Majorette Toyota FJ Cruiser and Siku 2003 Jeep Wrangler

These two are the most common off-road vehicles out there, and in diecast they are plentiful as well, so here’s a few nicely done off-road vehicles by Majorette and Siku made in the last decade.

Majorette Toyota FJ Cruiser

The reborn FJ Cruiser was introduced at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show and went into production for 2007 as an off-road SUV that was designed to compete with the Jeep Wrangler while at the same time pay homage to the original FJ Cruiser (still in production as the lower-grade Land Cruiser in some countries).  This FJ uses the Toyota 4runner (Hilux Surf) as its platform and uses pickup-style rear half doors to retain the two-door look while making access to the rear seats easy.  The spare tire hangs out at the rear of a side-opening door, while the white roof and upright windshield pay homage to the original FJ.  The large tires, round headlights, tires past the bumpers, and even the TOYOTA letters on the grille all pay homage to the original.  The interior has an upright dashboard with more content and features that the original FJ could only dream of, while the engine is a 4.0L DOHC V6 that produces 239 horsepower through a 5-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission, the latter only available on part-time four-wheel drive in addition to two-wheel and full-time four-wheel drive being offered.  Slow sales deemed the demise of the SUV in 2017 even though fans would like to see a return of the FJ Cruiser in a more simpler form just like the original.

Majorette did a nice job with this casting even if its life was short in the company line.  My yellow tester has a white roof and plenty of paint chips from play and wear, while the wide 5-spoke wheels are in great shape and really fill up the wheelwells nicely compared to the, say, Tomica version.  The front has round headlights in a silver grille with TOYOTA letters inside, side signal lights, hood scoop, and lower black bumper where I had to add the silver trim bits from the real truck.  The sides show off the white roof, thick C-pillar, flared fenders with black trim, and large exterior mirrors, while the rear has round taillights in red, a lower rear bumper with trailer hitch, and a nice hard spare tire cover with FJ pattern stamped on it.  As usual these Majorette’s from the 2000’s have a plastic base and no opening features, but it still does have a working suspension even though the tires rub against the body.  The interior has seating for four with detailed center console, shifters, 3-spoke steering wheel, flat dashboard with detailed controls, and even the auxiliary gauges on the center of the dashboard.  This is one of the nicest FJ Cruisers out there and it’s a shame it was not used often in the Majorette line.

Siku 2003 Jeep Wrangler

It’s amazing how many diecast companies make the Jeep Wrangler, even if it means being late to the party with the recent Wrangler bodystyle, and that is the same with the previous generation as Siku was a bit late with this Wrangler.  Still, it’s a fabulous casting that fits quite well in the Siku line.  The Wrangler returned to its roots in 1997 with the famed round headlights and more upgrades to make the SUV feel more car-like while still being rugged.  The interior has a dashboard shared with the updated Cherokee at the time with dual airbags and logical control layout, while the soft top is redesigned to allow for easier use than before.  The axles are still live, though with coil springs on all four wheels, while the engines are carry-over and include the 4.0L I-6 and 5-speed manual transmission.  An extended-length model called the Unlimited was offered in 2003 and paved the way for the upcoming four-door Wrangler in the next-generation.

Looking good with the wide 5-spoke wheels this Wrangler is a rugged, good-looking SUV from the start.  The front has detailed round headlights in silver, seven-slot grille in black, signal lights on the front fenders, and black front bumper.  On the sides are flared fenders with black trim, detailed door handles and exterior mirrors, upright windshield, and hood hooks and latches.  The rear has square taillights, trailer hitch for towing, and even a full-size spare tire to match the other four wheels.  The base in plastic shows off a wealth of detailing with proper depth from the live axles and suspension to the drivetrain and even with all of that and the mid-skid plates there’s still enough information for the usual Siku specs.  The interior has seating for four with detailed patterns and belt buckles, center console with cupholders and shifters, dashboard with 4-spoke steering wheel, and the convertible top in the down position.  This has to be one of the most highly-detailed SUV’s in the Siku line and works great in the work-oriented line of Siku models and playsets.