FJ Cruiser Vs. "King?' Xterrra

[ghughes]

2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser vs. 2006 Nissan Xterra Off-Road
By EDMUNDS.COM EDITORS
"Going off road with these two trucks is nothing less than exhilarating" -WTF?- Emphasis mine

California's Anza Borrego Desert State Park is hard country. It's no place for those sensitive to sun, wind or cold. There are a lot of rocks, very little water and in the summer one might say it "gets a little hot." It's a place where the paved roads bear names like "Montezuma Valley" and "Peg Leg Smith." The dogs have three legs and the people wear full-brimmed hats and drive Broncos without tops or mufflers. In other words, it's the kind of place perfect for proving off-road vehicles like the 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser and 2006 Nissan Xterra.


Luckily, we were there for two days in April. But that hardly made it any milder. There were a few green leaves among the cacti, but the rocks were just as big and the sand was just as deep. Coyote Canyon trail wasn't any easier after a month of rain had enhanced its ruts and made its steep rock crawl look like some kind of sick joke.


Then there were the desert byways -- hundreds of them. With names like Hills of the Moon, Rainbow Wash, Devil's Slide Lane and our personal favorite, Blow Sand Trail. These faster desert roads gave us a good gauge for each SUV's chassis dynamics at higher speeds. Both SUVs also made the 300-mile round-trip to the state park and back on regular roads and endured several weeks of daily living with editors.


Hard SUVs for hard country
It's no coincidence that Nissan's Xterra Off-Road is the reigning king of midsize off-road performance. It's got the hardware to deliver the goods: a locking rear differential, brake-based traction control, hill-descent control, hill-start assist, Bilstein shock absorbers, full skid plates and 16-inch BFGoodrich Rugged Trail tires. Like any real off-road vehicle, the Xterra has a low-range transfer case, which is activated using a dash-mounted switch.


Motivating all that off-road hardware is a standard 4.0-liter V6 that makes 265 horsepower and 284 pound-feet of torque. Our tester was also fitted with the optional five-speed automatic transmission, Rockford Fosgate Audio system, Sirius Satellite Radio and carpeted floor mats. The tally, including destination charges, came to $29,115.


The FJ Cruiser was no less prepared. Upgrade Package # 2 gave our tester the goods for driving in the dirt: A-TRAC brake-based traction control, rear differential lock and huge 265/70R17 Dunlop AT20 Grandtrek tires on alloy wheels. Bilstein dampers are standard equipment, as are skid plates on the engine sump, transfer case and fuel tank. The FJ's high- and low-range four-wheel-drive modes are selected via a center-mounted lever.


A 4.0-liter V6 pumping out 239 hp and 278 lb-ft of torque powers the FJ through a standard five-speed automatic transmission. In addition to the aforementioned upgrade package, our tester came with the $1,840 convenience package, which adds remote keyless entry, cruise control, power mirrors, a rear backup alarm, tinted rear windows, a rear-window wiper and daytime running lights. Side curtain airbags, running boards, carpeted floor mats and a tow hitch added another $1,543 in options, bringing the FJ's total cost with destination charges to $29,883.


Dethroning the king
After 12 days and 2,200 miles of thrashing through the desert, sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic, hauling kids, mountain bikes and ass, the decision was not easy. On-road performance testing was a virtual wash, as was price, as was our subjective evaluation, which includes a comprehensive look at everything from engine performance to cupholder placement.


Before we reveal the winner, a few disclaimers are in order. This test is close. So close that many editors' subjective evaluations tallied in a dead heat. Zero-to-60 acceleration and quarter-mile performance was exactly the same and the $767 price difference is hardly worth considering.


The winner was decided based on off-road performance and which vehicle editors would rather drive and be seen in on a daily basis. Those factors combined with the FJ's more modern styling, marginally better interior design and preferred interior materials were enough to sway our scores in its favor.


