Why Is Toyota Fortuner So Popular In India?

Toyota Fortuner, the name that holds power, is the most beloved SUV in India. Even with an old fashioned interior and lacking in features, the Fortuner is selling like a hotcake in its segment. So is the pricing the key for its sales? No! With less features and old fashioned interiors, the Fortuner is priced between Rs 39.88 lakh to Rs 62.16 lakh (on-road, Mumbai). So why exactly do Indians love the Fortuner so much and what are the reasons for its popularity in India?
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Toyota Fortuner – Road Presence

What goes in favour of the Toyota Fortuner is its road presence. In fact the Fortuner has been the favourite of many politicians and businessmen for this very reason. The design isn’t too loud like other modern SUVs, but still is a handsome looking SUV. It is tall and wide and has a character in the design from every angle. The reputation of the Fortuner is such that you will never think to mess with one!

Powerful Engine

The other reason why people purchase the Fortuner is for the powerful diesel engine. The SUV comes with a 2.7-litre petrol and a 2.8-litre diesel engine options. However, it is the diesel engine which is preferred by the masses. The petrol engine is a naturally aspirated unit and the power figures are not impressive for such a heavy vehicle. Whereas its diesel is a powerhouse engine. The 2.8-litre diesel produces 201 bhp & 500 Nm of torque, mated with a manual and automatic transmission. The 500Nm torque kicks in as low as 1600rpm which takes the Fortuner from 0 to 100 under 10 seconds, an impressive figure for such a heavyweight SUV!

Toyota Fortuner – Reliability

Sit in a maintained Fortuner and you will not make out if it has done 10,000kms or 1,00,000kms! That’s how solid the SUV is built. The reason being Toyota’s bulletproof reliability. Fortuner, or any Toyota car for that matter, is known to drive for lakhs and lakhs of kilometres without putting stress on the engine. Even an Innova or the Fortuner from the 2000s is running in mint condition while clocking more than 2-3 lakh kilometres. That said, it is not just the engine which is reliable but even the quality of plastics used to build the interiors. The interiors are well put together and feels solid. Even a hook on the back of the front seat feels to last long. Finally, the suspensions! Take the SUV on bad roads and you will sense the indestructible character of Fortuner. Abuse the SUV on or off the road and the engine, suspension and the solid interiors will simply not give up.

Low Maintenance

Now what do you expect could be the cost of ownership of a 50 lakh rupee car? Well, you shouldn’t be worried if it’s the Toyota Fortuner. The Fortuner comes with a service schedule at every 10,000 kms wherein the service cost is so affordable that you might not even have to pay more than Rs 15,000. A compact SUV might cost more than the Fortuner’s service.

Toyota Fortuner – Resale Value

Owning a car is a depreciating asset? Yes it is, but for the Fortuner, the depreciation curve is truly extraordinary. Don’t forget the Fortuner belongs to the Toyota family which brings reliability as its ace of spades. A 10 year old Fortuner in the used car market still commands a price of more than Rs 20 lakh. And still it’s worth buying as the chances of facing any issue is pretty low. The engine can run for endless kilometres and the interiors can simply age well, making a reliable product in the used car market.

No Competition

Finally, all these pros of the Fortuner makes it the king of its segment! Many SUVs come and go, bring modern features and technology, but it is the Fortuner which stands tall in sales. If we dig into the past, we had the Trailblazer, Alturas G4, Pajero, and even the mighty Endeavour that simply failed to disturb the sales of Fortuner. Today we have the MG Gloster as the only competitor of the Fortuner and even with its plush and feature rich interior, it is struggling to create space in Fortuner’s presence.

Toyota Fortuner – Hybrid Coming Soon!

Oh yes, another exciting news for the Fortuner fans is the upcoming hybrid powertrain. Recently, Toyota launched the Hilux hybrid in the European market. It gets 48V mild hybrid technology, mated with the same 2.8-litre diesel engine. Toyota believes the hybrid tech will help to improve the mileage of its SUV and even improve the overall performance. Soon, Toyota will introduce the hybrid powertrain with the Fortuner which is said to launch by the end of 2024! Will that also bring new features? Well, no official statement on that though but let’s hope Toyota listens to its buyers.