Where is the Toyota FJ Cruiser manufactured?
The Toyota FJ Cruiser was manufactured in Japan, with production centered at Toyota’s Motomachi facility in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, for global distribution. The model ran from 2006 to 2014 and was not produced in U.S. factories.
First shown as a concept in 2003 and released for sale in 2006, the FJ Cruiser was built on a modern interpretation of the Land Cruiser lineage. All units were produced in Japan and exported worldwide, rather than being assembled in North American facilities. The vehicle was discontinued after the 2014 model year, ending its production run in Japan.
Manufacturing Location
Here are the key details about where the FJ Cruiser was built.
- Location: Motomachi Plant, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
- Production run: 2006–2014 (model years 2007–2014)
- Markets and export: Global—assembled for multiple regions including North America, Europe, and Asia, with left- and right-hand drive configurations as required
In summary, the FJ Cruiser’s manufacturing was Japan-centric, with the Motomachi plant serving as the primary assembly location for global markets during its production years.
Context and Background
The FJ Cruiser was developed as a retro-styled SUV rooted in Toyota’s long-running Land Cruiser family. Its production footprint remained in Japan throughout its lifecycle, reflecting Toyota’s approach to global distribution from a single production base for this model. The vehicle’s absence from U.S. or other non-Japanese assembly lines is a notable aspect of its manufacturing history.
Summary
The Toyota FJ Cruiser was manufactured in Japan, primarily at the Motomachi Plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, serving global markets from 2006 to 2014. No factory in North America produced it, and the production run ended in 2014.
Are fj cruisers still being made in Japan?
The FJ Cruiser was built by Toyota subsidiary Hino Motors in Hamura, Japan, between 2006 and 2022. The vehicle shares many structural underpinnings with the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado.
How do I know if my Toyota was built in Japan or the USA?
You can tell where your Toyota was built by checking the first digit of the 17-character VIN. If it starts with a "J," it was made in Japan, while a "1," "4," or "5" indicates it was assembled in the USA. The VIN can be found on the dashboard or a sticker on the driver's side doorjamb.
By checking the VIN
- Locate the VIN: Find the 17-character VIN on the dashboard (visible through the windshield) or on the sticker inside the driver's side doorjamb.
- Identify the first digit: Look at the very first character of the VIN.
- J: Built in Japan
- 1, 4, or 5: Built in the United States
- 2: Built in Canada
- 3: Built in Mexico
- Use a VIN decoder: For more detailed information or to confirm, you can enter the VIN into an online decoder tool, such as the one on the Toyota owners website or the NHTSA website.
Other methods
- Check the doorjamb sticker: Sometimes, the sticker inside the driver's doorjamb will explicitly state the manufacturing location.
- Look at the window sticker: For a new car, the original window sticker (Monroney label) will have a "Final Assembly Point" or "Country of Origin" section.
Why did Toyota discontinue the fj?
Toyota stopped making the FJ Cruiser primarily due to declining sales, which made it unprofitable to continue production, especially after the Great Recession. Other contributing factors include its limited appeal as a niche, retro-styled vehicle, increasing production costs to meet stricter safety regulations, and the company's strategic shift to focus on more fuel-efficient, high-volume SUVs.
This video explains why the FJ Cruiser was discontinued, focusing on declining sales and consumer preferences: 1mFJX2000 ProductionsYouTube · Dec 20, 2021
Reasons for discontinuation
- Declining sales: After a strong start, sales dropped significantly after 2008, partly because of the recession and rising gas prices, which made consumers hesitant to buy less fuel-efficient vehicles. Sales remained low, never reaching 20,000 units per year in America after the initial years.
- Limited market appeal: The FJ Cruiser's unique, retro styling appealed to a specific niche but lacked the broader market appeal of more modern SUV designs. It was never intended to be a high-volume seller, but sales never recovered after the initial novelty wore off.
- Cost and regulations: Increasing safety and emissions regulations required costly modifications, which further impacted the vehicle's profitability when weighed against its declining sales figures.
- Strategic shift: Toyota shifted its focus towards developing and promoting more fuel-efficient SUVs that could meet the demand for better-performing vehicles and comply with new fuel economy standards across its product range.
- Production costs: Some sources suggest that Toyota cut corners on the original design, which made the vehicle's manufacturing costs lower but also meant it couldn't compete as favorably with some competitors.
- Internal competition: The FJ Cruiser was mechanically similar to the 4Runner, a vehicle that sold in much higher volumes. It's likely that focusing resources on the more successful 4Runner was a strategic business decision.
This video discusses the financial and strategic reasons behind the discontinuation of the FJ Cruiser: 58sCNBCYouTube · Jul 30, 2019
Where are Toyota fj cruisers made?
The original Toyota FJ Cruiser was built in Hamura, Japan, at the Hino Motors plant between 2006 and 2022. Production of the newer, redesigned Land Cruiser FJ (for select markets) is planned to take place in Thailand, with production beginning in 2026.
You can watch this video to see the new Land Cruiser FJ in person: 1mKirk KreifelsYouTube · Oct 29, 2025
- Original FJ Cruiser (2006–2022): Built by Toyota subsidiary Hino Motors in Hamura, Japan, for most global markets, including the US and Japan.
- New Land Cruiser FJ (2026 onwards): The recently unveiled, redesigned model will be built in Thailand and sold in Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American markets.
