A trademark application filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office hints that a vehicle based on the Toyota FT-4X Concept may be headed for production. But it won't be called FT-4X (good riddance). Instead, Toyota may riff on the deceased-but-still-loved FJ Cruiser by naming its smaller 'ute the TJ Cruiser.
Remember, the FJ Cruiser was intended to evoke the memory of Toyota's famed FJ Land Cruiser series, which were (and still are) legendary for their off-road prowess and durability. The FJ had some legitimate off-road chops, too, but don't expect the same kind of mission statement from the TJ Cruiser, if it ever does hit the showroom floor. The FT-4X was marketed toward Millennials – which didn't sit well with some of us – and the TJ Cruiser would likely go down a similar path as a small, utilitarian crossover.
When the TJ Cruiser will actually hit the market is unclear, but since it will likely ride atop Toyota's TNGA C-Platform, which also forms the basis of the C-HR, a solid chunk of the development work should already be done. All we can do now is wait and see.
