2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition Review

Whether you plan to negotiate mountains or parking lots, the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition stands out with its rugged off-road capability, distinctive styling, and a package of features tailored for adventurous enthusiasts.

The 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser is a mudslinging, rock-climbing, off-road utility beast. It’s also meant to be a grocery-getter. So, when reviewing a vehicle such as this, you need to put things into perspective. Does the full-size 17” rear-mounted spare tire and huge C-pillars reduce visibility? Yes. Is it a bit noisy in the cabin? Yes. Will you notice somebody roll when taking sharp corners? Sure. Will your FJ conquer mountains, swim through questionable swamps, and leave your friends in the dust? Absolutely.

Stying: A Retro-Inspired Mid-SUV SUV

2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser TRD Trail Teams Review
2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition. Photo: Amee Reehal

The exterior styling is extremely aggressive and beefy, to say the least—a retro-styled compact SUV paying homage to its FJ40 Land Cruiser predecessor. An ironic mix of ‘small’ and ‘big’ exterior styling cues create this monstrous identity: tiny windows surround the cabin; a skinny front grill with fairly small, round headlights; small window wipers; and small access doors.

2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser TRD Trail Teams Review
2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition. Photo: Amee Reehal

Nestled amongst bugling bumpers and chiseled shoulder lines; massive 17-inch alloy wheels with black powder-coated finish rolling on tires with raised white lettering; huge front doors and fat C-pillar; and invasive skid plates, front and rear. Overall, The FJ renders this sense of exaggeration. And it works.

FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition Interior

2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser TRD Trail Teams Review
2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition. Photo: Amee Reehal

The interior is roomy and has a good mix of comfort and utility. The front bucket seats are water-resistant, but I found the material makes things sweaty and uncomfortable (I’m sure that’s insignificant when traversing hills, but not so cool when you’re on the way to meet your accountant). The rear finds a bench seat with a 60/40 split, the same material as upfront.

2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition gauges interior
2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition. Photo: Amee Reehal

The centre console sees giant, almost condescending, buttons, but they’re straightforward. Above the console sit three gauges: compass, temperature, and inclinometer. The 3-spoke tilt steering wheel feels good. The instrument panel with techy-styled white-black gauges is easy to view and laid out well.

2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Horsepower and Engine

2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition front view parked by a train with a dog nearby
2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition. Photo: Amee Reehal
  • Engine: 4.0L V6
  • Horsepower: 239 hp @ 5,200 rpm
  • Torque: 278 lb-ft @ 3,700 rpm
  • Transmission: 5-speed automatic or 6-speed manual
  • Drivetrain: Full-time 4WD
  • Suspension: Independent front suspension, solid rear axle with coil springs
  • Towing Capacity: 5,000 lbs
2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition head on parked in field with headlights on
2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition. Photo: Amee Reehal

Power is driven by the 4.0-litre, 24-valve, DOHC V6 engine, paired with a 5-speed automatic or 6-speed manual, producing 239 hp and 278 lb-ft of torque. Other notables include an electronic throttle control system with intelligence (ETCS-i), a multi-port fuel injection system, and variable valve timing with intelligence, to name a few.

Trail Teams Special Edition package

2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition logo on SUV exterior
2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition. Photo: Amee Reehal

Safety features include dual-stage driver & passenger airbags, front seat-mounted airbags, and front and rear/side curtain airbags. Side impact beams, a front tow hook, and a high-mounted rear stop lamp with LED provide additional safety. The FJ Cruiser is available in a few trims: the Base model starting shy of $30,000, the Off-Road Package, and the C Package. For an extra $8,175, you can get the Trail Teams Special Edition package, as tested, with a cluster of comfort, convenience, and utility features, including some of the following:

  • Active Traction Control System (A-TRAC)
  • Locking Rear Differential
  • Rock Rails
  • Front and Rear Skid Plates, Roof Rails
  • Special Edition Badging
  • Five Piece All-Weather Floor Mats and Cargo Mat with Logos
  • Colour-matched Door Trims and Instrument Panel
  • Leather-trimmed Steering Wheel
  • 8-Speaker FJammer High-Grade Audio System with SubWoofer, In-Dash 6-CD Changer
  • Rear Privacy Glass and Rear Parking Sonar

Whether you plan to negotiate mountains or parking lots, the FJ Cruiser-Trail Teams Special Edition will do the trick. And look pretty damn slick while doing it. Here’s our review of the 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition.

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Author:
Amee Reehal
Amee Reehalhttps://www.ameereehal.com/
Shooting cars and bikes professionally since film was a thing, for over 20 years, Amee has collaborated with the major automakers and agencies, and his work has been published in various global outlets including MotorTrend, GlobeDrive, SuperStreet, Chicago Tribune, PerformanceBMW, and others. He’s an automotive writer and founder/managing editor of TractionLife.com, focusing on digital marketing & SEO for the past ten years (backed by a marketing degree, go figure). Find him travelling, spending time with his kids and family. Or golfing, poorly.