Toyota reportedly has plans to end production of the retro-styled FJ Cruiser in August this year.
The chunky SUV arrived on the scene back in 2005, with its quirky styling inspired by the FJ40 Land Cruiser.
In 2014, the Japanese brand announced that the Toyota FJ Cruiser would no longer be sold in North America. However, sales continued in various other markets around the world, including Japan, parts of the Middle East, Australia, and, of course, South Africa.
Now, word from Toyota Australia suggests that the FJ Cruiser will end its production run in August 2016. The statement adds that the off-roader will “leave lasting memories as one of the most iconic vehicles in Toyota’s rich SUV history”.
The Toyota FJ Cruiser is powered by a 4,0-litre V6 1GR-FE petrol engine worth 200 kW and 380 N.m, linked to a five-speed automatic transmission.
In South Africa, the single model available is currently priced at R567 000, with just seven units having been sold in April 2016.
We’ve reached out to Toyota South Africa Motors for comment, and will update this story once we receive feedback.
[UPDATE: Riaan Esterhuysen, manager for product communications at Toyota South Africa Motors, tells us: “At this stage, we are continuing with the sale of the FJ Cruiser and won’t be discontinuing the model this coming August”. Still, we’d venture it’s only a matter of time until stock runs dry.]
