Why I chose the Fortuner over the Endeavour. Hi,
I was in the market for a new car last year and after exploring all the brands across the segments I finally ended up in a very tough situation
– the Fortuner 2.8 4X4 AT vs the Endeavour 3.2 Titanium.
My requirements were: A practical & comfortable 5 seater which should serve me well for at least 5-7 years, Intended Usage- 70% city & 30% highways
Since this was going to be my primary ride and we (me & my better half) had no clear favorites we decided to objectively evaluate both and choose the one which suits us better.
I will share my buying experience in 2 parts:
First - My observations & conclusion on the basis of objective evaluation.
Second- My personal preferences which helped me choose one over the other. PART 1 The First test drive:
V Go Ford, Endeavour 3.2 AT- A quick drive on the NH-2 that lasted for about 15 minutes, asked them to drop us at 36 Toyota and they obliged then drove the Fortuner over the same route on the NH-2.
While there was no perceptible difference in the way these torque monsters behaved on the highway, the massive sunroof, sync 3, and the airy beige cabin of the endeavour played on our minds and we had the same question as our fellow bhpian ddndrive ‘ why do people buy the Fortuner over this’.
I will admit that after the 1st drive we were kinda sold on the Endeavour.
Since there were so many things we did not try in this short drive, we decided to stick to the process and evaluate. The second test drives:
V Go Ford, Endeavour 3.2 AT - Before the actual drive, we decided to try the middle and the rear seats in the parked vehicle and requested the SA to help us in this exercise, the results were pretty disappointing, On paper the Endeavour has a longer wheel base & the beige interiors make it look roomy but try seating 3 abreast and the space simply vanishes, add to that the middle bench sits quite low to liberate space for the sunroof.
The 3rd row was again a disappointment right from the moment I decide to get in to it. There is no proper mechanism/space to get in and when I somehow managed to climb in the last row I found out that the seats don’t recline, so you are stuck in the same seating position even on a long drive.
Anyways, we decided to take it on the cemented bypass road and requested the SA to drive with us seated on the middle seat, in the middle row the ride quality was not even acceptable – every joint, every undulation was felt inside, the overall ride quality was very harsh. The difference between the front and middle seats is so much that it feels like you are riding in a different car. We tried again after lowering the tire pressure from 33 to 30 psi and did make a difference but not much.
To sum it up- tight shoulder space, awkward seating position & harsh ride- Endeavour’s middle bench wasn’t the place I would want my family in on a long drive.
Straight to 36 Toyota- and followed the same routine,
Surprisingly the Fortuner fared better on all the fronts:
- The shoulder space was better in the middle row
- The last row accessibility is way better and the seats can be reclined.
And the ride quality in the middle though far from perfect was far better than the Endeavour on the same route. The bumpiness/bounciness bothered us a little bit so we tried again after lowering the tire pressure From 30 to 28 psi and the results were quite acceptable.
After the second drive it was absolutely clear that the Fortuner was a better 5 (& 7) seater but as, for almost 70% of the time it was only going to be me in the car we decided not to consider this experience as a deal breaker. The third test drive
V GO Ford: The plan was simple, I wanted to drive both the vehicles on my usual route in the heart of the city.
WE started from NH-2 towards the city, things started to change as we merged in the slow moving traffic, Endeavour wasn't comfortable in the traffic, there was unnecessary revving and it was quite evident that this car was continuously hunting for the right gear in the stop -go -slow traffic. This behavior also took a toll on the fuel economy which dropped from 9.xx to 6.xx Kmpl after the 10-12 km drive.
Driving the Fortuner on the same route after the Endeavour was a much better experience! It is no DSG but the entire run was done without any drama, there was no unnecessary revving and it mostly stuck to the right gear, the experience was further improved with the selection of Eco mode, the F.E dropped to 9.xx kmpl from the earlier 10.xx kmpl.
Since the Endeavour is so highly rated on the internet, my first reaction was that maybe there is something wrong with this particular car from V GO ford or maybe it was my driving style, so from 36 Toyota I headed straight to Pahwa Ford the other dealer in my city, I tried altering my driving style a little but unfortunately the results were similar- the car never felt at home in traffic!
Recently, while getting me Ecosport serviced I got to know that ford has released a software update to improve this particular characteristic.
