Well, I finally got to try one on for size and drive one. (Keith Pearson Toyota, Jacksonville, FL.) Surprizingly, it was very roomie in the front passenger compartment with the seat all the way back.
However, inspite of its actual physical roominess, I still got a claustraphobic/closed-in feeling. Maybe due to the lack of windows in the sides and back. Visibility was not as good as I had hoped . . . . neither out the sides and rear, nor over the front of the hood. Who knows, maybe it's just me being used to openness of an FJ25/40 or my current DD (a Chevy Silverado).
Otherwise, the truck drove very nice (even though it took a while to get used to the touchy brakes). Although I didn't get any off-road time, it handled quite well on the highway. Pretty comfortable ride actually.
But, the big turn-off was the dealership's smug attitude when I was told that a $6k premium was tagged onto the existing sticker price. That brought the price of the particular FJC I test-drove up to $37,900 . . . . hardly the "mid-20s" that Toyota has been proudly touting.
The salesperson confidently informed me, "we know we can get that price out of anyone who really wants one that badly."
At this time, I apparently don't really want one that badly . . . . .
