In my opinion, the Auto will shift when it needs to every time, within the Range that you have selected. That fact combined with the mechanicals that have been referenced in the previous posts, will make it more fuel efficient than the average Stick.
I have the Auto in my TRD SE and it drives out great.
It is my DD and I drive 30K per year.
So far the fuel economy has ranged from 18 - 22 averaging about 19mpg overal for the first 3K.
This is a substantial improvement from my 100 and my 62,(16mpg and 13mpg respectively).
As for the fun factor, I'll take my Cobra or my Corvair for a spin, if I need more fun than the Auto FJ TRD SE provides.
(BTW, I haven't driven anything else since Dec 2nd when I took delivery of the TRD)
If I could talk Mary Jo into it; we'd have another FJ with one less 100, but she wont her of it she likes her LC....gm

 

Well, just call me wussie, I like my auto and i'm sticking to it. I guess years
ago i'd went with a 6 speed, not near as much traffic then either, but now the auto works for me.

 

I like the stick. And how many people do you know who have a 6 speed?

If you have an auto and your battery dies, what are you going to do?

If you have an auto and your starter dies, what are you going to do?

Get the 6 speed.

 

I am a Toyota salesman and the chief geek here in Green Bay. There are three main differences to consider between the auto and the 6spd. The one everyone has noted is the full time 4WD. The 6spd also uses 3.91:1 gears vice 3.73:1. The third and most important reason to buy one is that the 6-speed has a lockable TORSEN (Torque-Sensing) center differential.

That said it depends on use, I am a huge fan of manuals and I love the geek factor on the 6spd, but I have a hard time deciding between the two because the auto is soooo good. If I was to buy one I would probably go that way, because I am mostly driving on the street, but for the serious off-roader the 6spd is king. We have found around town the gears are so close together that half of them are useless in street driving. Off road I am sure that would turn into an asset.

Consider this, TORSEN combines with the A-TRAC system to effectively route power to the wheel with the most grip with maintaining full articulation and maneuverability (nothing to bind). Check out the videos on the FJ minisite and click on the A-TRAC to see it.

I am glad to field this here because so many of the customers that we sell these to will never have them in Low range let alone use the A-TRAC or diff lock functions:-(.

 

Yeah, I've noticed that. I shift at around 15, 25, 35, 45, and 55 as it says in the manual. The rpms don't go much higher than 2500. If I'm doing 90 on I-70 going to the beach, the engine will only be doing 3,000 RPMs! That's weird. It's much different than my the 5 speed on my old 95 pickup DX.

Do you have a link for that?

 

The TORSEN and the full time 4wd are the SAME thing. When you lock the center diff you have a part-time 4wd system. So you are back to two reasons. But it does sound cool, which is probally what you go for as a salesmen...but not the most factual.

As far as A-TRAC and TORSEN, IIRC you have to be in 4L to use A-TRAC.. .the TORSEN is locked into part-time mode in 4L so you have gained nothing.



The auto is a SWEET tranny. The more I drive it, 800 miles now, the more i LOVE it. It downshifts when braking, suberb engine braking. It also holds the downshift on hills until you have reached the top and are decending again.. even if you relax the CC or throttle. Tons of torque in 1st gear, the ratio may be higher, but throw the torque converter slippage in there and its pretty low. I have always been a manual guy, but the 5spd auto is one sweet slushbox. And you get the other features like HSA and DAC.

 

http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/minis...?section=1.2.1

try this, It used to be more prominent, but once they moved away from the mini-site they buried it. You will find lots of good info on the engineering in there.

Also anyone who is interested in the FJ should stop by a dealer and ask for a brochure, they are very well done and include lots of write-ups.

 

AH64ID,
you are right about the A-TRAC and TORSEN being locked, I wasn't thinking clearly.

I am aware that the full time 4WD is because of the TORSEN, but I list them as two different points because of the Torque transefer abilities of the diff. Full time 4WD requires a center diff, but it doesn't mean that it would be a TORSEN, most (other than Toyota) aren't.

I also agree about the Auto, I have been nothing but impressed with Toyota's automatics, especially with the trucks and SUV's. The engine braking you noted comes into play alot with the new Tundra.

 

The starte question makes sense, but your car won't run without a working battery regardless. This is the digital era... It takes a full battery these days to keep any vehicle running.

 

Wow, I never saw this thread in here until now.
I have owned sticks all my life until my last right, the '91 4Runner.

I went with the auto in the FJ because I hate sticks in traffic, and quite often I get stuck in it.

Plus I am getting old, and I just like the auto better.



The auto in the FJ is a different automatic than I am use to.
This thing hits hard when you nail it and it is going through the gears.

I also prefer automatic for off road.
Way better if you are going up a steep hill and you need to stop.
No rolling backwards since you do not have to push the clutch in.

Also not having to worry about shifting lets me concentrate on more important things, such as listening to AC/DC cranked to the max on the FJammer and iPod running through the sound system.

If I was 20 to 30 years old I would go for the stick, but now I prefer the automatic.