After a considerable wait, Japanese automaker Toyota has introduced its Fortuner mid-size SUV in Thailand for the 2021 model year. It debuted in two formats: Fortuner Legender (major facelift) and Fortuner (mild facelift). Either model comes with a host of updates compared to the India-spec 2020MY Toyota Fortuner BS6. Of course, the ‘Legender’ avatar brings the most welcome changes. At the moment, it is unknown whether India will get both models or just the mild facelift in the not-so-distant future.
In addition to a revised list of comfort, convenience and safety features, Toyota has also worked under the bonnet. The familiar 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engine (mated to a 6-speed TC automatic) makes 201bhp @ 3,400rpm and 500Nm @ 1,600-2,800rpm in comparison to 175bhp @ 3,400rpm and 420/450Nm @ 1,400-2600rpm (manual/automatic) in the version sold by Toyota Kirloskar Motor. In other words, it gets a jump of roughly 25bhp and 50Nm of torque.
Differences between the 2021 Toyota Fortuner Legender facelift and its regular counterpart are not limited to their styling. Being the range-topper, the Legender ticks more boxes in terms of equipment. Here’s a brief ‘2021 Toyota Fortuner Legender vs Fortuner Facelift’ comparison:
Starting with the most obvious, the Fortuner Legender comes with a sharper styling approach at the front and rear while its side silhouette remains mostly familiar. On the other hand, the regular 2021 Toyota Fortuner facelift feels like an upmarket version of the one we have in our market.
The Toyota Fortuner Legender also gets some exterior extras such as sequential LED turn signals and 20-inch wheels (instead of 18-inch). Interior layouts are almost identical.
The 2021 Fortuner Legender comes in only three shades (White Pearl CS / Black, Emotional Red / Black and Attitude Black Mica) as against four additional choices in the latter: Dark Blue Mica, Dark Grey Metallic and Silver Metallic. There are no dual-tone choices in the regular facelift.
Despite sharing a similar cabin, the 2021 Fortuner Legender has some clear advantages. It boasts of a 9.0-inch touchscreen, dual-tone seats, JBL audio, 360-degree camera, hands-free powered tailgate, ambient illumination, wireless charging, rear USB port, etc. Common features in either Fortuner facelift include 4.2-inch MID in the ‘Optitron’ instrument console, climate control, cruise control, paddle shifters, electrochromic IRVM, eight-way powered seats, one-touch folding middle-row seats, Toyota TConnect connectivity suite and more.
On the safety front, seven airbags, traction control, electric stability control, hill-start assist, all-wheel discs, trailer sway control, etc., are shared. As a bonus, the Fortuner Legender packs automatic pre-collision braking, lane departure alert and radar-based cruise control.
As mentioned before, Toyota has updated the 2.8-litre diesel mill for a significant bump in output. However, it is available only in the Legender. The regular 2021 Toyota Fortuner comes with a lesser 2.4-litre four-cylinder diesel motor good for 148bhp @ 3,400rpm and 400Nm @ 1,600-2000rpm. It is coupled to the same 6-speed TC automatic transmission. Both models are available with RWD and 4WD powertrains.
The average conversion rate of Indian Rupee to Thai Baht is more than twice the nominal value. Ex-showroom prices for the mild-facelift 2021 Toyota Fortuner start at 1,319,000 Baht or ~Rs 31.60 lakh. This figure hikes to 1,577,000 Baht or ~Rs 37.68 lakh for the Legender.
This post was last modified on June 5, 2020 12:20 pm