[slamnos]

Originally Posted by Carpainter

I just wonder what Toyota was thinking when they launched this additional kit version without 4x4 but at a higher price than 4x4 just for the different front end and LED headlamps. I mean why would someone buy this over a four wheel drive model other than showing off.

That's because more than 60-65% of sales come from 4x2 only, and even those who buy Fortuner 4x4 don't use it for off-road. At 40+ lakhs showing off a car is very important than just 4WD, that's the majority of the SUV segment.

Originally Posted by Carpainter

Heck why would someone buy a Fortuner over an Audi or something other than space and reliability.

Because the entry luxury SUVs aren't remotely SUVs. Be it space or functionality.

[AKSarkar1]

Thank you for the great review!

Quick thoughts from my end- The car itself is doing exactly what a facelift should be doing by adding a little life through the new design and addressing the sore points. It's great to see that Toyota has taken inputs about the 'hits' and 'misses' from the outgoing version of the car. I'm more excited to see what Toyota comes up with in terms of new models and lineups for India.

However, for me the massive OTR price is definitely a deal-breaker. I believe that the Endeavour in that price range would be a much better overall package. For me personally, I don't see 'that' big of an upgrade over the previous generation models and can live without a feature or two. Therefore, I would opt for a pre-worshipped Fortuner if I had to make a choice.

But safe to say that this car has a cult following and is a local legend for a reason, I know many Toyota enthusiasts who would pick this car without a single doubt if they had the money. Excited to see how this new version works out commercially in the Indian market!

[CEF_Beasts]

The presence and engine combo combined with the Toyota badge is what is making the Fortuner sell so much. Currently I heard waiting period has risen to 6 months!

Originally Posted by GNG19

Is there any way the Petrol variant can be reviewed?

The petrol variant continues unchanged in terms of power and torque output. Only change is BS4 to BS6.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...ml#post4134015 (Toyota Fortuner : Official Review)

[PrideRed]

Finally the review is out after over 2 months of launch. Toyota should have organized this better. I agree from appearance perspective Legender is a major change however under the hood its the 4x4 AT that gets major changes and should have been provided for review. Look at the list of major changes:

1. 201HP/500NM Engine
2. Better tuned gearbox
3. Diff lock + Auto LSD.
4. Slightly softer suspension.
5. Ventilated seats.
6. 11 speaker JBL audio
7. New touch screen
8. Front parking sensors

These may not justify 3Lac bump in price, but Fortuner is Fortuner and who knows better than Toyota. MG Gloster on paper is superior to Fortuner in every department, but cannot dethrone Fortuner despite cheaper sticker price speaks a lot about Fortuner. Endeavour is still the closest rival and same reflects in sales too.

Ford seriously need to bring in bi turbo to bring back the lost glory. Its slightly larger from outside but from inside Fortuner is roomier. Feature wise barring sunroof its evenly matched. Endeavour misses few essentials too(telescopic steering, ventilated seats, tumbling second row, auto start/stop, paddle shifters. alloy spare wheels etc.). The ride and steering are something I have a different opinion after driving for about 3K KM in Fortuner. Yes Endeavour definitely absorbs bumps/undulations better but on 4 lane highway or good state roads its the Fortuner that's more planted and comfortable. Sideways movement is noticeably higher in Endeavour. Endeavour's EPS is good for city but for highway its tad too sensitive and does not inspire confidence as much as Fortuner.

While buying Fortuner, i checked 3-series/X3 and X1 and can say neither Endeavour nor Fortuner is close. Look at Endeavour's AC/Music control area or the 4WD/Cup holder section of dash, it feels cheaper than Fortuner. But see upwards, Endeavor has sunroof and better liner. You see leather on top of dash, but than Fortuner too has leather which goes unnoticed and you realize its benefit while driving. Yes, the lighter color of seats help in Endeavour but if you look at quality of materials its again even steven. Endeavour has few features to wow you but then Fortuner's will be more useable.

