[nilanjanray]

Thanks - I will, when I get time. There are many, many such experiences - and not just with elephants. Meanwhile, let me focus more on what happened recently :-)

[nilanjanray]

A few cribs:

I don't like the faux wood that Toyota has put inside. Looks bad, feels bad. Why couldn't they have put tough plastics in the same colour instead?

I also noticed that the roof rails - the end sections - have some play, if I pull hard. I thought they were supposed to be very securely fixed. Will get this checked.

If only they had used black instead of grey on the dashboard/steering!

The side step vertical plane come covered with polythene. One side had come out, and was looking bad. I had to cut it. No biggie though - this is like a mobile phone screen coming with an initial protective cover film.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

Now that you asked

The Fortuner has its pros & cons, just like any other vehicle does. However, view the Fortuner relative to competition and you wont be left in any doubt why it outsells the rivals 5X times.

Ford Endeavour : A 15 year old platform that rides like a stiff pogo stick. Pray tell me a single thing that the Endeavour does better than the Fortuner.

Mitsubishi Pajero : A 20 year old SUV which feels terribly outdated today. Runs out of breath on the highway thanks to its humble engine. Interiors look & feel like they are out of the eighties. Yes, the ride quality is better than the Fortuner though. Other than that, the Pajero has little going for it.

Captiva : This is the only other SUV which can hold its own against the Fortuner, and even beat it in some. However, the Captiva isn't a 4x4 at all. It's a mere soft-roader that can handle slush at the most. For those primarily driving on tarmac, a better option. But the customer who wants off-roadability + tough as nails reliability will go with the Fortuner.

Who else? The petrol Outlander? The 27 lakh Nissan X-Trail? Or the 29 lakh Honda CRV?

The Fortuner gives the market exactly what it wants (Toyota reliability, a stunning diesel engine, 3 rows of seats, durable interiors etc.), and remember, it's the market that puts its money where its mouth is. My single grouse with the Fortuner is the lack of rear disc brakes.

[TheStig]

Originally Posted by GTO

The Fortuner has its pros & cons, just like any other vehicle does. However, view the Fortuner relative to competition and you wont be left in any doubt why it outsells the rivals 5X times.

Ford Endeavour : A 15 year old platform that rides like a stiff pogo stick. Pray tell me a single thing that the Endeavour does better than the Fortuner.

Mitsubishi Pajero : A 20 year old SUV which feels terribly outdated today. Runs out of breath on the highway thanks to its humble engine. Interiors look & feel like they are out of the eighties. Yes, the ride quality is better than the Fortuner though. Other than that, the Pajero has little going for it.

Captiva : This is the only other SUV which can hold its own against the Fortuner, and even beat it in some. However, the Captiva isn't a 4x4 at all. It's a mere soft-roader that can handle slush at the most. For those primarily driving on tarmac, a better option. But the customer who wants off-roadability + tough as nails reliability will go with the Fortuner.

Who else? The petrol Outlander? The 27 lakh Nissan X-Trail? Or the 29 lakh Honda CRV?

The Fortuner gives the market exactly what it wants (Toyota reliability, a stunning diesel engine, 3 rows of seats, durable interiors etc.), and remember, it's the market that puts its money where its mouth is. My single grouse with the Fortuner is the lack of rear disc brakes.

Well said GTO!

I think the Fortuner is the jack of all trades. The Captiva is the only one that can even think of putting up a fight, but it has some reliability issues with the brakes and A/C.

I feel most of the criticism leveled at the Fortuner is mostly due to people's lack of understanding/knowledge about the vehicle. I too was a victim of these misconceptions but all that changed after a test drive.

[nilanjanray]

@GTO: +10! That is what I keep telling people...

@TheStig: do share what happened to change your mind during your test drive :-)

On another note, I filled up the tank yesterday. Got exactly 11 kmpl. I guess the mileage has come down slightly because I have been revving more, given that the vehicle has crossed 2000 km.

The more I drive it on the highway - especially crowded highways - the more I like its ability to pass/accelerate on 5th gear.

[nilanjanray]

The Fortuner manual says that optimum pressure is 30 psi - and that I should increase it by 1-2 points if the vehicle is fully loaded. Isn't that rather low for a 2 ton SUV?

I am driving at 30 now, and haven't faced any issues. But would love have inputs from SUV owners/Gurus.

[mooza]

Would be advisable to follow the manual on tyre pressures, IMO.

My Scorpio (2004 model) weighs nearly 2 tons as well, and my manual says 29 psi for the front and 31 psi for the rear, whereas the manual for my far lighter Ford Ikon says 32 psi for the front and 36 for the rear !

I guess the manufacturers recommend the tyre pressures based on an optimisation of handling and ride comfort during their testing / trials.

I think the load carrying capacity marked on the tyres takes care of the loading / safety aspects, at the recommended tyre pressures.

[nilanjanray]

Originally Posted by mooza

Would be advisable to follow the manual on tyre pressures, IMO.

My Scorpio (2004 model) weighs nearly 2 tons as well, and my manual says 29 psi for the front and 31 psi for the rear, whereas the manual for my far lighter Ford Ikon says 32 psi for the front and 36 for the rear !

I guess the manufacturers recommend the tyre pressures based on an optimisation of handling and ride comfort during their testing / trials.

