Toyota Fortuner : Test Drive & Review

[Sahil]

So I finally test drove the Fortuner yesterday. Dealership was kind enough to send the car over to my office. My views are very much in line with the rest, interior quality and design could have been better. Although I do find the plastics used to be of a higher grade than the ones in the Innova. The gear rattle was negligible so was the vibration in the cabin.
Was impressed by the suspension, much better than the Endy and so was the seating which was slightly raised in comparison. Although thigh support should have been better.
Biggest flaw: The brakes ! This needs some serious attension from TKM.

Dealership claims 1 year waiting for white color ! I have filled in the order form and they would get back with a confirmed date in due time. However they are willing to sell me a fully loaded Fortuner with accessories worth 1.75 lakhs for delivery within a week !
Dealers are just keeping up the hype to play these dirty tricks. Have heard premium of 1.25 lakhs is the current going rate.

Are there any SUV's being launched at the Auto Expo?

[speedy]

Originally Posted by Sahil

Dealership claims 1 year waiting for white color ! I have filled in the order form and they would get back with a confirmed date in due time. However they are willing to sell me a fully loaded Fortuner with accessories worth 1.75 lakhs for delivery within a week !
Dealers are just keeping up the hype to play these dirty tricks. Have heard premium of 1.25 lakhs is the current going rate.

Are there any SUV's being launched at the Auto Expo?

Haha One year wait for the white. Thats a joke. The toyota dealers do have a few whites in stock with them. The guy was willing to give me a white or a black within 2 weeks.
I agree that the dealers are playing dirty tricks with the customers and making them buy the car with the kits saying it is available faster. My Fortuner is going through the same thing and that is the reason i have told the guy i can wait upto three years too, just ask toyota to pay me the interest for the money blocked with them. I dont think the kits are selling as trust me they look pathetic. The guy at the dealership even went to the extent of saying toyota has stopped manufatureing the Fortuner without the kit. Now the cars only come with kits. My response i dont want the car, and could i have my money back.

I dont think there is any launch at the expo this time. There would be the normal display of the SUV's. If porsche takes a stall then you might get the glimpse of the Roxster.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by Sahil

Are there any SUV's being launched at the Auto Expo?

Hyundai Santa Fe is going to be displayed in the show and should be launched in early 2010.
I feel it is an extremely promising car.
It is one of the top 5 SUVs (UK) according to whatcar.com (others in the list include Volvo XC60, Land Rover Discovery, Land Rover Freelander and Volkswagen Tiguan )

[1-Testosterone]

Hyundai SANTA FE will be awesome. Now that I got Captiva LTZ I won't be thinking about it! Otherwise, with R series diesel in it, it will set new standards in power and refinement. Sought after softroader indeed; this is indeed Hyundai's best SUV till yet.

[car_crazy1400]

Originally Posted by Sahil

So I finally test drove the Fortuner yesterday.

I have filled in the order form and they would get back with a confirmed date in due time. However they are willing to sell me a fully loaded Fortuner with accessories worth 1.75 lakhs for delivery within a week !
Dealers are just keeping up the hype to play these dirty tricks. Have heard premium of 1.25 lakhs is the current going rate.

Are there any SUV's being launched at the Auto Expo?

Sahil, do you mean to say that the Toyota dealers are still accepting new bookings?

[Sahil]

Originally Posted by car_crazy1400

Sahil, do you mean to say that the Toyota dealers are still accepting new bookings?

Not bookings. Just getting order forms filled so they can comeback to you with a delivery date from Toyota. Haven't put down any money yet.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Guderian

And then my eyes travelled upwards to the roof and there it was, a wretched looking luggage carrier of the worst possible design bolted crudely on it and then suddenly the stars in me eyes turned into dust particles, irritating it and making it water ! In that lachrymose state I drove past it.

On a recent drive to Nasik, I saw a couple of Fortuners done up by local accessory shops (it was obvious). Bolero-style chrome crash guards, ladders, side bars and what not!

