Discontinuations are a part of the automotive world. Every single year, car manufacturers announce which cars they no longer plan on making. During the past decade, we’ve been forced to say good-bye to several favorites, including the Toyota Acura TL, the  BMW Z8,  Chevy SS, the Chevy Volt, Chrysler’s Town and Country, and the Ford Focus. While fans of the discontinued vehicles are always sad that they’ll have to select a different type of vehicle the next time they’re shopping for a new car, there is always hope that the car companies will choose to bring back one of the discontinued vehicles.

There are many, like Doug Demuro, who feel Toyota needs to bring back the FJ Cruiser.

The decision to discontinue the FJ Cruiser

The last time American’s were able to purchase a brand-new FJ Cruiser was in 2014. Toyota did leave true fans who weren’t quite ready to say goodbye to the sturdy vehicle one last option. The company continued to make and market the vehicle in Japan. If you wanted one badly enough, you could purchase one in that country and have it shipped to your home. That option officially ended in 2017. Fan’s feel now is the perfect time for Toyota to announce they’re bringing the vehicle back.

Why Toyota should bring back the FJ Cruiser

There was a time when Toyota marketed a Cruiser that bore a strong resemblance to a standard Jeep. The code name was the FJ. When Toyota decided to create an off-road vehicle that was, well different, from what they usually made, they pulled out the old code name and debuted the FJ Cruiser, a vehicle that really stood out on the Toyota lots. While the vehicle attracted a great deal of attention from Toyota fans, mostly because it was so different from everything else that bore the Toyota name, the manufacturer felt that the sales simply weren’t strong enough to justify creating a second generation of the vehicle. The lackluster sales led to the 2014 discontinuation.

Many feel that this is the perfect time for Toyota to restore the FJ Cruiser.

Sales of off-road vehicles have never been better. Everyone seems to want one. Some use it as a secondary vehicle that they take out on weekend adventures, while others purchase off-road vehicles as their primary vehicle. The FJ Cruiser had low original sales, but the demand for off-road vehicle has led used FJ Cruisers to be in high demand. 

Toyota FJ Cruiser features off-roaders can’t get enough of

As DeMuro points out, there are many features that make the FJ Cruiser an off-roading treasure.

Three windshield wipers may seem strange, but that extra windshield wiper is surprisingly handy while off-roading. Whether you’re driving in mud, rain, or sloppy snow, the extra wiper ensures that the entire windshield is clean. There aren’t any blind spots, which makes it considerably easier to see and increase the chances of you arriving home safely. 

The second most obvious feature on the FJ Cruiser is the small light that’s mounted on the back of the FJ Cruiser’s side mirrors. When the headlights are on, so is this extra light, which provides additional illumination during off-roading adventures. 

The FJ Cruiser is one of the only vehicles with a small storage space mounted into the dashboard that’s located behind/above the steering wheel. It’s the perfect size for credit cards, toll booth money, important documents, cell phones, or sunglasses. The advantage of this storage compartment is that you can access it without taking your eyes off the road or leaning sideways as you must do in most vehicles.

The ninety-degree dashboard takes a little getting used to, but the design makes it feel like you have more leg and knee room while you’re tackling one off-road trail after another.

Additional features that make the FJ Cruiser an off-roading treasure include:

• Auxiliary side sun visor
• Large climate control dials and other controls
• Built-in compass
• Temperature gauges
• Pitch and Roll gauge
• Dual methods for accessing the cargo area
• Cargo net
• The ability to lock the cargo door while it’s open
• Simple 4-liter V6 engine
• Roomy engine design allows for easy maintenance and repairs

Considering the massive current demand for reliable off-road vehicles and Toyota’s reputation for making high-quality, long-lasting vehicles. the odds are good that if they were to bring back the FJ Cruiser, the vehicle would generate highly respectable sales.