Toyota Fortuner

The Toyota Fortuner now has a new front end as compared to the earlier model. The triple-slat front grille and wavy look may be carried over from the Lexus brand, while the headlamp internal portions have been changed, giving them an edgy look overall. There is generous chrome treatment for the chin of the vehicle which now has a more upright stance and the flatter design may also involve the bumper getting front clearance sonar. The housing for the fog lamps is uniquely positioned, while the horizontal LED daytime running lights are placed beneath the fog lamps are slightly vulnerable towards minor damages. The 18-inch alloy wheels now come with two options in terms of their design grades. The tail lamp cluster is brand new and looks wider with a chrome stripe positioned neatly with the Fortuner name.

The Toyota Fortuner still gets the same engines from the earlier version, namely the 2.8 litre turbo diesel and 2.7 litre turbo petrol engines. The former has been refined further for ensuring first-rate performance and power figures. Once you pair this to the 6-speed automatic transmission, it can generate decent figures and the manual version has a slight torque drop as well. This is possibly the most powerful and best such turbo diesel option in this entire category. The engine offers more refinement than before. The 6-speed manual gearbox is smooth-shifting as well. The 2.7 litre petrol engine has manual and automatic transmission choices as well. It is not as popular an option for buyers in this segment, although the engine offers good refinement levels. Yet, it does fall behind slightly in terms of mid-range responsiveness and performance.

• Petrol Manual- 10 kmpl
• Petrol Automatic- 10.3 kmpl
• Diesel Manual- 14.4 kmpl
• Diesel Automatic- 14.28 kmpl

The Toyota Fortuner offers a pleasing enough experience while driving. The ride quality is not impeccable as you would wish, since the ladder-frame build continues. However, the Fortuner offers great control, especially at higher speeds, if you factor in its overall size. It also offers great off-roading abilities with its 4x4 setup and also handles well on rough roads as well. The overall responsiveness is great while driving although you feel the size of the car at times, which means some body roll. However, it is a great highway cruiser with great stability and poise.

The Toyota Fortuner comes with 4x4 abilities and offers decent off-roading capabilities, while also coming with features like hill hold, hill descent, limited slip differential, active traction control, and more. The sizable torque figures of the engine are a boon for off-roading as well. The low-range gearbox is also suitable for off-roading, particularly across tough and uphill routes. There is also electronic drive control which enables selection of the range as per requirements, while automatically tweaking the same as well.

The Toyota Fortuner offers a comfortable interior for SUV lovers. Fully-black upholstery is available for buyers along with tan brown as well. There is a high-rise dashboard with revamped air conditioning vents alongside. The material quality is top-notch while the front seats have a great view of the road ahead. The seats are more comfortable now due to the electric adjustability feature and also the ventilation. The interiors otherwise look similar to the earlier model. The new instrument cluster is a nice touch with silver-colored inserts. The leather upholstery is also a welcome addition. Space is good in the first two rows and is decent in the third row. The cabin space is good with plenty of legroom and headroom, while knee room is also decent.

The Toyota Fortuner comes with a new color infotainment unit of 7 inches with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There are several connected car features including last parked location, real-time tracking, geo fencing, and more. The Legender variant even has wireless charging, several driving modes, a huge 9 inch touch screen, kick-activated tailgate (electric) and so on. The regular version misses out on the sunroof and wireless charging along with the automatic tailgate function.

The Toyota Fortuner comes with several safety features including 360-degree camera view, seven airbags, lane departure warning, dynamic cruise control, and a collision prevention system. The Fortuner also gets seat belt warnings, child seat anchors, child locks, speed-sensing door locks, over-speeding warning, anti-theft engine immobilizer, and central locking.

The Fortuner comes in 4x2 2.8 litre diesel (6-speed MT/AT) and 2.7 litre petrol (5-speed MT/6-speed AT) guises along with the 4x4 2.8 litre diesel (6-speed MT/AT) version. This additionally gets cruise control, hill-start assist, seven airbags, hill descent control, LED lights all around, the 8-inch touch screen, JBL audio setup, connected car features, cooled glove box and cruise control among others. It is the best option if you are looking to get the maximum value out of this SUV. The Legender is even costlier and comes with unique design touches both externally and internally. It also gets wireless charging and hands-free opening for the boot. However, it may not be the preferred choice for most customers.

The main rivals to the Toyota Fortuner in the segment include the Ford Endeavour, MG Gloster, and the Isuzu MU-X along with the Jeep Meridian. The Endeavour is the biggest rival with its powerful turbo-diesel engine, great features, and excellent brand value. The Gloster is also a good bet with a good engine line-up, several features including iSmart connected car features, ADAS, adaptive cruise control, and more, along with a competitive price point in the segment. The Isuzu MU-X comes with a similar price point, although the engines are slightly underpowered in comparison. However, it has good off-roading chops. The Jeep Meridian offers great features and a refined engine as well. All in all, the MG Gloster and Jeep Meridian are better propositions from a feature-standpoint, while the Fortuner could be a better pick in terms of off-roading, power, and overall performance.

The Toyota Fortuner has a lot of things going for it, including its reputation as a legendary off-roading SUV, its powerful engines, especially the diesel, which can impress even a connoisseur, and it’s commanding stance and design. The Fortuner is a tough and durable SUV with several new features. The safety features are top-notch while resale value is also excellent. However, the Fortuner is a costly proposition now while the Legender version may seem slightly under-equipped for its price. The ride quality still needs improvement, while there is quite a bit of body roll. Several features are still missing, including a sunroof. The quality of plastics is also suspect at some places. The mileage figures are also low for the petrol version. The 4x4 version is a lot more expensive than the 4x2 version now. Yet, for all its flaws, for sheer presence, power, and ruggedness alone, the Fortuner still manages to pull in SUV enthusiasts with aplomb.

Also, check out our in-depth Review: 2021 Toyota Fortuner Facelift.