The first generation Fortuner was launched at Rs 19 lakh in 2009 and the rest as they say is history. The Fortuner along with the Innova has pretty much shaped Toyota's operations in India and still happens to be the main cash cow. It is without doubt that the Fortuner made Toyota a familiar brand in India and now the Fortuner is a brand in itself with a loyal fan following that refuses to buy anything else. The reason is simple as the Fortuner is a no-nonsense SUV that can go anywhere and everywhere while being reliable unlike anything else. No other SUV till now has the brand value or reliability or image of the Fortuner hence no one really bothers about its shortcomings. To be honest, even without this update the Fortuner would have still been the best seller. New competition also has done nothing to stem its popularity but Toyota has finally given the Fortuner an update for it to keep staying ahead of the pack.
This is the facelifted Fortuner with more features and a more powerful diesel engine while the price-tag has also creeped up to an expensive Rs 38 lakh for this top-end version. Yes, in more than a decade the Fortuner is now double in price! Hence, now the Fortuner not only competes with the Endeavour and Gloster, it has to contend with the BMW X1 to some extent. Price hike aside, the new Fortuner still retains its butch stance and looks unlike anything else. There is little doubt that the Fortuner commands a lot of respect and has presence- more than any other SUV at this price point. The changes are subtle but the new LED lights at the front along with the new grille and bumper makes it look more like a Lexus SUV now. The new colour on our test car also looks great but for those who want more, there is a new Legender variant which gets a new front bumper and grille plus massive alloys and a dual-tone look. We suspect the traditional Fortuner loyalist will love that but it is not available with 4x4 as our standard model.
The Fortuner is huge and getting in requires a climb but once inside, it is the familiar shape. The Fortuner in this shape is around half a decade old and the interior does not have the tech or the sense of space that the newer SUVs have but the cabin is solid and well put together. There is a new dark brown interior colour while the stitching to the overall quality is good- for the price it's actually quite decent. New to the Fortuner facelift is the updated instrument cluster and a new 8-inch touch screen with Android Auto/Apple Carplay. There is also a new JBL 11 speaker audio system with a subwoofer but this audio system is for the 4x4 models only. We liked the sound quality and it is worth the money though. The new Fortuner also catches up with its rivals in terms of technology with connected car features including Geo fencing, Real-time tracking etc. A nice surprise is the inclusion of cooled and ventilated front seats- something many luxury cars do not offer. The Legender offers wireless charging and a hands-free tailgate opening as well!
If you live in the Delhi NCR region, the petrol might make sense but it is very thirsty as a massive SUV with a 2.7 litre petrol engine ought to be. The one to buy is the 2.8l diesel engine with 204hp and 500Nm of torque. The diesel manual gets less torque while the 6-speed auto diesel 4x4 gets the full power and torque rating. First thing you notice immediately is the improved refinement. It is not as loud as the previous Fortuner and at low speeds in the city, the refinement levels are actually better than some rivals. Only when driven hard that the engine gets noisy. The drive modes with the sport mode especially makes the Fortuner really quick and you are caught off-guard by the pace. The extra torque and the Sport mode makes the massive Fortuner an effortless SUV for quick overtakes. In the city the response is better and it is plain quicker. The steering though is heavy and slow hence you need to keep that in mind.
The automatic is easily the one to go for over the manual and it makes driving this huge SUV easier. Surprisingly the new Fortuner seems more efficient in the real world with 11kmpl in the city with a normal driving style. What remains the same is the slightly bouncy ride and a tough suspension which makes you feel invincible. The Fortuner really does go over everything while its off-road ability is also brilliant. It is an old school SUV with a rugged DNA. In the end the new Fortuner does not see a shift in its core USP and that remains as it is. For sheer presence, toughness, reliability, re-sale or even brand value, the Fortuner still rules while the new updates makes the overall deal a wee bit sweeter. It is a refreshingly honest SUV that pretty much is a flag-bearer for the old school style of doing SUVs.
What we like- Updates make the design even better, immense presence, new features, toughness, more refined diesel and performance
What we do not- Expensive, lacks space
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