rear seats can be completely flattened, providing a storage area that's up to three metres long. And there's more storage under the seat cushions, too.
The TJ Cruiser measures 4300mm in length, 1775mm in width and 1620mm in height, and it rides on a 2750mm wheelbase. Toyota has flagged a 2.0-litre hybrid powertrain, but recent options suggest it will borrow the engine and 4WD options from the RAV4.
And in exciting news for Aussie shopers, Toyota in Australia has it's eye on the TJ Cruiser, pointing to the success of the FJ Cruiser and our love, more generally, of 4WD vehicles.
"We wouldn't rule it out, considering our past introduction of the FJ Cruiser, and our love of 4x4s in general in Australia. But we haven't got anything to confirm at this stage," a spokesperson told CarsGuide.
Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist
Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold.
But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul.
And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard.
When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House.
But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others.
More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will.
About Author
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Comments