You Can Still Find A 2023 Toyota FJ Cruiser

The USA gave up on theToyota FJ Cruiserin 2014 but it still enjoys a cult following locally. Somebody recently paid $81,000 for a 2014 model with just 63 miles on the clock. The original owner made a bundle, as the car cost less than $30k when they purchased it.

As you might know, Toyota continued to produce the FJ in Hamura, Japan, for markets where the FJ still sold well. Thanks to its fantastic dune scaling abilities, it was a fan-favorite in the Middle East. But it's time there has also come to an end as well. One Middle Eastern Toyota dealer will be building1,000 limited edition models, and then it will be gone forever. Not even thetiny EV successor will be produced.

Or so we thought.

As it turns out, two countries are still keeping the FJ alive: the Philippines and South Africa. Both countries are Toyota-mad. In the Philippines, Toyota has a 51% market share.

The FJ is not built in a traditional Toyota factory. It's made by Toyota's subsidiary, Hino. It's also incredibly cheap to manufacture, as it shares mechanical and chassis components with the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, which we know as thefirst-generation Lexus GX. Essentially, the development of every single component has been paid for many times over.

It's also powered by Toyota's famous 4.0-liter V6, which produces 270 horsepower and 278 lb-ft of torque. Unlike the4Runner, which also uses the same engine, the FJ has been left behind when it comes to modern safety technology.