If the next generation of the Toyota Fortuner looks familiar to you, that is because you can bet you’ve seen something like that before.
Some will say that the Fortuner still has some of the main styling elements of Toyota, but also incorporates some of the styling elements of Lexus, and most notably, the BMW X6.
Non premium car makers have stuck to classic, rugged design of SUVs for quite some time now, and it looks like Toyota intends to change that approach. Instead of going for something painfully practical, as it was the case in the past with non-premium car makers, Toyota is offering a Fortuner Coupe SUV.
Coupe SUVs usually cost a lot more than the classic SUV, which is one of the reasons why you are more likely to find a coupe SUV in a premium car maker saloon, like BMW (X4 and X6) than in a non-premium car maker. But that is about to change.
The Toyota Fortuner is a rugged SUV version of the Hilux, a pickup truck that Toyota offers in select markets in Asia. But the second generation is bringing a change not just to the exterior, but to the interior as well.
The new Fortuner is rich with LED elements, embodying a rough but cool exterior design, with three prominent lines of the main shape and wide, chrome-trimmed grille. Toyota has blacked-out the C and D pillars to achieve a floating roof effect. LED lights are placed on the rear lights as well.
The Coupe SUV measures at 1855m x 4795mm wide, which is an increase of 15mm in width and 90mm in length. The height of the vehicle is lowered at 1835mm, and the result is that the Fortuner is wider than it is tall.
The interior of the SUV is more premium as well. Toyota has placed a multifunction steering wheel that can be adjusted for reach and rake, as well as a large touchscreen with many controls and functions and twin leather-clad pillars on the center of the dashboard. In order to enable the driver get that premium and luxury feel , Toyota is offering an eight-way power driver’s seat.
Inside, there are three rows of seats, with the second row splitting 60:40, and the third row splitting 50:50.
Toyota is offering the Fortuner with a new range of diesel engines, with the base model a 2.4 liter turbodiesel engine with 150hp. Other diesel engines include 2.8 liter with 177hp which should be more fuel efficient. There is also a gasoline option for which Toyota hasn’t released specifications yet.