Naturally, this decision comes with a few caveats. If all we were going to do was haul kids and family on the freeway, then the Xterra probably would have gotten the nod for being more usable, having more easily accessible passenger space and better visibility. Most editors preferred its road manners to the FJ's as well.


But reviewing these two SUVs without some serious off-road evaluation would be decidedly incomplete. And it was off-road where the FJ's strengths began to shine and we knew we had a winner. It hauled up rocky climbs that made the Xterra breathe heavily, without even breaking a sweat. It was also more comfortable on rough and washboarded roads, and the longer we had it in the desert the more its retro styling looked at home.


At the end of one long day in the desert, the attendant at the Borrego Springs service station voiced his disapproval. "Sure is ugly," he offered, looking at the FJ with obvious import-hating disgust. Maybe. But we're guessing it'll go just as many places as his Bronco. And with air conditioning, a real roof and mufflers it'll probably be more comfortable getting there.

[Bvonscott]

Originally Posted by ghughes

2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser vs. 2006 Nissan Xterra Off-Road

At the end of one long day in the desert, the attendant at the Borrego Springs service station voiced his disapproval. "Sure is ugly," he offered, looking at the FJ with obvious import-hating disgust. Maybe. But we're guessing it'll go just as many places as his Bronco. And with air conditioning, a real roof and mufflers it'll probably be more comfortable getting there.

That guy hit the nail on the head, the FJ is an ugly dog. But to then make the comment "obvious import-hating disgust" is so laughable and lame that it just proves how "biased" the media really is. What we need is a retro bronco to fight that ugly FJ, and a better equipped H3 to kill it off!

[CarShark]

"obvious import-hating disgust"? Maybe he just thinks that it's ugly. It's called......wait for it......an opinion. I like it, but I don't require everyone to like the FJ.

[bouda]

It's not ugly, it's fugly. I could get used to one with the 6-speed though.

[Butz]

God the H3 needs a beefier motor! They could go with turbocharging, an electric motor (making it a Hybrid), a V8, anything!

[ctaylorzl1]

I love the new FJ, I test frove one a few weeks ago, it was a 6-speed AWD with all the upgrades. It was neally nice in & out, plus the guage pod on the dash was cool, The only thing I didnt like about it was that it you get the 6-speed manual it only comes in AWD, not selectable 2/4WD like with the automatics, you could select high & low range like normal, but no 2wd. I would still rather have a H3, but it needs way more HP. The FJ had enough power (It could of used more, but what couldnt) But atleast the FJ had enough HP.

[kancharlaraj]

Yikes....FJ Cruisers...they are popping up everywhere...I saw one in my town....and one while going to work...all this in 2 days....

[kool_zx3]

FJ cruiser's are everywhere now.....

[paul8488]

Originally Posted by ghughes

At the end of one long day in the desert, the attendant at the Borrego Springs service station voiced his disapproval. "Sure is ugly," he offered, looking at the FJ with obvious import-hating disgust. Maybe. But we're guessing it'll go just as many places as his Bronco. And with air conditioning, a real roof and mufflers it'll probably be more comfortable getting there.

Errr... ummm... a little over my head, it seems. The 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser has more options and is more comfortable than a 10-15 year old Bronco? Ah good. That's fantastic info.

[CACressida]

FYI, im an owner of an FJ. If you think the H3 is better in looks and overall, then your just kidding yourself. The H3 looks very odd. First thing my neighbor said, and he's a Mopar man was **************** that thing looks like a cricket. The FJ is better looking and its looks will never grow old. Tho, them tailights can use a redesign...

[SnapOversteer]

Originally Posted by ctaylorzl1

IThe only thing I didnt like about it was that it you get the 6-speed manual it only comes in AWD, not selectable 2/4WD like with the automatics, you could select high & low range like normal, but no 2wd.

I'll take full time 4WD over part time anyday. Real 4WD trucks should always have a center differential to control torque splits. Part time systems require traction loss on one or more of the wheels to compensate for the F/R torque, otherwise you bind up the system. That's why you're not supposed to use PT 4WD unless you're losing traction.