Toyota FJ delayed

The FJ Cruiser, originally planned to join the boxy Rukus wagon in showrooms this year, is not coming until the first quarter of 2011.  The delay is caused by an upcoming update of the FJ, which is focussed on the USA.

"There might have been talk about this year, but it's now in its facelift phase at the moment in the USA. It picks up some changes, mostly interior," says Toyota spokesman, Mike Breen.  "We're waiting for the facelift model. That means it will be in the first quarter of next year.

"It's more a question of timing. We'll probably have stock early in the new year but wait until everyone gets back from holidays." The FJ Cruiser is based on the previous-generation Prado and is yet to make the full mechanical switch to the latest car, which landed in Australia late last year.

It was designed at Toyota's Calty studio in California soon after its chief stylist, Bill Chergosky, joined the company in 2002. First seen at the Detroit Motor Show in 2006 as a concept, it went on sale in 2007.  Breen says there are no problems with the FJ program, which is intended to give Toyota shoppers a more-youthful choice against off- road favourites including the Jeep Wrangler.

"It's not delayed because of any issues, we just want to make sure we have the latest specification," Breen says.  While the FJ Cruiser is not coming until 2011, the Rukus is taking time to build traction in Australia.

The FJ Cruiser is built over the previous-generation Prado.  Toyota claims it is hitting its 150-a-month sales target but official Vfacts sales figures show only 122 were delivered in June.  Even the size of the target is put into perspective in a small-car class where Toyota's own Corolla is the class leader in June, with 4194 deliveries, followed by the Mazda3 at 3680. Even the lacklustre Kia Cerato more than doubled the Rukus result in June.

"It's a niche car. It's taking time to pick up," says Breen.  "We're pretty happy. No, we're very happy.  We haven't spent much on advertising. The dealers are doing a good job at the local level."

Toyota claims the Rukus is doing its job on the youth front, with more than half of buyers below the brand's 50-something average age.  "More than 40 per cent of Rukus customers are from Generation X who are now in their 30s and 40s, and there is healthy demand from motorists in their 20s," says Scott Thompson, corporate marketing manager at Toyota Australia.