Our good fortune
Thomas Falkiner tried to find fault with this SUV but could only manage one tiny nitpick
THE world loves a good SUV. Not too long ago they were derided as passing fads, ostentatious status symbols . . . but these days the ubiquitous sports utility vehicle is hotter than a Krispy Kreme donut flanked by a Starbucks coffee. Americans dig them and so do we.
Especially the Toyota Fortuner. We love the Fortuner like we love braaiing and sport and watching parliament live. Reason being that this machine is real big on versatility — it’s another one of those automobiles that can be many things to many people.
Don’t believe in contraception? No problem. With seating for seven this Toyota can accommodate as many offspring as you and your partner are prepared to pop out.
Enjoy going on long treks up into the Namib desert? Stout underpinnings and genuine off-road capability (especially in 4x4 specification) means that it is always game for a little rough and tumble.
Want a rugged everyday drive that doesn’t require two-tone khaki shirts or a Nampo parking pass? Sorted. With its smart/casual design aesthetic the Fortuner is at home almost anywhere.
So, the Swiss Army Knife of the SUV world? You betcha. This is why Toyota sold over 92 000 of them with ease.
And with the new model you see here I’m sure they will be doubling this figure pretty soon. To face the increasing threat from more modern rivals like the Ford Everest and Chevrolet Trailblazer it’s been given a proper shakeup — a comprehensive redesign that should make the prospect of Fortuner ownership rosier than ever before.
Especially in the aesthetics department. Although the outgoing Fortuner was no swamp donkey, the new one is certainly more pleasing on the eye.
Like the current Hilux and Corolla it now wears a slender chrome radiator grille and a pair of narrow headlights (Bi-Halogen or Bi-LED depending on the model you pick) that squint in sympathy. There’s a wider, more aggressive stance plus a profile that looks infinitely sleeker than the old car before it. Heck, Fortuner version two even has a “floating roof” design similar to that of a Citroen DS3 or new Lexus RX. Oh so fancy.
The interior has also got more in touch with the times. It’s still not quite up there with something like a Land Rover Discovery but it has crept closer. There are now softtouch panels on and around the dashboard, superior switchgear placement and — in 2.8 diesel models — a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
If you and your wallet are into debauched forms of fossil-fuel sadomasochism and plum for the range-topping V6 petrol model, you’ll also score satellite navigation as well as a rear door that opens and closes all by itself.
Legroom has improved (+16mm in the second row and +45mm in the third row) but the operation of the folding third-row seats has not. Man, they’re still as fiddly as they ever were. Even with Toyota’s supposed “one-touch” system I still had to put my bags down on the ground to free both my arms so that I could actually stow the damn things.
But other than this (and maybe a few stray scratchy plastic surfaces here and there) the inside of the new Fortuner is tough to fault. It’s comfortable, practical and seems ready to weather whatever knocks you happen to smash its way.
Yet the best thing about this Japanese newcomer is the way it drives. Or should I say rides. For even though it shares the same rugged chassis as the new Hilux, Toyota has blessed the Fortuner with a more sophisticated four-link rear suspension system. This means no more leaf springs, which in turn means a much cushier ride across rougher surfaces — particularly corrugated dirt roads.
Indeed, no more do you have to endure that jiggly-wiggly feeling when you hit a series of high frequency bumps. This makes the Fortuner a surprisingly relaxing and comfortable steer; there’s a new level of refinement here that makes it an effortless gobbler of kilometer-age.
Merging frugality with decent everyday performance, the rearwheel-drive-with-differential-lock 2.4 diesel models should be enough for most buyers. But if you want an extra dose of off-road acumen then I suggest you spend a bit more and shack up with the 2.8 diesel that comes with the option of 4x4. There’s more torque on tap plus a proper low-range transfer case to help propel you over most sand, mud and oomska — all for a price that’s up to R63 500 less than the most affordable Everest equivalent.
It’s a mightily attractive package, this new Toyota Fortuner. Well priced, nice to look at and infinitely capable, it should incite the same kind of consumer frenzy as a box of Original Glazed with Sprinkles or a Caramel Frappuccino. Form an orderly queue.
The outgoing Fortuner was no swamp donkey, but the new one is certainly more pleasing