It’s been a really long time coming but come September the Fortuner will be in Toyota showrooms. Does the macho SUV live up to the great expectations?
The wait for Toyota’s Fortuner seems to have taken long, especially since it is based on the IMV (Innovative International Multi-purpose Vehicle) platform which is used for the Innova and has been on sale in India since 2005. The Innova’s success, thanks to its solid underpinnings, spacious interiors, robust and frugal drivetrain, has added to Indian SUV enthusiasts’ impatience for the Fortuner. The Fortuner will finally be here in September 2009 and our extensive test drive of the Thai model around Bangkok gave us something to look forward to. 
FIRST LOOK
First impressions last long and the Fortuner makes an almost indelible one. The Fortuner feels like it hails from the old school of SUVs and wouldn’t be ashamed to stand shoulder to shoulder with brawny SUVs twice its price. The only extravagance that the Fortuner allows itself is the kinky new headlight style that was introduced in the 2008 revision. The Fortuner is well and truly massive, dwarfing soft-roaders like the Captiva and matching the titanic Endeavour for sheer road presence. The Fortuner’s wheelbase and length are considerably shorter than the Endeavour’s but it’s wider and nearly as tall. Like its Ford rival, the Fortuner has the same square and robust look but it’s more rounded with lots of stylistic touches, like the rear quarter-glass which melds into the tailgate glass area. The rear looks quite plain-Jane with only the chunky wraparound tail-lamps and a rear skid plate offering some break in the monotony.
If you’ve been inside an Innova, you will feel very much at home in the Fortuner. The two-tone dashboard is topped with a vast slab of grey and at its centre sits a large touch-screen. The air-conditioning controls are positioned under this. The Climatronic AC system was added in the 2008 facelift and is shared with the recently upgraded Indian Innova. Just as in the Innova, there’s air-conditioning for all three rows of seats. The steering wheel too is similar to the Innova’s.
Surprisingly, some of the plastics also don’t feel top-notch but, again, it’s possible that for the India car Toyota will inject a more luxurious ambience into the interiors by way of different fabrics and materials. There is no skimping on space in this seven-seater. The Fortuner easily feels more spacious than the Endeavour and tops the Captiva for seating comfort. The second row of seats boasts of great knee room and excellent thigh support. The backrest can also be adjusted for rake. The third row of seats is a bit of a squeeze and being quite low under-thigh support is poor, but it’s nowhere near as unusable as the Endeavour’s last row. Shortage of knee room can be adjusted to some extent by sliding the middle row of seats forward.
HEART OF THE MATTER
Back in the driver’s seat the 2982cc common-rail diesel motor is waiting to be tested. The engine promises 160bhp of power and 35kgm of easy torque, aided by a variable geometry turbocharger. This makes it more powerful than the Endeavour but the Ford SUV crucially has more torque. On the go the Fortuner’s engine feels adequate at best with the permanent four-wheel drive, automatic transmission and near two-tonne kerb weight blunting some of its edge. The four-speed auto is a bit sluggish but once the Fortuner is up to speed it cruises quite well. The good news is that the India Fortuner will first come with a five-speed manual transmission. This version is likely to have oodles of grunt to make it a great car for long-distance jaunts.
Despite having a stiff suspension setup, the Fortuner is comfortable to ride around in. It soaks up dips and bumps without rattling your bones and offers a very relaxed environment. It’s only on some wavy stretches of tarmac or cement surfaces that you find out the car bobs around a bit. The ride and handling balance is pretty good and let’s hope Toyota doesn’t alter it for Indian roads. When it comes to handling, the Fortuner isn’t quite like the Honda CR-V. The CR-V, built on a monocoque, feels car-like to drive while the Fortuner still feels like an SUV but quite under control. The Vehicle Stability Control uses brake force distribution and engine output to rein things in. The contact patch from the massive 265/65-R17 Bridgestone Dueler HTs offers huge levels of grip and the steering, though direct and well-weighted, feels a little devoid of feedback.
Take the Fortuner out to kick up some dust and you’ll have the option of 4-Wheel High and 4-Wheel Low modes with the option of locking the differentials. The terrific 220mm ground clearance allows the Fortuner to pound its way over bad terrain with ease. Plus, you have the might of ESP, EBD and traction control to hold it together. Even though the Fortuner is a very capable off-roader, it does its primary job of clipping down the highway with the entire family in search of the next holiday destination very well.
We think the Fortuner is a well-rounded SUV that can easily carve out a chunk of the segment for itself. But that will come down to the pricing of this big, capable SUV. The Fortuner is expected to carry an on-road price-tag of around Rs 20 lakh when it’s launched later this year. That’s pretty good value for a fully-loaded SUV that wears the Toyota badge. The Endeavour, which has ruled supreme as the premium SUV king, may have to run for cover.
TOYOTA FORTUNER
Price (est) Rs 20 lakh
Length 4695mm
Width 1840mm
Height 1795mm
Wheelbase 2750mm
Turning circle 5.7m
Ground clearance 220mm
Kerb weight 1920kg
Engine 4-cyl, 16-valve, dohc, VN turbo, 2982cc
Installation Longitudinal
Power 160bhp @ 3400rpm
Torque 35kgm @ 1400-3200rpm
Gearbox 4-speed auto/5-speed manual
Suspension (F/R) Double wishbone with stabiliser/Four-link coil spring
Fuel tank 65 litres
Brakes (F/R) Ventilated disc/drum
Tyres 265/65-R17
[via AutoCarIndia ]
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