Toyota Fortuner Neo Drive Mild Hybrid Review: Worth A Buy?

It is no exaggeration that the Fortuner has a cult-like fan following and has a huge appeal but Toyota has brought in a silent change with its mild hybrid variant or the NeoDrive variant.

The 2.8l diesel seems a bit quieter now at start and you are surprised by that but it retains its traditional diesel noise once you get going.

Source : Somnath Chatterjee

The Fortuner does not have much competition not since the Ford Endeavour quietly packed its bags and went away. However, despite the hike in pricing, the Fortuner remains a reliable tough workhorse that still is perhaps the only SUV of its kind at this price for those who want a rugged but reliable big SUV. It is no exaggeration that the Fortuner has a cult-like fan following and has a huge appeal but Toyota has brought in a silent change with its mild hybrid variant or the NeoDrive variant. No, this is not a full hybrid Fortuner but a mild hybrid avatar available with the 4x4 variant having a 48V system.

This alone brings in efficiency benefits and a quieter drive plus Toyota has added some features or even deleted one too. The 2.8l diesel seems a bit quieter now at start and you are surprised by that but it retains its traditional diesel noise once you get going. It drives nearly the same as the regular Fortuner but there is a bit more smoothness and a small increase in performance which owners most probably won't notice.

What we like is the better refinement at the start and the efficiency now displaying better numbers like 12kmpl- a small improvement. The range too is now increased by 40-50kms per tankful. The other bits remain the same like the toughness, water wading capability and the overall ground clearance. The addition of a 360 degree camera is much needed and something which a Taisor also has!

However, the camera quality could be better though. There is also a Multi-Terrain Select (MTS) system with various modes too. However, surprisingly due to the hybrid packaging, ventilated seats have been dropped here and the third row seat space is also a bit affected. Otherwise it gets features like a powered tailgate, dual-zone climate control, wireless charging, 7 airbags etc. There is no standard 4x4 now as all get this mild hybrid and yes, it's actually a step towards being a luxury SUV with the better refinement at idle although the lack of ventilated seats is a miss but overall this is a step in the right direction. 

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