Toyota approved the FJ Cruiser for production due to positive consumer response to the concept car.

The Toyota FJ Cruiser was introduced as a concept car at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The final production form of the FJ Cruiser debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Production of the Toyota FJ Cruiser began at Hino Motors in Hamura, Japan.

Toyota Racing Development (TRD) produced 3,200 units of the TRD Special Edition FJ Cruisers. This model featured a black diamond pearl color, a black roof, TRD cat-back exhaust system, TRD Bilstein offroad tuned shocks, rock rails, 16-inch alloy gun-metal gray finished TRD wheels with BFGoodrich all-terrain tires, and TRD badges.

The FJ Crawler was first offered as a collaboration between Dealer Services International (DSI) and ARB Corporation. The FJ Crawler package included an ARB Front Bull Bar Bumper, an Old Man Emu 3-inch suspension lift, and 17-inch Pro Comp wheels with either 33 or 35-inch off-roading tires.

Toyota began manufacturing specially equipped FJ Cruisers designated as the Trail Teams Special Edition, which featured many of the same TRD options included on the TRD Special Edition, including the same 16-inch alloy wheels (but in a black finish as opposed to the gun-metal grey finish of the TRD model).

Toyota made revisions to the engine bay's inner fender aprons due to some bulging and cracking issues with the 2007 and some early 2008 models.

Toyota created the TRD package, available on FJ Cruisers with the iceberg white monotone exterior color scheme, similar to the 2008 Trail Teams Special Editions, except without the addition of blacked-out trim pieces.

The FJ Cruiser's engine gained Dual VVT-i technology which adjusts timing on both intake and exhaust camshafts resulting in 259 hp (193 kW) at 5,600 RPM, and 270 lb⋅ft (366 N⋅m) on 87 octane, in addition to slightly improved fuel economy on 91 octane fuel.

Toyota announced sales of the FJ Cruiser would begin in right-hand drive form for the Japanese market.

The FJ Cruiser entered the Japanese market, replacing the outgoing Hilux Surf and selling alongside the Land Cruiser.

Sales of right-hand drive FJ Cruiser models began in Australia and New Zealand.

The FJ-S Cruiser Concept, debuted at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV, is the creation of Toyota and Toyota Racing Development (TRD) in an effort to create a new style of FJ Cruiser that from its looks, remains fairly similar, but is designed to be even more off-road ready than its standard FJ Cruiser counterparts.

Toyota USA announced that the 2014 model year Trail Teams edition would be called the "Ultimate Edition" and that the 2014 model year would be the last for the FJ Cruiser in that market.

Export of the FJ Cruiser to Australia was discontinued.

Sales of the FJ Cruiser were discontinued in Japan.

Toyota announced that the FJ Cruiser would be discontinued in the Middle East by December 2022, along with a final edition model.

The Toyota FJ Cruiser Final Edition was released in the Middle East. Production was limited to just 1,000 units until the end of production.

Production of the Toyota FJ Cruiser ended.