Update: ‘Design’ section updated with Auto&Design interview excerpt.
On 14 December 2021, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) revealed a spate of new EVs that it plans to launch this decade. In addition to mainstream bZ series models, the future Toyota electric car lineup includes some recreational cars, one of which is the ‘Toyota Compact Cruiser EV’ concept which is also called the Toyota LiteCruiser (or Toyota LiteCruser without the ‘i’), given away by the instrument cluster and rear registration plate.
Design
The FJ Cruiser-inspired Toyota LiteCruiser could be a conversion EV. Pictured is the adventure version with roof accessories and white wheels. Image Source: Toyota Motor Corporation
The Toyota Compact Cruiser EV is a Toyota FJ Cruiser-style small SUV. Toyota probably conceived the concept with the same intention as the FT-4X concept. The entry-level SUV might not conquer the desert like Toyota’s FJ Cruiser, but it could handle a light off-road adventure with ease. It’d be the perfect weekend getaway vehicle for small outdoor adventures.
In an interview with Auto&Design magazine, Simon Humphries, Design Senior General Manager, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), said that the company designed this model at ED2, its European design center located near Nice, France. Humphries said that the differences between Europe, Asia, and the U.S. have significantly reduced in the last two decades. A small B-SUV like this concept could work well in Europe and Asia as well as the U.S. and Canada.
The Compact Cruiser EV concept is also an idea internally for a ‘Toyota Yaris Cruiser.’ Image Source: Toyota Motor Corporation
An enhanced version of a picture TMC released in December 2021 reveals an interesting piece of information about the Compact Cruiser EV. We see the “Yaris Cruiser” inscription on the tire sidewall, which might be a reference to its final name. Yaris as such doesn’t auger well with Cruiser, which has long been associated with stupendously capable off-road Toyotas. Either way, TMC should leverage the popularity of the Cruiser name, and both Yaris and Lite can communicate the SUV’s B-Segment positioning.
A boxy body, upright A-pillars, clamshell bonnet, flat roof, large windows, beefy wheel arches, and chunky bumpers and rocker panels convey the ruggedness of the concept. However, this new model is not the successor to the Toyota FJ Cruiser, with its size and ‘Lite’ in its name indicating it is not as capable on the trail.
Interior
The functional interior of the Toyota LiteCruiser/LiteCruser doesn’t disappoint in technology and style. Image Source: YouTube/Toyota Motor Corporation
The interior design of the Toyota Compact Cruiser EV is in line with its rugged and old-school exterior, but it’s contemporary wherever one would expect. A fully digital instrument cluster and a large floating touchscreen infotainment system are mounted on a single panel. The horizontal dashboard appears to feature a wide, slim air vent. A scale model of the concept sits as a decor piece in the middle of the dashboard. The center console is ergonomically placed, and it looks like a floating panel, which hints at free cabin space for a storage compartment beneath. Another interior highlight is a chunky two-spoke steering wheel with flattened top and bottom spokes.
Platform
Toyota suggests that the LiteCruiser will be a conversion of an ICE model. Humphries had this to say while a video of Toyota’s lifestyle EV concepts, including the Compact Cruiser EV, was played in the background:
We believe that truly good products create new experiences for the customer, enhancing their chosen lifestyle directions. From that point of view, each electric vehicle should be unique and special, not only those on dedicated platforms but also those related to existing models.
Simon Humphries, Design Senior General Manager, Toyota Motor Corporation (Media Briefing on Battery EV Strategies, December 14, 2021)
Release Date
The Toyota Compact Cruiser EV’s production version could be a formidable rival to the Jeep Renegade EV that could go on sale mid-decade. The LiteCruiser could be something that’s great for urban driving but also accommodates the occasional off-road adventure. TMC hasn’t revealed the exact release date or product details yet. The Compact Cruiser EV is one of the 12 new Toyota-badged EVs TMC revealed at a press event on December 14, 2021. The company plans to launch most of them “in the next few years,” President Akio Toyoda said at the event.
1 Toyota FJ Cruiser sold in the U.S. in 2021
Despite having been discontinued back in 2014, the official Toyota sales data reveals that 1 unit of the FJ Cruiser was sold in 2021 in the United States. This puts the compact SUV in the category of ‘zombie cars’ sold by dealerships long after the manufacturers have discontinued the vehicle. However, the used car market for the 2014 FJ Cruiser in the U.S. is strong with the SUV being offered at an average price of around $40,000 with around 80,000 miles on the odometer, as seen on iseecars.com. For comparison, the starting price for the Toyota FJ Cruiser in 2014 was $27,680.
However, despite its sales failure, there are many memorable stories of FJ Cruiser owners. Here’s a special one indeed. An FJ Cruiser owner in North America is about to clock 1 million kilometers (621,000 miles) on his SUV with the help of some mechanics in Airdrie, a city in Canada, according to Driving.ca. Chris Dekker, the owner of the garage maintaining Postmedia photographer Mike Drew’s FJ Cruiser, says that the engine’s health is better than “vehicles with a quarter of the mileage.”
Moreover, in JD Power’s dependability score (PDS) for SUVs from 2014 and 2015, the FJ Cruiser scored an impressive 84. JD Power asked thousands of owners how their SUV performed after three years of ownership, and the rating was based on a scale of issues per 100 vehicles (a score of 100 means at least one issue per vehicle). A score of 84 means FJ Cruiser had less than one problem on an average after 90 days of usage. Simply put, the FJ Cruiser is reliable.
In September 2011, Motor Trend‘s road testers reported their collective admiration for the FJ Cruiser. An MT journalist said the FJ Cruiser was for buyers who desired the “capability of the Jeep Wrangler, but the civility of a modern SUV.” Despite its ergonomic shortcomings, it has serious off-road capability. It has an inclinometer, analog compass, a water-resistant floor, and a ladder-frame chassis with good ride quality. Another editor quoted that everything about the SUV was silly, yet it remained highly desirable in its heydays.
FJ Cruiser available in limited markets even in 2022
The Toyota FJ Cruiser was taken off the U.S. market in 2014. Image: Toyota
If you think that the FJ Cruiser has been axed, well that’s not the case. An official press release from the brand on January 26, 2022, confirms that the FJ Cruiser is still under production, however, there were some adjustments being made to its production in the wake of the semiconductor shortages and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The SUV still appears on Toyota Middle East’s website and it’s also available in South Africa and the Philippines.
The SUV is made alongside the Toyota Prado at the Hino Motors, Ltd. Hamura Plant in Japan from where it is exported. While there might not be a direct ICE-powered successor to the 16-year-old FJ Cruiser, here’s hoping that the aforementioned Toyota LiteCruiser EV would be its spiritual future iteration!
Featured Image Source: Noriaki Mitsuhashi/N-RAK PHOTO AGENCY
Keyword: Toyota FJ Cruiser style ‘LiteCruiser’ features in TMC’s future EV lineup