Toyota Fortuner now rivals the likes of MG Gloster, Mahindra Alturas G4 and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace after Ford Endeavour being discontinued
Toyota Fortuner remains the blue-eyed boy in the premium SUV category ever since it was first launched in India back in 2009. The second generation of the SUV made its debut in 2016 while it received a comprehensive mid-cycle facelift earlier this year.
The updated SUV came with a new top-spec trim called Legender which offers a whole bunch of niceties making Fortuner a modern proposition. However, one sore point against the Legender is that it doesn’t come with a 4×4 drivetrain that has made the Fortuner nameplate legendary amongst its ranks.
This will soon be addressed as Toyota plans to introduce a 4WD option in the range-topping Legender trim. As per our sources, price of this new variant will be announced at time of its launch slated for 8 October 2021 while the company starts dispatching units of the SUV by the end of this month.
The current 4×2 variant of Legender is priced at Rs 38.30 lakh (ex-showroom) while the upcoming Toyota Fortuner Legender 4×4 variant is expected to cost northwards of Rs 40 lakh, ex-sh. With the Ford Endeavour now gone, Toyota is expected see an increase in sales ahead. In addition to this, the upcoming Diwali festive season will also help in boosting sales.
Toyota Fortuner | Price in Rs Lakh, ex-sh |
---|---|
P 4×2 MT | 30.34 |
P 4×2 AT | 31.93 |
D 4×2 MT | 32.84 |
D 4×2 AT | 35.2 |
D 4×4 MT | 35.5 |
D 4×4 AT | 37.79 |
D 4×2 AT Legender | 38.3 |
Toyota Fortuner Legender 4×4 – Features on offer
This will make it the most expensive SUV with a 4WD in the Indian mass market. Other than the addition of a 4×4 drivetrain, there will be no other updates in terms of styling or features in the new variant. It will continue to offer features such as LED headlamps, LED taillamps and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment unit that houses Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Toyota Connect for connected car features.
Other creature comforts included in the equipment comprise a semi-digital instrument console with a TFT Multi-Information Display, wireless charging pad, a 360-degree parking camera, ambient lighting, ventilated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control and kick sensor for a powered tailgate. Safety kit consists of seven airbags, ABS with EBD, vehicle stability control, hill assist and traction control system.
Engine, Transmission Options
Powering Fortuner Legender is a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel motor that comes mated with a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox as standard. This powertrain delivers an output of 201 bhp and 500 Nm of peak torque. The standard trim is also offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox while a 2.7-litre petrol engine is also part of the lineup. The petrol motor pushes out 164 bhp and 245 Nm of peak torque and is only offered in a rear-wheel-drive configuration.
With its arch-nemesis Ford Endeavour out of the picture in India, Fortuner now has a larger base of prospective customers. Prices for the base variant of the seven-seater SUV start at Rs 30.34 lakh (ex-showroom). Fortuner now has to compete against the likes of Mahindra Alturas G4, MG Gloster and VW Tiguan Allspace.