EXTERIOR

WHEN Toyota released the FJ Cruiser, I was lucky enough to head off on a magazine shoot where it was put through its paces against an old BJ40. Toyota’s attempt at making somewhat of a retro version of the old 40 was definitely a good attempt, but Ford has nailed it better, albeit being a few years farther down the track They have had plenty of practice with designing retro-looking Mustangs, though

Features wise, aside from the big and unmissable BRONCO lettering on the black-moulded g rille, the factory daytime running lights and LED fog lamps are a g reat touch, not to mention the blacked-out door handles and other non-chrome features

Black Diamond buyers get a number of other cool features to suit their adventurous styles. Underneath, there are bash plates at the front and rear, protecting most of the vital components, as well as a set of tougherthan-they-look rock rails protecting the sill panels.

On the front you can option up a heavy duty modular bumper which is configurable to your needs and can accommodate anything from lighting to a dealer-fitted winch It also comes standard with two tow hooks on the front and one on the rear

I’m still not sure if I love or hate the fact it comes standard with steel wheels Essentially, you’re not going to destroy them as much as expensive alloy wheels when you’re bashing in the rocks, but they do look a bit cheap. They also come with much smaller 32-inch tyres than the Raptor which has 37-inch tyres fitted standard, so there’s a big difference in g round clearance