Let's talk Cruisers!
- Jay Dunkle
- Nov 9, 2025
- 3 min read
The legendary FJ…perfect layout and great for your memory!
I’m not a thrills and frills type of guy. Although I like aesthetics, I would pick function over form almost every time. Occasionally, to my eye, some companies get the exact balance of ‘attractive’ and ‘useful’ right on the money. The legendary Toyota FJ Cruiser may in fact be one of those unique instances where enough of the right information is presented with clarity and an effortless interface.
Driving to-and-from our local coffee haunt every Saturday morning with my amazing wife, I try to keep an eye on the local car dealership ‘just-in-case’ something catches my attention. One day I saw it…a 2010 FJ with a black body, white roof and black cargo rack! It was classic, catchy, and would most likely be sold before I got back home from BJJ later that morning! One week went by and another and several more after. This vehicle moved around the dealership lot quite frequently but never moved off it. By all accounts I was amazed it hadn’t sold yet and the very real thought crept in that something must be seriously wrong with it. As is my way sometimes, I decided to go after it! After inspection, a great test drive, and slash of a pen I was driving home this classic vehicle for my boys (and maybe me too)! Everyone was thrilled!
The central console interface is simple: temperature, vent selection, fan velocity, compass, time, outside temperature, yaw and pitch angle, and hazard button. Every knob and button is larger than life, easy to read (I have aging eyes, so bonus there), and had a single purpose. Absolute perfection!
The radio/CD player…wait, what? - a CD CHANGER?! A six disc CD Changer was in this bad boy! It took me a little while to realize it but the FJ was equipped with a fully-functional six-disc changer. Luckily for the kiddos, my once large CD collection wasn’t fully decimated and I had some great music to share. Loading up the changer was a blast from my 90’s past and I realized what great memories I had from those days. I don’t mean ‘fond’ memories, I mean working and acute memories! I had family and friends with multi (some 200) disc changers. Do you know what? Given enough time you actually can memorize which CD was in which slot and what number your favorite track was. I’ll bet my old buddy Ben still knows the exact combination of numbers for 2Pac - California Love. He would alway skip Water’s Edge by Seven Mary Three because he hated it…never knew why!
We had to survive by our memories when I was growing up. We memorized our home, family, and friends’ phone numbers. We had to remember what time to be home if it was before the streetlights came on. Those are just a couple of examples where we HAD to rely strictly on our minds and memories to keep us out of trouble before this tech/digital age fully emerged us into contact lists, streaming, texts and alarms. Now my kids know that one of my favorite songs is disc-3, track-8 (Joseph Arthur, Wasted).
Not only did we have great memories, but we had great memories! (Pun intended.) I miss those times, those friends, and that music. Luckily, I found some of them again!
Enjoy your music, improve your memory…and live your Default Life!
Welcome to the CD revival movement — for those who still believe music should belong to the listener.