After the third back to back test drive It was concluded that the Fortuner simply shines over the Endevour in the city.
It was quite clear by now that the Fortuner was the more practical package for me but the contemporary butch looks of the Endeavour, the panoramic sunroof , sync 3 system, assisted parking and a better audio system were still playing on my mind & I could not completely stuck it off my list
3 weeks in to the process, On a work day, I decided to stop at Pahwa Ford for another round of TD & discussions, while waiting for the TD car I started to explore the display vehicle & came to know that the sync 3 system should not be operated in a parked car as it can completely drain the battery in about 40-50 minutes, Something we take for granted in our rides! What it meant was - I can’t listen to my favorite tunes while detailing my car or while waiting in the car when family is out shopping.
-Also found out that the spare wheel isn’t a alloy.
-And that extended warranty is only available for the 3rd year and nothing beyond that.For folks like me who keep their cars for 5-7 years, EWs not only provide peace of mind but also reflect the maker’s faith and commitment to their product.
During this 4th TD I also observed a ergonomical anomaly - The Air conditioning controls- I am a tech savvy person but I was never comfortable using the touch screen controls to adjust the blower speed & temperature and the keys below were too small to operate without taking your eyes off the road. Those 2 big dials should have been programmed for temperature and blower speed selection.
As we were buying the 4x4 variants I though why not try both of them over some mud and dirt and took the vehicles to a nearby industrial area – trust me you can’t find better places to off road within the city limits, with craters for roads had a good idea of their off-roading capabilities.
Got both of them home for a final drive with family, except for my young nephew who was smitten by the sunroof everyone felt that the Fortuner was more practical and comfortable!
Conclusion: Fortuner it was going to be, a 4x4 AT in Super white color was booked the very next day. PART 2: These were/are purely my personal preferences.
1. Driving experience: I found the Fortuner more engaging to drive, the driving modes, the paddle shifters & the well weighted steering wheel all added to the driving experience. Plus It felt nimble and more manageable to drive in the city.
2. The dark interiors in the Fortuner were a big bonus for me, I like to keep my cars clean & that’s why I absolutely dislike beige especially in SUVs –they get dirty in no time & its pain to maintain the fabric/leather with frequent cleaning.
3. I much prefer the practical features of the Fortuner over the fancy stuff available in the Endeavour. Every single feature exclusive to the Fortuner is something that you will use and appreciate daily over the course of your ownership:
-Key less entry and start stop: Carry your lunch & laptop bag like I do, the convenience the key-less entry system gives is unparalleled, it’s hard to imagine going back to keys now!
-LED headlamps: No need to try aftermarket solutions to improve your headlamps after spending 40 big ones
-Full sized alloy spare wheel on a highway cruiser- makes sense, doesn’t it.
-Paddle shifters: they are not exactly instant shifters but a very useful addition once you get to know how to use them, example- water logged road- no need to take your eyes off the road simply use the paddle shifter to select and the car won’t go up beyond the selected gear.
-Cooled glove box: another useful thing especially if you travel with little ones.
3.Ford India’s/Dealers strategy regarding variants & discounts: frequent shuffling of the variants creates confusion and the varying discounts makes negotiating harder. In my case the discounts ranged from no discount to free insurance & warranty plus accessories, all within a month.
On the other hand Toyota was clear from day one –no discounts whatsoever, 45-60 days for delivery & that did not change after I told them I am considering the Endeavour or after I gave them the cheque.
Resale value, reliability factor or brand value were not even in consideration during my evaluation.
“Prado competitor”, “different league”- Can’t really blame the manufacturer or the fan boys for being over optimistic here, they can claim whatever they want but the fact is that the Endevour is here to compete with the Fortuner, and the results are out every month for everyone to see, ironically there isn’t even a contest here.
Some may claim that it is the resale value & the brand value which is responsible for this one sided contest but they need to understand that this is not just a Indian phenomenon, Fortuner comprehensively beats the Endeavour/ Everest in every single market they co-exist, except for Australia where the Endeavour enjoys a decent lead.
In a free market buyers decide what belongs where and they do that by voting with their wallets And in this contest most people vote for the Fortuner over the Endeavour, why, IMHO simply because it is a better well-rounded package. |