As a child in the mid-1990s you may remember that many of your parents’ friends were switching from old German sedans to the new Japanese SUVs.
The sheer excitement of folding down the 3rd row of seats of the J90 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and being driven somewhere with friends was incomparable.
And, unlike Toyota’s Land Cruiser family with their big V6 and V8 motors, the Prado had a smaller, more city-friendly engine like the 2.7L 2TR-FE petrol and the 2.5L 2KD-FTV diesel.
But the Prado today has evolved into an extremely niche, high-end vehicle that doesn’t even make it into our market new. That’s where the Toyota Fortuner, successor to the J90 Prado, excels.
The first generation Fortuner truly embodies the image of the J90 Prado. Handsome, clean lines with a proud upright stance.
Although it does share a platform with the Toyota Hilux, the proportions of the Fortuner were spot on for a mid-sized SUV. And because it shared the IMV platform with the Hilux, it had what Malaysians wanted most in an SUV: reliability, durability, parts availability, and off-road ability.
It’s no surprise that the Fortuner, a completely unknown name at the time, came to dominate the segment and inspire many direct rivals in the segment.
However, the first generation Fortuner was not without its faults. Despite being a fan-favourite, its relation to the Hilux was still detectable whether you were just looking for common design lines or when driving at high speed.
Which is why Toyota pulled no punches with the second generation Fortuner. While the first Fortuner was a product of Japanese and Thai research, the second generation Fortuner is developed by Toyota Australia.
This SUV first debuted in 2015 before being launched in Malaysia. It employs Toyota’s Keen Look design language and has a distinctly different character compared to the Hilux.
Bi-LED projector headlamps, daytime running lights, and two-new colours (Avant-Garde Metallic Bronze and Super White II) complete the look. Mechanically, the changes are immense.
It brings a new 6-speed automatic transmission, improved driveability and fuel efficiency regardless of which motor it is fitted with.
The Fortuner’s new gearbox allows for better acceleration and gives drivers manual sequential gear selection. To further improve efficiency, there’s now an ECO mode on the new Fortuner.
Under the hood, the new Fortuner received a thoroughly modern 2.4-litre 2GD-FTV turbodiesel. With 148hp and 400Nm of torque to spare, this motor brings a more reasonable annual road tax rate, fuel consumption and responsiveness.
The new Fortuner can more easily transform from highway cruiser to serious off-roader now. An electronic rotary dial can be operated to switch between high range and low range and an Auto Disconnecting Differential means going from rear wheel drive to all wheel drive can be done without coming to a complete stop.
While the 2.7-litre petrol model did not get an all-new engine, it’s got Active Traction Control, which is a system that electronically mimics the function of a limited-slip differential.
It uses sensors on each wheel and applies the brakes individually where needed to ensure traction on any surface. This is the kind of system you find on high-end off-roaders like the Land Cruiser.
Further convenient features like an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat, snazzy dark brown upholstery, Smart Entry with Push-to-Start functionality, and a Multi-information Display elevate the look and feel of the new Fortuner.
So that’s the reason why the second generation Fortuner has come to dominate its market segment by a large margin. It’s got modern looks, family-friendly utility, comfort and today its much closer to the high-end Toyota SUVs that cost nearly double to own and run.
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