At the end of the day, Gloster buyers will not be happy with both and will get MG for whatever preference they have. Between Endeavour and Fortuner, Sunroof+3.5Lac savings or Better Engine/fun to drive + T Badge benefits-pick your beast, both will keep you happy.

[Ash_vtec]

Considering the price, maybe they could have offered more colours. Nice vehicle for long term use no doubt.

White fortuner at least in Bangalore is synonymous with political cronies.

[ulhas.ahirrao]

All the great engine etc. aside, disappointing interiors honestly. This does not look like 40+ lac interior. Legender interior colour scheme does not look appealing to me at all. Will never be able to feel good in it.

This was one of the main reason I did not choose Fortuner and ended up booking Endeavour.

[CEF_Beasts]

I have been thinking about this for sometime now, which one is right for our family Endeavour or Fortuner, our current Fortuner is 7 years old now and we are planning to change it this year.

My dad has no problem with the Endeavour because we already have a Ford at home, so it helps the Endeavour’s case; Strong tank-like build, excellent driving feel, comfort, vast equipment list and cheaper than the Fortuner.

But if I ask the same question (Endeavour vs Fortuner question) to my mom, she isn’t too happy with Ford, reason being Ford’s dealerships and service stations have all shut down in Mumbai, only service centre remaining is Bhavna Ford (took me 5 days of continuous calls to get them to fix a service appointment) and resale value is not that great. She believes Ford isn’t addressing the Indian market with clarity (entering a JV and then leaving it within 6-months), and how can someone send ~₹40Lakh and then run behind the brand if it decides to shut shop.

So this brings me to the fact that for non-enthusiasts no matter how good a product is, Toyota’s aftersales and resale value just trumps everything else for them.

For me honestly the only hiccup in an otherwise well rounded product is the engine in the Endeavour. After spending 7 years with a (171ps) 168bhp car I would like my next car to have slightly more power. If the Endeavour had the 3.2L or 2L bi-turbo, I would have somehow convinced my mom to agree to the Endeavour. But even I feel after spending ~₹40L the Endeavour deserves more power, there is no replacement for that.

Hence this concludes my long rant, honestly this is the reason Fortuner/Toyota are able to pull off this massive price hike, Ford has given them the market on a platter (after the 3.2L endeavour’s discontinuation). Ford seriously need to pull up their socks, not just in terms of product planning(prime example 2L single turbo when the 2L bi-turbo was readily available for the Endeavour and now the extremely stupid EcoSport SE variant) but also in terms of after-sales.

Please do not take my post as a Toyota fanboy/offence, I extremely like the Ford brand and love my EcoSport, few cars can match it but Ford is letting down extremely capable models.

[TrackDay]

Nice review One thing that I have always wondered about the Innova and the Fortuner is that whether these 2 are available for test drives ? I have never seen a test drive vehicle of these 2 models.

The Fortuner looks brilliant on the exterior as always. For some it might not stop there and get the awful Lexus like aftermarket grill to show off an imposing stature. The only let down as usual is the interior. I saw the 'Chamois' spec, but still they could add a few more light color elements on the dash panel and here and there. The interior just does not look premium, coupled with that missing sunroof.

Overall this will sell. It is like a herd mentality thing. More over there is no competition !

[Technic90]

Honestly, I doubt how much of a competition Toyota believes Endeavour is to Fortuner looking at the way they hiked the prices this year. If you look at the sales chart Fortuner has been leading significantly sometimes by around 3-4 times sales over Endeavour and when sales gap was reduced it was mostly because of either

1. Fortuner showing it's age
2. Reducing production due to BS4 to BS6 transition
3. Strike at plant
4. Upcoming facelift launch
5. Good deals on Endeavour (not so common nor a big factor I believe)

Even Endeavour 3.2 (being a superior engine) couldn't dent Fortuner image, so I doubt a Bi-Turbo will make much of a diferrence because that will further reduce the cost gap making Endeavour less value for money in comparison to Fortuner.

