The mighty popular Toyota Fortuner has been revealed with a mild hybrid engine in South Africa. This new mill makes higher power and more fuel economy. Fortuner is among the most popular 7-seat off-roaders in our country ever. In fact, at the moment, it is pretty much rival-less. After the departure of its arch-rival, the Ford Endeavour, it has been reigning supreme. But the SUV has not received a facelift or a new engine for what seems like a lifetime. Therefore, it is about time we get to experience the 7-seat SUV with a mild hybrid mill.
Toyota Fortuner Gets Mild Hybrid Engine
At the moment, this new engine has been revealed for the South African version. This time around, the diesel mill will be accompanied by a 48 V electric motor which will replace the alternator, and will come with a DC-DC converter and a battery pack. The electric motor will charge the battery while the SUV will be in motion. Once fully charged, the battery will assist the engine at lower speeds to enhance drivability and fuel efficiency. It will also include the Idle Start/Stop function. Talking about boosting power, this system will add 16 PS and 65 Nm of power and torque to the existing figures. In the international market, both 4×2 and 4×4 variants will get this new powertrain.
It remains to be seen whether this new engine will make it to the Indian-spec model. It might be on the cards, particularly after the news of Ford re-entering India in the coming months. We have already spotted the new Everest and Ranger pickup truck on the back of the flatbed trucks in India for some reason. In fact, the Ranger was even seen at the Mahindra facility for some reason. Therefore, Toyota needs to be well-prepared for updating the Fortuner to take the Everest on.
Our View
Toyota Fortuner has recently become so expensive in our market due to a sheer lack of worthy competitors. Sure, there are products like the MG Gloster and Jeep Meridian but none of these has been able to truly put a dent in the sales numbers of the Fortuner. With the new engine, owners will get to experience more power and see a rise in mileage. That will further add to the charm of the 7-seat SUV. Let us keep an eye out for more details in this regard.
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