16 May 2016
Why Fortuner?
Since the Fortuner has a 7-seater people carrying capacity and still manages to carry off the 4WD prowess of the Hilux, the question is more why not? If you want to venture into the big city, navigating endless queues of traffic without bouncing out of your seat at the slightest bump in the road, then the Fortuner may just be for you. Like the new Hilux and Prado, it’s powered by the advanced 130kW, 2.8l diesel engine, and is supplied in three models - the GX, GXL and Limited. All are available with a 6-speed paddle shift automatic however the GX can also be selected as a 6-speed ‘intelligent’ manual. The SUV provides a modest 2.8-tonne (auto) and 3-tonne (manual) braked towing capacity, and consumes fuel at a rate of 7.8l/100km for the manual GX and 8.6l/100km for the automatic models.
Behind the wheel, you are presented with three driving modes - eco, normal and power. Personally, I preferred the eco and normal driving modes as having the vehicle in power caused uncomfortable bursts of acceleration when driving in urban areas.
Information download
The cabin has a refined finish and carefully considered features scattered throughout. For high levels of usability and convenience, there’s a 7” touch screen with voice recognition and steering wheel controls. A 4.2” multi information display provides a broad range of trip and vehicle information and can easily be switched to display outside temperature, average fuel consumption levels and the available fuel range plus more. The Sat Nav, SUNA™ traffic control and digital radio are reserved for the GXL and LTD variants only.
The GX kicks off the range with an impressive amount of features and trim level as standard. This includes an engine immobiliser, leather and wooden steering wheel – which, if I’m honest, felt a bit more like plastic than wood. But it doesn’t stop there. Also included is manual air con with rear cooler, auto bi-halogen headlamps with manual levelling, front fog lamps, rear spoiler with shark-fin antenna, roof rails and rear privacy glass. And, to finish this all off the Fortuner GX rolls on 17” alloy wheels. The GXL builds on this, adding chrome and leather details, auto air con, a 220 volt power socket, LED bi-beam headlamps with auto levelling, daytime running lights and puddle lamps. And if that’s still not enough, the Limited offers additional leather seats and door trim, as well as a power adjustable driver’s seat.
Tested over the ditch
The suspension and lockable rear differential have been carried over from the Hilux however the extra components in the rear of the Fortuner offer a much a more pleasant ride than the Ute. Australia was the proving ground of choice to fine-tune the active traction control electronics and gravel road testing. The electrics can be turned off for specific road conditions such as mud, sand or snow, when automatic control may be prohibited. The active safety package incorporates a reversing camera with backing monitor and rear proximity sensors, stability control, hill-start assist and decent control, ABS with brake assist and electronic brake force distribution (EBD). All of this, combined with seven airbags, allowed the Fortuner to receive a 5 star ANCAP safety rating.
Love hate relationship
The new Fortuner is a bit like Marmite – you either love it or hate it. The brown interior with touches of soft black and brown leather, along with the cloth trim - as found in our test GX model - may be a bit out there for some. While there are now a total of six SUVs in Toyota’s line-up, the 2016 Fortuner is rather unique as it’s the only one that incorporates inspiration from the Ute models.
Pricing
The GX models will cost around $70,990 for the manual variant and $72,990 for an automatic. For those who have a slightly bigger budget, the automatic GXL starts from $75,990 and, if you’re after the Limited automatic, prices begin at $78,990.