Toyota recently launched the facelifted Fortuner in India. It is one of the most favourite SUVs in the country for a very long time. Loyal customers were waiting eagerly for the update and once it happened, they made sure that they get their hands on one as early as possible. Hence, Toyota was able to receive over 5,000 in almost a month of the launch. This reflects the popularity that the SUV commands in the Indian automobile market. Toyota has announced that it is overwhelmed by such a positive response from the customers and will try to provide the products to the buyers as soon as possible. The Fortuner already owns over 50% market share in this segment. The only actual competition for the Fortuner comes from another popular choice among buyers, the Ford Endeavour. Together, these two products alone constitute a major chunk of market share. The other products like the Mahindra Alturas G4 and MG Gloster have not been as successful as these two and Mahindra is even considering axing the G4 altogether.
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2021 Toyota Fortuner and Legender Variant – Exterior and Interior
The outside of the new Fortuner is made to look very sharp with slimmer new LED Headlamps and tail lamps redesigned front bumpers and a new chrome insert on the front grille. There are new 18-inch alloys to give it a distinct look. The top-spec Legender variant has unique elements in the LED Projector Headlamps and different front grille as well as bumper which houses turn indicators.
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The changes to the interior are what the customers wanted. The biggest and much-needed change is the addition of the new larger 8-inch Digital Infotainment System with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and connected tech. Apart from that minor changes include 8-way power-adjustable and ventilated front seats, front parking sensors, a new interior coloured theme and an 11-speaker JBL Audio System. The Legender trim gets a hands-free boot opening feature, ambient coloured interior lighting and wireless charging.
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2021 Toyota Fortuner and Legender Variant – Engines, Prices and Rivals
The new Fortuner does include a change under the bonnet as well. The 2.7-litre petrol engine will continue, which makes 166hp and 245Nm. It comes with either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic. While this engine remains unchanged, the 2.8-litre diesel engine makes more power than before. It makes 204hp in comparison to 177hp previously. In the manual version, this engine produces 420Nm of torque, but with the automatic, it will produce a mammoth 500Nm. This is a substantial increase in the power and torque output. This will surely make a lot of difference in terms of how the vehicle drives, be it on the highway or off-road.
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Additionally, the new Fortuner will also see changes to the suspension setup. The new soft suspension is designed especially for our markets to enhance the ride quality of the passengers. This is done because the ladder-on-frame chassis is not ideal for low-speed bump absorption and handling.
The new Fortuner does come with a premium over the outgoing model. However, considering it is only a facelift, the increase in the prices is rather high. The prices for the new Fortuner start at Rs 29.98 lakh and the top-end trim, Legender costs a whopping Rs 37.58 lakh, ex-showroom, which is substantially higher when compared to the competition. The direct competitors of the Fortuner include Ford Endeavour, MG Gloster and Mahindra Alturas G4. Despite the higher prices than the rivals, Toyota has managed to receive so many bookings indicating the loyalty of its customers.