I think the load carrying capacity marked on the tyres takes care of the loading / safety aspects, at the recommended tyre pressures.

Thanks Mooza - makes sense.

Wonder why the manual says 30 all around - is it because of permanent 4wd, or optimized weight distribution b/w front and back in the Fortuner?

[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by GTO

The Fortuner has its pros & cons, just like any other vehicle does. However, view the Fortuner relative to competition and you wont be left in any doubt why it outsells the rivals 5X times.

Ford Endeavour : A 15 year old platform that rides like a stiff pogo stick. Pray tell me a single thing that the Endeavour does better than the Fortuner.

Mitsubishi Pajero : A 20 year old SUV which feels terribly outdated today. Runs out of breath on the highway thanks to its humble engine. Interiors look & feel like they are out of the eighties. Yes, the ride quality is better than the Fortuner though. Other than that, the Pajero has little going for it.

Captiva : This is the only other SUV which can hold its own against the Fortuner, and even beat it in some. However, the Captiva isn't a 4x4 at all. It's a mere soft-roader that can handle slush at the most. For those primarily driving on tarmac, a better option. But the customer who wants off-roadability + tough as nails reliability will go with the Fortuner.

Who else? The petrol Outlander? The 27 lakh Nissan X-Trail? Or the 29 lakh Honda CRV?

The Fortuner gives the market exactly what it wants (Toyota reliability, a stunning diesel engine, 3 rows of seats, durable interiors etc.), and remember, it's the market that puts its money where its mouth is. My single grouse with the Fortuner is the lack of rear disc brakes.

I agree to your POV absolutely that there is no good option at its pricepoint. As a matter of fact, there is a big gap between 12Lakhs(Top end price of Scorpio / Safari) and 20 Lakhs (Fortuner/ Endy/Captiva) range.

And thats what I stated in my previous posts as well that to each his own. Not many like the Bolero but I do because it works for me. Similarly I don't like the Fortuner for my own set of reasons whereas it works perfectly fine for lot of people. Its all about individual taste and doesn't mean that someone has to be wrong for the other to be right. After all "To Each His Own"

Originally Posted by TheStig

Well said GTO!

I think the Fortuner is the jack of all trades. The Captiva is the only one that can even think of putting up a fight, but it has some reliability issues with the brakes and A/C.

I feel most of the criticism leveled at the Fortuner is mostly due to people's lack of understanding/knowledge about the vehicle. I too was a victim of these misconceptions but all that changed after a test drive.

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

@GTO: +10! That is what I keep telling people...

[harjeev]

I think that the tyre pressure is also kept in mind keeping in mine the size of the tyre.
My Tata Safari used to have 32pis in the front and 35psi in the rear. On my Landcruiser the recommended tyre PSI is 30, though I keep 28 in the city as it makes the ride more smoother. On the highway I stick to the normal 30psi.

The tyre size on the Safari was 235/75/R16 and the Cruiser its 275/70/R16

[srinath34]

I know this is bit too late but hey, nice thread title there. Nice write-up strategy keep munching those miles with the SOLDIER!!

[Dr.AD]

nilanjanray, great thread and great pictures! The photographs are really amazing! You really have great photography skills. And the Fortuner looks absolutely stunning in Black!

I have a Black SX4 just like you, and now your thread has made me start dreaming about a Black Fortuner. Anyway, dreams are free, so I can afford to keep dreaming :-)

By the way, it will be great if you could please post a more detailed comparison between SX4 and Fortuner. I know these two vehicles are in different classes altogether and this comparison will not be fair, but nevertheless your first-hand experiences on these two vehicles will lead to some interesting comparison points. You have already mentioned a few comparison points in one post, but a bit more detailed comparison will be great!

Thanks,
-AD

[jaysmokesleaves]

Tire pressure depens upon the tire compound too. I think you can run higher pressures on Yokos due to its soft compound. Suspension settings on the vehicle also matter.
On my Prado & LC which runs Yoko H/T's, I run 40 psi for on and offroad and hi speed highway application even in 55*c in the Middle east without any problems.
On the contrary, on my Safari in India, the OE Bridgstones had to be run on 28-30 because the ride was harsh compared to the Yokos on the same Safari on which I run 32psi with a decent ride.
Finally, i feel your air pressure depends more on your ride comfort than on any manual recommendation. So experiment to find what suits your terrain and your comfort.

Cheers,
Jay

[nilanjanray]

Back from a 700 km trip (details will follow) that involved extensive ghat driving - 36 hairpin bends of Kalhatti Ghats (on the way to Ooty - supposedly the steepest stretch in South India, for people who haven't traveled on that road) and many kms of hill roads. Also took the vehicle through narrow country roads. The Fortuner behaved very well.
* Hill driving was not at all a problem.
* She pulled effortlessly in 2nd and 3rd hear in the Kalhatti ghats section. And her size didn't create any issues. Turning radius was sufficient - her torque helps in getting over the steeper sections of a hairpin bend that I wouldn't go over in a smaller car.
* Engine braking is good - better than my SX4 or Indica

Did Bangalore - Masinagudi - Kalhatti - Ooty - Kotagiri - Mettupalayam - Sathyamangalam - Mettur - Bangalore. Was more of a drive than a trip, given the short (1.5 day) duration.

[nilanjanray]

Excuse the picture quality. I used MS Paint to mask the number plates, and the image quality degraded significantly.