[Carpainter]

I think it's never a doubt that Fortuner would sell even at current prices but what helps them even more is the lack of competition. Alturus is gone, Gloster is mostly bling and has much less brand recognition and the only worthy competition Ford Endy is losing ground because of its engine and the confusion Ford have created in the market. If Ford launch a couple of cars in quick succession and can assure their India operations, people will find confidence in buying a 40lakh Ford again. Don't think that's going to happen anytime soon. Till then it's a free run for Toyota. Sadly they will get away with this overpricing and future Toyotas will only be more expensive for sure.

[for_cars1]

Originally Posted by Carpainter

people will find confidence in buying a 40lakh Ford again. .... free run for Toyota. Sadly they will get away with this overpricing ...

The Endeavour actually competes with the Landcruiser Prado in the Australian market, making the Endeavour (with twin turbo) a higher class vehicle than the Fortuner.

Also overseas, there is not a huge price difference between a Fortuner and a Prado. In India Prado is ridiculously priced at 1+ crore which is absurd.

Toyota should be localizing the Prado in India and should actually offer the Prado at the price of Fortuner. Very much doable but they can get away by selling the Fortuner at such a high price due to lack of real competition.

[Carpainter]

Originally Posted by for_cars1

Toyota should be localizing the Prado in India and should actually offer the Prado at the price of Fortuner. Very much doable but they can get away by selling the Fortuner at such a high price due to lack of real competition.

We all know that's not going to happen so no point discussing it here. When they are about to launch RAV4 for 60lakh (rumour) through CBU route, it's a day dream to expect Prado at current Fortuners price. Better expect they don't increase the price too much when next gen Fortuner will come in a couple of years time.

[bamaboy]

Thanks for the review! Much awaited.

I'd booked 4x4 AT Super White with Black interior on 3rd March with JD Toyota, Bilaspur, and my car arrived at the Dealership stockyard yesterday.

Inspected the car at the stockyard today :









My car appears to be assembled on 8th March and dispatched from the factory on 9th March. Tyres are from 5th week of 2021.



Comparison with Pearl White 4x2 :







Initially, we wanted to get the Pearl White shade but settled with Super White due to availability at the Factory. Super white has won me over. It looks brighter and more lively. The dealership had five 4x2s and single 4x4(mine) in stock. They have better demand for Legender than 4x4. Apparently mine is the first facelift 4x4 they'll deliver. Taking the delivery on 21st.

[for_cars1]

Originally Posted by Carpainter

.. Better expect they don't increase the price too much when next gen Fortuner will come in a couple of years time.

The next gen Fortuner will definitely be even more expensive for sure going by the current trend.

What none of the online reviews explicitly point out is that at such a high price point, the Fortuner is just a part time 4X4 meaning you just can't engage 4X4 on regular tarmac/roads without damaging the transmission. The central differential is missing which was there in the previous gen Fortuner.

Atleast, the Endeavour has a central differential and is a proper full time 4X4 with terrain management. Its always in 4 wheel drive on any tarmac and thats great for an SUV. The only major downside with it is the relatively lower power compared to Fortuner.

[Bhalla]

Expensive but it will sell. If we focus on Positives, they’re much larger in number compared to the negatives. Great engine with bulletproof reliability, road presence, looks, space, brand value, status symbol, resale value, Toyota’s reputation, off road and highway capabilities are some of the plus points of this Big Toyota.

There are few minus points amongst which, price is the biggest 1 as this thing is getting too expensive. There other demerits like no AWD option in Legender and petrol variants, bumpy ride (I believe that’s normal in such a big Ladder on Frame SUV), lack of sunroof.

But given a choice, I’ll still prefer a Fortuner over Endeavour, Gloster and even over the likes of X3, Q5 Nd GLC.