Rugged SUV rental for East Tennessee

The 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition is the last and most capable production variant of the FJ Cruiser — Toyota discontinued the FJ after 2014, and the Trail Teams was the final trim package that added a rear locker, BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires, TRD suspension tuning, and rock rails to the already capable base platform.

The FJ Cruiser was built on Toyota's N platform — the same body-on-frame architecture that underpins the 4Runner and the Land Cruiser. It shares the 1GR-FE 4.0L V6 with the 4Runner and the same part-time 4WD transfer case with high range, low range, and a real locking rear differential. This is not a crossover pretending to be capable. The capability is inherent to the platform.

Drive865 chose the FJ specifically because it fills the gap between our sports cars (which nobody else rents) and the family SUVs the chains offer at the airport. The FJ is the one vehicle in our fleet that's both distinctive and purpose-built for East Tennessee's gravel forest roads, creek-adjacent parking, and unpaved trailhead access.

Cades Cove: the FJ is our top recommendation for the 11-mile loop. Its upright seating and tall glass give you better wildlife visibility than any lower car, and the paved loop requires nothing from the 4WD system — the FJ's value there is its height and visibility, not its off-road capability.

Gravel and forest service roads: Cherokee National Forest surrounds the Smokies on both sides and contains miles of forest service roads that are open to vehicles. The FJ's all-terrain tires and ground clearance make gravel detours comfortable and confident.

Trailhead access: many Smokies trailheads have packed-gravel or rough-aggregate parking areas. The FJ parks in all of them without concern.

The Foothills Parkway approach: the Foothills Parkway connects to forest service roads at several points. If you're exploring beyond the Parkway into the adjacent national forest, the FJ is the right tool.

The FJ Cruiser isn't a sports car. Its 4.0L V6 is a capable and reliable engine, but its 235 hp doesn't produce sports-car acceleration and the body-on-frame construction means body roll in corners that no enthusiast car would tolerate. It's not a vehicle you'd choose for Tail of the Dragon as the centerpiece of your trip — it handles the Dragon, but it won't be as rewarding as a BRZ.

The FJ also doesn't have a removable top or doors. If open-air driving is the primary goal, the Miata is the right answer. The FJ has fixed windows and fixed doors — very useful in rain, less dramatic in summer.

Finally, the FJ Cruiser has a distinctive exterior that limits rear visibility somewhat — the design is iconic but the rear three-quarter view is limited by the spare tire mounted on the tailgate. This is a known FJ quirk; it's managed with the side mirrors and the interior rear-view mirror.