2009 Toyota Fortuner

2009-04-13T14:26:00.001-07:00

2009 Toyota Fortuner is expected on Indian roads by June 2009. It will be priced at around 18 lakhs. The project for Fortuner was launched in late 2004 and since then it is one of the better selling multipurpose vehicles in lot of Asian countries.

Toyota Fortuner is already a hit in other Asian markets. Indian love big diesel cars and that is why Toyota is bringing its all new Toyota Fortuner in India by mid of 2009. The available variants for Indian markets will be 2.7V Petrol & 2.5G Diesel. Toyota Fortuner will be assembled in India at Toyota’s Bidadi factory in Bangalore.

Toyota Fortuner comes with many advanced features like overhead rear seat Bluetooth connectivity, air conditioning vents, cruise control and navigator. It has also got excellent safety features like traction control, bigger - better disc brakes and vehicle stability control.

Primary design features for Toyota Fortuner will be:

* New projectors and headlight design.
* Sporty front grille
* Better looking then other SUV in this price range
* Better and comfortable sitting.
* Air conditioning can be adjusted at seat level.
* Leather seats are foldable
* Technologically superior: BA, VSC, EBD, TRC, Cruise Control and Navigator

Toyota Fortuner Reviews

2009-04-13T14:22:00.000-07:00

The new Toyota Fortuner range has taken the South African market by storm – to such an extent that virtually from its launch date, there has been a long and lengthy waiting list for this exciting SUV.
It's been a long time a-coming but if the response from the market is anything to go by, it's been worth the wait.

Most things with engines and wheels built by Toyota are dependable, safe, comfortable, well-priced and economical to run, albeit more functional than exciting.

That's until the Fortuner came along.

Without a doubt one of the handsomest SUV's on the road, it is based on the ever-green Hilux pick-up chassis and it literally brims with fancy equipment, although it's not just a fancy pants with all talk and no walk.

Its off-road competence is impressive, especially the 4x4 models.

There are five models in the new range, all of them sporting standard equipment such as ivory leather seats, dual zone aircon, power windows and mirrors, alloy rims, tinted windows, power steering and an impressive audio system.

Other nice goodies include anti-lock braking (ABS), high mounted back brake, driver and front passenger airbags, remote central locking, immobilizer, alarm, seven seats (the second row with 60:40 split and tumble function, and the third row with fold-away seats), fog lights, roof rails and even mud flaps.

What will have special appeal for the faw-baw-faw, two-toned khaki shirt brigade is the Fortuner's 30 degree approach angle, 25 degree departure angle and its 220mm ground clearance.

The new range consists of two 3.0-liter diesels, with a choice between the 4x2 at R294,200 and the 4x4 with a price tag of R331,900.

The cheaper model produces 120kW at 3,400rpm and 343Nm of torque at between 1,400 and 3,200rpm. It is a rear wheel driven, turbo charged five-speeder.

The more expensive option is a permanent four-wheel drive linked to a five-speed manual powered by the same engine as the 4x2.

The petrol drinkers start with the 4.0-litre V6 4x2 at R306,000 and goes on to the 4.0-litre 4x4 which costs R343,600.

Both vehicles are driven by the same engine that produces 175kW at 5,200rpm and 343Nm torque at between 2,400 and 4,800rpm.

The flagship of the range is the 4.0-litre 4x4 with automatic transmission. This five-speed two-pedal option makes the same power as the other two, but its torque is up to 376 at 3,800rpm. Even at R346,575 this model is a very attractive package, particularly to Toyota's own loyal band of bakkie-owners.

I drove all the new vehicles over good tar highways as well as dusty and indifferent gravel roads, before taking the backseat as a 4x4 expert clambered and crawled up and down some really awesome mountain trails.

For a vehicle so classy, its combination of power and agility is quite amazing.

I also enjoyed its smooth, quiet ride on the open road where it handled long, fast sweeps in its stride as it cruised comfortably well above legal speed limits.

All the models across the range are not shy on space, even with four adults aboard.

Other good features are the luxury feel of the interior, the excellent sound system, the user-friendly instrument lay-out and its pavement posing appeal. The Fortuner will look classy outside any upmarket restaurant or wine bar.

Like most vehicles of this type, the Fortuner is destined to appeal to families with 2.3 kids and a dopey Labrador, yummy mummies on the school-gym-shopping run, and to the guys who do the daily grind of home-office-home in their suits and ties when they would rather be wearing shorts and vellies and slugging a few beers next to the river somewhere in the heart of Botswana.

But, so what - it is style, looks, bum space, competitive pricing, the illusion of safety and dreams of faraway places that sell this type of vehicle - and this why the Fortuner will always been in demand even in a keenly-priced, highly-competitive market.

Toyota Fortuner

2009-04-13T14:04:00.001-07:00

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2009 Toyota Fortuner

Toyota Fortuner Reviews

Toyota Fortuner