Toyota Fortuner: dirt, crazy price tag and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

By Lukas Müller On Oct 9, 2022

Someone believed or believes that the frame is a relic of the past, and the load-bearing body is the best solution. But the arrival of new versions on our market: Toyota Fortuner, Isuzu D-max, Mitsubishi L200 (Triton), KIA Mohave, Toyota Hilux, etc., tells us the opposite. Frame SUVs were popular as they are, and the KIA Sorento with a load-bearing body is not a hindrance to this.

It has already been said about Mitsubishi L200, Isuzu D-max, new KIA Mohave, today Japanese quality is on the agenda – Toyota Fortuner.

Toyota Fortuner like Mitsubishi L200, Isuzu D-max originates from the country of pickups – Thailand. “But Fortuner is not a pickup truck!” – you will be indignant.

Indeed, Fortuner is not a pickup truck, but it has every reason to be, it is the Toyota Hilux pickup truck that underlies the Fortuner. Reinforced Heavy Duty frame, front suspension from Hylax, in the rear suspension, for the comfort of passengers, it was necessary to replace the springs with springs and shock absorbers, installing SPU for the company, although the situation has not changed too dramatically.

The suspension is rigid, transmitting all the bumps in the roadway. Some popular publications call the Fortuner an “SUV for urban glamour,” but this is a very controversial statement.

Fortuner ‘s element is countryside and off-road. There he feels just fine: large suspension travel, hard-wired front-wheel drive, “lower” and rear differential lock – make him a great trailblazer.

Toyota Fortuner, controversial appearance and lack of ergonomics.

As for the interior and interior decoration, everything is very similar to the Hilux interior, in the middle there is a huge sideboard upholstered in leather, hard plastic with leather inserts, a two-chamber glove box and one USB port covered with a plug – not too bright indicators of “urban glamor”.

There is also a third row of seats, but if adults are accommodated there, then the feeling of comfort will leave them instantly.

And, God bless him, with the interior, but our brother also did not like the appearance.

Asian motifs can be traced in everything, as if they took the Chinese Geely Atlas, increased it in volume and put it up for sale (most likely Geely borrowed design solutions from a Japanese SUV). But still, the fact remains: there is a frame, there is a high price tag, but there is no brutal appearance.

Another drawback, and if up to this point there was mostly “taste”, then there's no way to get past it, after all, they want to get 2,254,000 conditional units for a car, and this is for the basic version.

The disadvantage lies in the ergonomics of the driver’s workspace, and it’s okay if it were buttons scattered throughout the cabin, or uncomfortable touch-sensitive sound level adjustments, but the problem is much deeper. The driver's position is not the most optimal – there is not enough reach of the steering column, while the seats are identical to the Prado ones, where the driver is much more pleasant to be.

What is the problem – pedal assembly, it is located higher than in Prado and, in addition, the brake and accelerator pedals are at different levels, creating inconvenience during heavy braking.

For this reason , the driver's legs are constantly fixed in an unnatural position, this position causes discomfort when traveling long distances, by the way, the pedals are located so high that the driver can easily place his feet under them.

The cons do not end there, they can also include: narrow thresholdscovered with sliding plastic and fabric armrest upholstery in basic versions.

Specifications Toyota Fortuner

Something to think about when choosing a Furchuner is the engine. In 2015, with the release of the second generation, a new 2.8 liter turbodiesel appeared. — 1GD-FTV. Initially, a turbodiesel was the only option, but over time, a gasoline version was added to it – 2TR-FE

Petrol 2TR-FE

The gasoline unit migrated to Fortuner from Prado, the installation of such an engine looks like the best decision from Toyota: some buyers were wary of the new turbodiesel, for them the 2TR-FE, proven over the years, is a model of reliability. Cast iron, hydraulic lifters, chain – ride and do not forget to change the oil.

The only downside is the lack of torque: 245Nm for the petrol version versus 450Nm for the turbodiesel. An automatic transmission and a gasoline engine during acceleration are an “explosive” mixture, the box starts to drop gears down, and then there is a sluggish acceleration, you can somehow correct this situation by switching to manual mode.

1GD-FTV turbodiesel

Diesel rides more confidently and torquey, in addition saves fuel. 1GD-FTV is a more technological creation, the main innovation is the Superior Thermal Efficient Combustion dual injection system, due to this technology, it was possible to achieve almost complete combustion of the fuel, thus reducing emissions and increasing engine efficiency.

A competitor in the form of Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Toyota Fortuner is such an affordable Prado, a less impressive version, a simple, reliable SUV. First of all, this is a car with a truly masculine character, nothing superfluous, no innovative systems for you, and it doesn’t even have heated rear seats – such a Japanese UAZ.

And here the question emerges: “Why pay such money?”. 2 254 00 conditional units for reliability? And this is only the basic version with a manual gearbox and a gasoline engine. Against the backdrop of poor trim levels and high prices of Toyota, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport looks simply technological perfection.

If we compare similar configurations, then Mitsubishi Pajero Sport will have: 8-speed automatic, Super Select permanent all-wheel drive, dual-zone climate control, heated rear seats, adaptive cruise control, a guarantee for 5 years or 150 thousand km.

When choosing a car for the city and long trips, you should look towards Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. Toyota Fortuner with its rigidly connected front end in winter conditions, with ice and ruts, will make a “unforgettable” trip over long distances. Therefore, the element of Toyota Fortuner is off-road, and not “urban glamour”.

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