Fortuner impresses

by Peter Palm on 11/06/2010

Comments: 0

Toyota Fortuner D-4D

I recently spent some time as a passenger in a Fortuner, three years old with 70 000 km on the clock. The drive was from Jhb to White River, some local driving including some off road 4×4-ing and later back to JHB.

Now, here at CAR we do occasionally get accused of being Toyota fans or in their pockets or whatever. Truth is that most of us are not bowled over by Toyotas in general. That’s because we get to drive a lot more exciting cars, cars that stand out, funky vehicles and so on. So we tend to find Toyotas rather purposeful and dull.

But we are supposed (and do try) to be unbiased and put our personal tastes to one side when we do evaluations. Well, this is one case when I have to sing the praises of the Fortuner. The car cruised at 120 km/h with ease, smoothness and without a single rattle or squeak. The 120 kW was more than capable of overtaking traffic swiftly. Off-road it was perfectly capable and, once again, no noises. It has also been and done the Kalahari and Namibia, amongst other areas. No maintenance issues so far, not even the brake pads have worn out yet.

I hope to follow this friend’s vehicle for a few more years, hopefully up to about 150 000 km and 6 years and I will take note of any problems, especially with a turbodiesel engine that drinks high sulphur juice and give more feedback.

CATEGORIES : Galleries

Anonymous

Having born and bred in Botswana since 1979, I have grown up knowing Toyota brand as a vehicle of preference to my family and almost everyone in my homeland. My grandfather had a Toyota Stout, the very first Stout, then he sold it to buy a Toyota Hilux with two rounded lights like that of older BMW cars, it was reknowned for beating the sandy roads with ease, though it wasnt a 4×4. Then he sold it again to get newer version of the Hilux. Then again to buy yet another long based Hilux called SR5, then finally a Toyota Hilux Double cab before he passed away in 2005. Right now my Aunt drives the previous Prado, all my uncles do farming with Toyota Hiluxes, they love them cars, for reliability, cheap maintenance etc. I’m now busy looking to buy my own Legend 40 double cab soon, right here in SA where I work. The amazing truth is that the Toyota Stout is still driving around in Molepolole, Botswana very old and worn out as I saw it a while ago. The heart inside its bonnet is still kicking I don’t how many watts of power. Its no surprise the Fortuner still kicks ass amongst its peers today!
Russ Wingfield

I would like to appeal to anyone reading this to offer their opinion on the subject i raise.
The Toyota Fortuner, based on the mechanicals (and chassis) of the Hilux, is basically just that, a Hilux without the loadbed on the rear. My problem with what otherwise seems a great vehicle, is the level of ‘bling’, and the engine specification that Toyota has chosen to release the Fortuner in.
I currently drive a Toyota Hilux SRX (2008) – basically it’s a base-model, raised body workhorse with the 2.5 D4-D engine. The interior is grey, great quality cloth seats, manual windows, radio/CD and airconditioner which i’ve almost never used.
Could it not be possible to release a similar Fortuner – I am convinced there would be a great market for them. The current Fortuner models have a level of interior decoration that, apart from being regretably limited to beige, is cheap- and plastic-looking. The leather seats are not the best quality when compared with other luxury cars, and the chrome exterior elements are unnecessary.
My request, and I hope other readers will support, would be a ‘commercial’ Fortuner, 2.5 D-4D and 3.0 D-4D engine options, and 4×2 drivetrains, standard grey (preferably dark grey) cloth interior, standard Hilux dashboard without timber inserts, manual windows, Radio/CD, roofracks as standard, omit 3rd seat row, removable rear (second row) seats, with large rubber mat behind the front seat, with welded lugs for attaching / fixing sports equipment: mountain bikes, etc.
This specification would be not only more affordable, but would allow someone like myself, active, outdoorsy, active, to securely transport my other toys around securely, and which still retains all the positive aspects to the car – badge it a Hilux ‘Surf’ which i saw overseas, and watch them fly out of the showrooms – i’ll buy the first one!