VALUE PROPOSITION

We sample the new entry-level 4x4 Fortuner and report on updates to Toyota’s two bestselling off-road vehicle ranges

THE Toyota Fortuner is a significant seller in our market. Not only is it the clear leader in the bakkie-based SUV segment but, retailing about 1 000 units each month, it is also one of South Arica’s most popular vehicles overall.

However, Toyota isn’t resting on its laurels. An obvious omission in the line-up has been the absence of a 4x4 version of models with the highly capable 2,4 GD-6 engine. There are, after all, such derivatives in the Hilux range and we’ve made no secret that we think this engine is the sweet spot in both the Fortuner and Hilux ranges.

Like most, this segment is also moving towards automatic transmissions and, as Toyota confirmed at the launch, that is part of the reason this Fortuner 2,4 GD-6 4x4 AT has been added. It also comes with an attractive calling card: the price. At R506 000, this newcomer undercuts its 2,8 GD-6 4x4 AT sibling by a significant R118 100 (take note that there are some spec differences, though).

At the launch (which also included the revised Hilux lineup; see Hilux brightened up), I was able to cover 700 km on the flowing roads of the southern and Western Cape. In addition, I briefly sampled the Fortuner off the beaten track on a short, level-three sand course. Thanks to some light rain, the sand was compacted and the Fortuner had no problems completing all the obstacles. Even though this model doesn’t get Toyota’s downhill-assist control (reserved for top-spec Fortuner derivatives), this feature’s absence had little effect on the vehicle’s ability, as sensitive brake-pedal applications can do a similar job during steep downhill sections.

Gaining a 4x4 drivetrain obviously adds weight to the Fortuner, but this isn’t an undue burden on the engine, underlining the 2,4-litre’s appeal.

On the tar road back to Cape Town, the Fortuner displayed a similar breadth of ability. I was also surprised by just how quiet the vehicle was from the driver’s seat. I currently run a (more expensive and ostensibly more sophisticated) Honda CR-V as my daily commuter, but the Fortuner displayed a similar level of interior noise suppression.

Driving at an indicated 120 km/h (with the rev counter settling at a pleasingly low 1 800 r/min), the six-speed automatic transmission would shift to fifth or even fourth gear to maintain momentum when