New Toyota Fortuner: Variants and prices in 5 cities explained

Toyota launched the face-lifted Fortuner at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo, starting at Rs. 19.19 lakh. The Fortuner comes with several exterior changes and two new variants.

The face-lifted Fortuner will appeal to those with large families and people looking for a luxury SUV under Rs.25 lakh. It will also appeal to those who need an SUV only for city commutes and will not be embarking on extreme off roading trips, thanks to its new two-wheel drive variants. Click to watch a video review of the new Toyota Fortuner

The Fortuner will compete against cars like the BMW X1, the Ford Endeavour, Skoda Yeti, Hyundai Santa Fe and the Chevrolet Captiva. The new Fortuner sports an aggressive looking front with thick horizontal chrome slats on the grille and a larger air scoop to add to its butch appeal.

The bumpers have also been changed and the Fortuner now has a muscular look. At the rear, the tail lamp cluster gets a clear lens treatment. The face-lifted Fortuner will retain its 3.0 litre diesel engine that makes 170 bhp of peak power and 343 Nm of peak torque.

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Fortuner vs. Ford Endeavour

Look, space and comfort:  In terms of looks the new Fortuner has easily surpassed the Endeavour. The Fortuner now looks much more masculine and butch. It has a premium feel to it and looks much more suave than the Endeavour. However both the cars have an attractive design with their own set of admirers.

In terms of space the Endeavour has more space, especially in the last row of seats. Overall the Endeavour still has an edge over the Fortuner on the space front. If we talk about comfort then both the SUVs are more or less on the same page, although ride quality is slightly better in the Fortuner. The Endeavour’s seating position is a little high and you sit with your knees closer to your chest than in the Fortuner.

Performance, mileage

In terms of performance too the Fortuner surges ahead of the Endeavour with its 2982 cc engine that produces 169 bhp of peak power and 343 nm of torque. The Endeavour’s 155 bhp of power and 380 nm is however only a little behind the Fortuner. The Fortuner also has an egde over he Endeavour when it comes to mileage, as it has a claimed mileage of 13 kmpl compared to the Endeavour’s 11 kmpl.

Price and features

The Fortuner starts at Rs. 19.19 lakh and goes up to Rs. 20.99 while the Ford Endeavour starts at Rs. 17.06 lakh and goes up to Rs.19.72 lakh. It is evident that the Endeavour is substantially cheaper than the Fortuner.

In terms of features the Fortuner now offers features like cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity etc which the Ford Endeavour misses out on. Overall the Fortuner has more features compared to the Endeavour.

Fortuner vs. Santa Fe

Look, space and comfort: Another car the Fortuner competes with is the Hyundai Santa Fe. The Fortuner may win over many with its masculine styling and road presence but the Santa Fe has a more elegant design. However since the Santa Fe does not entirely conform to the traditional SUV design it has not been accepted as well as the Fortuner.

In terms of space the Santa Fe has an edge over the Fortuner with more leg and headroom, especially in the last row of seats. The ride quality too is better on the Santa Fe when compared to the Fortuner which bounces and pitches much more.

Performance, mileage

The Santa Fe has a 2199 cc, 4 cylinder engine that produces 195 bhp of power at 3,800 rpm and 420 Nm of torque at 1800-2500 rpm. The Fortuner has a 2,982 cc, 4 cylinder engine but it makes only 169 bhp of power at 3600 rpm and 343 Nm of torque at 1400-3400 rpm. So when it comes to outright performance the Santa Fe is far ahead of the Fortuner. In terms of mileage both the cars have a claimed figure of 13 kmpl.

Price and features

Price is where the Santa Fe suddenly losers its charm. It starts at a whopping Rs. 21.46 lakh at that price point you can buy the top end variant of the Fortuner. So it is a clear win for the Fortuner on this front. The Santa Fe has six airbags, while the Fortuner has only two and safety is not something you would want to compromise on. The Santa Fe also has push button start (top end variant) ESP, ABS, cruise control (4WD variant), 10 way power adjustable driver seats, 4 way power adjustable passenger seats and dual zone climate control al of which make it a great car for its features.

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