Originally Posted by Sahil

So I finally test drove the Fortuner yesterday. Dealership was kind enough to send the car over to my office. My views are very much in line with the rest, interior quality and design could have been better. Although I do find the plastics used to be of a higher grade than the ones in the Innova. The gear rattle was negligible so was the vibration in the cabin.
Was impressed by the suspension, much better than the Endy and so was the seating which was slightly raised in comparison. Although thigh support should have been better.
Biggest flaw: The brakes ! This needs some serious attension from TKM.

Looks like you are sold? I hear Pete's is releasing a Fortuner brake upgrade kit soon.

However they are willing to sell me a fully loaded Fortuner with accessories worth 1.75 lakhs for delivery within a week !

What an idiot. Report this problem to Toyota (via their website). It's about time dealers engaging in such cheap tactics are disciplined.

[Rehaan]

Personally, i don't think that just a pad + rotor change is going to help improve the Fortuner's braking ability a drastic amount. In this case it seems like the rest of the braking system is where most of the problem lies.

Lets wait and see.

cya
R

[g_prajeesh]

Here is some link for Fortuner Braking System. I got this by reading one of Fortuner Forum. The company called RunStop does the conversion kit for Fortuner. In the forum, it is mentioned that the same company is OEM supplier to Toyota

RUNSTOP - High Performance Rotor Disc

[car_crazy1400]

I inquired for the Fortuner yesterday & this is the reply I got:

No need to make any deposit now sir, just fill up the order form & delivery by March 2010 only!!

[Sahil]

Originally Posted by GTO

Looks like you are sold? I hear Pete's is releasing a Fortuner brake upgrade kit soon.



What an idiot. Report this problem to Toyota (via their website). It's about time dealers engaging in such cheap tactics are disciplined.

Yes I am sold but only due to the lack of choices, I can't digest buying a 4th Endeavour ! But what does a semi luxury SUV buyer do? If only the Captiva was larger and offered more cabin space !
I'm not 100% satisfied, the car doesn't feel that much of an upgrade. I only hope some competitor comes up with a surprise SUV at the Auto Expo but that's just wishful thinking.

My father is keen on the Freelander but that again is a smaller SUV and I rather have an SUV that I can use tension-free since it will be chauffeured most often.

[FlyingSpur]

I don't know about you guys, but on my TD a couple of days back I was appalled by the amount of cabin vibration and noise. Almost as if the NVH bit was left to the wind by Toyota. Maybe I've never had a ride in the Captiva / Endy, but I could never see myself owning such a loud, unrefined and crude-feeling car. It feels like a truck, that's what it is. Helped by the fact that I think it's butt ugly.

@ Sahil : What's wrong with the Captiva man? Is the third row important to you? With the price revisions, it seems like quite a good buy for a diesel SUV.

[ACM]

Most who would actually test drive an Captiva Auto and a fortuner would choose the captiva for the features, ride, confort and almost every things except... the resale, reliability and brand image of Toyota.

[Sahil]

Originally Posted by flyingspur

I don't know about you guys, but on my TD a couple of days back I was appalled by the amount of cabin vibration and noise. Almost as if the NVH bit was left to the wind by Toyota. Maybe I've never had a ride in the Captiva / Endy, but I could never see myself owning such a loud, unrefined and crude-feeling car. It feels like a truck, that's what it is. Helped by the fact that I think it's butt ugly.

@ Sahil : What's wrong with the Captiva man? Is the third row important to you? With the price revisions, it seems like quite a good buy for a diesel SUV.

Thats harsh ! I didn't find any vibration in the cabin and it was less noisey on the outside than the Endeavour. Our facelifted Endy sounds like a tractor in the morning.

The third row is not all that important, although it must be there as a back up when needed. However, the second row is verrrry important and thats where the captiva feels cramped !

[FlyingSpur]

Originally Posted by Sahil

Thats harsh !

I know man. But I just couldn't believe that car. My dad would FLIP if he asked me to find him a car for 20L and I asked him to buy a Fortuner. Maybe I'm not used to these diesel SUV's. Although I've had enough rides in Scorps and Safaris. Or maybe something was drasticall wrong with the TD vehicle? Didn't seem so.