We currently have two FJs in the garage. My runabout 2011 and my son's college ride which is an '07 (formerly my wife's daily driver). Why do we have a couple. Well they just preform so well in stock form. Sure the Japanese designer was obviously drunk on sake when he design this. It has some odd quirks but we liken them to an ugly shelter dog...at first your not to sure but once they are around for awhile you come to love them.
We get 19 mpg out of the '07 and 23 mpg out of the '11. Toyota changed the tuning on the post '010 models so better mileage there but the downside is that they relocated the oil filter from the convenient top mount spin on filter to a cartridge filter housing buried down below requiring the skid plates to be removed to reach it. The ride is nice, throttle response is surprisingly good for a rounded brick with a tractor motor. They handle well for a body on frame SUV (much better than any Jeep I've owned). Factory brakes are good, steering response too. But the biggest attribute for us is that they are great winter commuters, sure footed and very predictable. The traction control is seamless and will be appreciated once you hit your first spot of black ice in two wheel drive. With the transfer case engaged they just eat up snow and slush.
Off road they function well, and though both of ours come with the rear locker, I have found that the ATrac system works better as it seems to be easier on the terrain than muscling the rear wheels with the locker. The FJ has become the rig of choice to gain access to our hunting grounds on the Clanhold. That steep access road covered in deep snow is a challenge for any vehicle but drop the FJ into 4Low, hit the ATrac and let it crawl. It's made the climb when the only other thing we could get up there was our skidder.
The blind spot...yeah it's there but honestly it isn't any worse than my old Jeep LJ with the soft top or my first gen Dodge Ram club cab. Hell my boy learned to drive in the '07 and aced his parallel parking portion with it.
Reliability on both has been excellent. Just maintenance and wear items, other than that both have been trouble free.
Until a manufacturer produces a vehicle with similar attributes at a reasonable price point, we'll hang on to the FJs for awhile.
As long as we have a truck also...FJs are great but sometimes you just need a truck.