A LASTING EFFECT. The Fortuner’s cabin lacks the panache of its contemporaries, but it feels unmistakably built-to-last   | Photo Credit: Yash Gawde

Chances are, if you’re in the market for a Toyota Fortuner, you’ve already made up your mind about it. Buying a Fortuner isn’t a matter of choosing it over other cars in its price range — it’s about when you’re ready for it. As such, Toyota didn’t have to reinvent the wheel to boost its immensely popular SUV, so it hasn’t. Instead, it’s thrown in a cool little number in the form of a 48V mild-hybrid unit, which makes the Fortuner Neo Drive 4x4 AT (to give you its name in full) the range topper, outside of the Legender series.  

Before you think of this development as something revolutionary, though, let me tell you it isn’t. Toyota claims this hybrid tech adds 46 km to its overall range which, given its 80-litre fuel tank capacity, translates to roughly a 0.5 kpl boost. Hardly noticeable, in other words. What you will notice, however, is the torque assist this system provides which has benefited urban driving performance in the form of linear low-end acceleration, something of a concern area previously.  

It isn’t necessarily a complex setup, either, with Toyota deploying an Integrated Starter Generator that works using a belt-drive mechanism. As such, the transition between diesel and hybrid modes is seamless, although I did find the hybrid mode a bit too eager, cutting off frequently in crawling traffic. At some point in the 500 km I clocked in the Fortuner, I turned off the system (using a button placed just ahead of the arm rest) and, thereafter, ensured it stayed switched off at the beginning of every urban drive. Behind the wheel of a Fortuner, efficiency (a negligible gain, that too) is hardly what you’re thinking about. 

Magnetic factors

Among the Fortuner’s many magnetic factors are  its imposing road presence and its indestructible personality. I, for one, have a soft spot for body-on-ladder SUVs and, therefore, am only too happy to trade the driving sophistication of monocoques for robustness. While that’s certainly a subjective call, I would urge you to sample a Fortuner on some of our less world-class roads (in Mumbai, they’re hardly difficult to find). What you will thus experience is a sense of poise and nonchalance that genuinely makes light work of even the unruliest of tarmac aberrations. Inside the cabin, you hardly hear more than a heavily muffled thud on most occasions and, most crucially, the Fortuner never feels fragile even if you take too much of a liberty with its suspension, trampling over potholes for fun.  

While its appearance may suggest otherwise, it’s also a rather easy SUV to drive. At first, the steering does come across as heavy, but it’s something you can get used to over time; for sure, it goes with the Fortuner’s burly character. The electronically-adjustable driver’s seat makes for a commanding driving position and all of the controls are intuitively laid out. Toyota has kept its button vendors happy with the Fortuner and you do all manner of important decision-making using hardy plastic buttons which, while lacking German premiumness, feel like they’ll endure the tenure of your ownership. And Fortuners, typically, are driven for lakhs of kilometres on average, so that’s an important aspect.  

Driving one in the city is a relaxing experience, with the 2.8-litre four-cylinder engine being handsomely responsive, thanks to the 201 bhp and 50.9 kg-m it generates, even if it isn’t trying to emulate a car-like crispness that some of its peers deliver. A heavy foot on the accelerator pedal does generate a noticeable amount of engine noise, however, which is something Toyota should address if it wants to inconvenience its monocoque rivals. Road noise is fairly muted, thankfully.  

Impressive drive

On the highway, the Fortuner impresses even more, with its composure really lending it an enviable long-haul ability. It really is the kind of SUV you can mindlessly set off on a road trip with, always assured of a good ride quality and a stress-free cabin experience. If you’re an enthusiastic driver, the Fortuner will underwhelm you in corners thanks to its pronounced body roll. If you think that’s a fair trade-off for what is a tough SUV that can do day-long drives effortlessly, you’ll find no reason to complain, of course. While I spent barely any time in its backseat, I can say with certainty that the Fortuner is undoubtedly a front-row car. The middle row of seating (it’s a bench) is elaborately spacious and comfortable but not opulent by any measure. Space is decent in the third row, too, but perhaps best reserved for a pair of energetic kids. And yes, even with the third row left upright, there is a decent amount of luggage space; a pair of check-in trolleys fit there comfortably, as I found out on an airport run.  

Among other things you will appreciate is the outward visibility, and the addition of a 360-degree camera sure helps with parking in tight spots, even if the on-screen display for the same appears dated; it’s the same for the rest of the infotainment package, too, in fact.  

Is the Neo Drive variant, priced at ₹42.3 lakh, the one you must automatically opt for, then? Not necessarily. For one, if 4x4 isn’t a must for you, the 4x2 diesel-auto version is priced at a considerably lower Rs 36.96 lakh. In fact, the diesel-auto (4x2) variant of even the Legender marginally undercuts this variant, with its ₹42.1 lakh price tag (all prices ex-showroom, pan-India). I suppose if you’re the sort of person who simplifies buying decisions by simply asking for the ‘top model’, this is a pointless consideration. In any case, do you remember that thing about being in the market for a Fortuner? You’ve already made up your mind about it, haven’t you? 

@The MotorGram

Published on March 6, 2026