The Star: November 18, 2021

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28 The Star Thursday November 18 2021
Fortuner provides all the answers
I’M OFTEN asked what is the
best sport utility vehicle? The
choice in today’s market is vast.
I usually answer with three
questions, what size? How many
seats? And what is it going to be
used for?
Depending on the answer to
the last question, I reply by saying
there are two fundamental
differences in construction that
must be taken into account, and
they are quite technical.
However, put simply, there
is the option between ladder
frame and monocoque construction.
The rigid ladder-like frame
vehicle carries the engine and
drivetrain, a separate body construction
is mounted on it. The
monocoque frame, on the other
hand, has a unitised frame and
body combined.
Most of today’s SUVs are
monocoque, but if you want a
serious four-wheel-drive vehicle
that will take you to the backblocks
and beyond then a ladder
frame vehicle is best, although
it’s not quite so user-friendly
in close confine environments.
You see, almost all of the ladder
frame SUVs in today’s market
are based on a light truck/utility
chassis; take Toyota’s Fortuner,
for example, it sits on the Hilux
platform.
Along with the chassis underneath
that will take you
places, ladder frame models
have advanced four-wheel-drive
systems, they require input from
the driver through complex dialin
modes, depending on what is
required for the journey ahead,
taking into account all have a
low ratio gearing mechanism
that allows for crawl-speed motion
over rough ground.
Toyota’s Fortuner was late in
the SUV market here, it followed
Mitsubishi’s Challenger/
Pajero Sport, Isuzu’s MU series,
Ford’s Everest, Holden’s recently
departed Colorado 7/Trailblazer
and Nissan’s first and second
generation Pathfinder.
Nevertheless, the Fortuner has
gained good ground in the serious
SUV market in the five years
it has been here, and it has just
had a mild facelift.
It also gets the uprated powerplant
that arrived in the heavilyfacelifted
Hilux a year ago. The
big 2.8-litre turbocharged diesel
is now rated at 150kW and
500Nm, up 20kW and 50Nm.
Thanks to a new cylinder block,
pistons and turbo design modifications,
emissions have been
reduced and fuel economy is
also better, the Fortuner is now
rated with a 7.6-litre per 100km
combined cycle average, down
from 8.6l/100km.
During my testing time the
dash display readout was constantly
listing around 9/100km,
dropping to 8l/100km on a rural
run with 7l/100km showing
instantaneously at 100km, the
engine ticking over very slowly
at 1600rpm.
ROBUST:
The
Toyota
Fortuner
sits high
off the
ground
for crosscountry
travel.
TOYOTA FORTUNER: Four-wheel-drive to take seven occupants off-the-beaten-track.
If I’m not being deceived, the
Fortuner’s power plant seems
a lot quieter and more refined
than ever before, it purrs along
with a gentle throb you can only
hear if you listen intently. It is
quiet inside the cabin and even
under load the driveline sounds
unflustered.
In terms of performance the
Fortuner will easily keep pace
with today’s busy traffic, it’s
strong off the line with a 9sec
run to 100km/h, and if you are
on the highway it will complete a
highway overtake in 6.8sec (80-
120km/h).
On the subject of figures, the
Fortuner uses its ladder chassis
to much benefit. It has a 3100kg
braked trailer tow rating that has
just been lifted from 2800kg.
That’s why its design is so useful,
the Fortuner is a tough goanywhere
vehicle that will take
you, your family and belongings
to places a traditional SUV
would struggle. There is huge
ground clearance (279mm), and
with chunky tyres grip in the
loose is well maintained.
I took the evaluation vehicle
through the tracks that lead
across the Hororata River; it
wasn’t a challenge, but the river
was flowing freely after a high
country drenching. The base of
the river is very stony and quite
uneven, but the Fortuner soaked
up the rough stuff without battering
the occupants.
That’s no easy feat to get right,
• Price – Toyota Fortuner
Limited, $61,290
• Dimensions – Length,
4795mm; width, 1855mm;
height, 1835mm
• Configuration – Fourcylinder,
four-wheel-drive,
2755cc, 150kW, 500Nm,
six-speed automatic
• Performance – 0-100km/h,
9sec
• Fuel usage – 7.6l/100km
by sheer nature of its load-bearing
live rear axle the Fortuner
has a relatively comfortable
ride, there’s a bit of a jiggle over
uneven tar seal surfaces, but it’s
on a par with the other models
I mentioned in my introduction
and a by-product of what Hilux
hands down. One point of difference,
though, is that the Fortuner
gets coil springs at the rear,
the Hilux still has a leaf spring
set-up. The coils do provide
more compliance for comfort.
Given its height, accessing the
Fortuner requires a bit of a step
up, and you do need to bend
a bit to get into the rear row
of seats. Nevertheless, there’s a
generous amount of room back
there, although if long journeys
are on the cards, place the
youngest or smallest back there.
Once seated, the occupants
are well cocooned and sheltered
from the rugged mechanicals
underneath, ride comfort is
high, and on my long inland
evaluation there was never a
point where I felt taxed or tired.
For 2021 the Fortuner adds a
larger display panel (8in), Apple
CarPlay and Android Auto.
Those items on top of what
would ordinarily be deemed
a generous amount of fitment.
Well, it needs to be well
equipped, the Fortuner comes
in at $57,790 for the GXL, the
evaluation car was a Limited
model that adds $3500. That
makes quite a big outlay, but it
does sit well with the prices of its
competition.
All that aside, you are buying
into the quintessential SUV, one
that will last forever and go anywhere.
At 4.8m that does mean
you have to be picky finding
a central city car park, but the
benefits come when you make a
weekend excursion to the high
country lakes.
If that’s not what you need,
then Toyota’s Highlander could
be the alternative, it doesn’t get
the high-tech four-wheel-drive
system but it does have even
more finesse and seven-seat
capability, its underpinnings are
state-of-the-art and occupant
comfort is high-level.
For those whose questions
revolve around what is best in
this market, do your homework
and work out what is best for
all situations. If you do chose
a Fortuner, its versatility won’t
leave you disappointed.
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