Farewell, FJ: Toyota Land Cruiser offshoot to exit Middle East

You'll find them all over the region — but the manufacturer announces it's the end of the road for the famed motor after a 15-year run

The famed Toyota FJ Cruiser and its various versions over the years. All photos: Toyota

The FJ Cruiser always looked a bruiser.

Hills? No problem.

An early design sketch of the FJ Cruiser.

Ungainly, but effective.

Old-school dashboard on the 2014 FJ Cruiser.

The Ultimate Edition was unveiled in 2014.

The model was built to turn mountains into molehills.

Design sketches show the FJ Cruiser was always meant for the rough stuff.

A first-generation FJ Cruiser from 2009.

You could fit a Mini Cooper up there.

Inside a 2014 version.

The FJ Cruiser undergoing testing.

A 2013 FJ Cruiser at Las Vegas's Sema motor show.

Enough gears to get you out of any situation.

An FJ Cruiser could often be seen by the coast in Dubai.

It was built for tricky terrain.

The FJ Cruiser Trail Teams badge.

The first Toyota Land Cruiser from 1951, which is where it all started.

The rugged wheels on a 2006 original.

Out in the wilds of Nevada, the US.

People on the inside, wheels on the outside.

It was all a little more basic back in the '50s.

Ready to roll in the desert.

And into the water.

A 2008 FJ Cruiser at the UAE Offroaders Show at Al Ghurair Centre.

The Middle East is bidding a fond farewell to one of its most famous 4x4s — the Toyota FJ Cruiser.

As news came through that the model would no longer be on sale after next year, Toyota unveiled the 2023 Final Edition, the official last hurrah for the car on Gulf roads.

The FJ Cruiser has disappeared from many markets over the past few years — Japan saw its last one in 2017 — but the model continued its run in the Middle East, Chile, the Philippines and parts of southern Africa.

The car in its current form launched in 2007, after motoring fans had been shown snippets of what it might look like since a concept vehicle was first shown in 2003.

It was, of course, an offshoot of the more well-known Toyota Land Cruiser, which can trace its origins back to the 1950s.

The FJ in its modern form was always a different beast though as it had a look more in line with the aggressive stance of a Hummer than a standard Jeep-like SUV. It was never one for those after a cute and delicate ride.

As such, the 2023 Final Edition doesn’t disappoint in terms of what those keen on the car have come to expect.

It comes in a single-tone beige colour for the exterior, upholstery and centre cluster trim, creating what Toyota calls a “distinctive sense of modernity”.

That whole rugged thing has been enhanced with the addition of a black coating which has been applied to the grille, bumpers, mirrors, door handles and spare tyre cover.

It will be powered by a standard 4-litre V6 that will produced 270 horsepower.

The usual 17-inch aluminium wheels and side steps are also included.

And, as a poignant reminder of what it represents, a Final Edition badge indicating the vehicle’s unique number will also be a feature as only 1,000 of these 2023 models will be available.

There is no word yet on exactly how much a Final Edition will cost, but standard models currently start at Dh156,000 ($42,400).

Vincent Wijnen, managing director of Al-Futtaim Automotive, Toyota’s UAE distributor, says the fact that even though the Final Edition will be the last new version destined specifically for the region, you’ll still see plenty of them on the roads due to their essential durability.

He sees the Final Edition as a worthy tribute to “this legendary 4x4”. SUV fans across the region might well agree.

Scroll the gallery below to see the Toyota Land Cruiser through the years