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Same mono-tube shock absorbers as the Hilux GR Sport III, plus the 165 kW 2.8 GD-6 engine, makes for an impressive result.
GR Sport has been a long time coming for South Africa. Images: Charl Bosch
The Toyota Fortuner has consistently been South Africa’s best-selling bakkie-based or body-on-frame SUV since the original went on-sale locally in 2006.
Billed at the time as a masterstroke, the Fortuner held a segment market share of 48% last year despite only being in its second generation, itself present on local soil since 2016.
Having entered 2025 as the oldest in its class – its world debut having taken place a decade ago – the internally named AN150 Fortuner has long been rumoured as being replaced either this year or in 2026 in spite of no details having emerged so far.
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While Toyota itself has been mum on the all-new Fortuner, the arrival of the GR Sport four years ago in Thailand came with a simple question, “when will it come to South Africa?”.
Potentially the last hurrah for the AN150, which received its second and current facelift two years ago, the GR Sport made its public debut at the brand’s annual State of the Motor Industry conference in January after having received approval towards the end of last year.
Different from the models sold in Thailand and Indonesia despite appearing externally similar, the Prospecton-built GR Sport effectively becomes a unique-to-South-Africa version by virtue of deriving motivation from the same 2.8 GD-6 turbodiesel engine as the Hilux GR Sport III.
Taking up station above the mild-hybrid 48V VX 4×4 as the new flagship, and the first to brush the R1-million mark at R999 000, the official media launch in the Western Cape this past week also formed part of the annual Fortuner Challenge in which Toyota affiliated sporting personalities and selected contestant took part in a series of physically demanding challenges.
Stretched over two days in and around Hermanus, the winning constant would take ownership of a new Fortuner GR Sport further furnished with a Thule roofbox as well as a series of other items.
For the media, the two days involved a road trip from George, through the province’s backroads on mostly gravel roads, before ending on the outskirts of Hermanus and then Cape Town.
As with the Hilux GR Sport III, the Fortuner GR Sport won’t be marketed as a special edition, and while the more powerful oil-burner had been tipped as its main drawing card, the inclusion of the mono-tube shock absorbers emerged as the biggest surprise.
As mentioned, little distinguishes the South African-spec GR Sport aesthetically from its Thai and Indonesian sibling as it sports a black GR badged honeycomb grille, black fog light bezels, GR front and rear bumpers, black side-steps, a new lower air intake with a black honeycomb pattern, 18-inch black alloy wheels, black mirror caps and darkened clusters for the LED headlights.
At the rear, and aside from the new bumper, an imitation black diffuser replaces the conventional coloured insert, while the bootlid spoiler also receives a black finish.
On the colour front, only two hues have been afforded for South Africa, Attitude Black and Platinum White Pearl.
Inside, the changes consist of alloy pedals, a GR graphic within the 4.2-inch instrument cluster display, GR floor mats, a GR leather-wrapped steering wheel with red 12 o’clock marking, a GR starter button and a Gazoo Racing plaque on the centre console.
The latter itself gets what Toyota calls a matte carbon finish, complimented by silver decorative inserts.
While the black leather upholstery with red stitch work has been carried over from the VX, for the GR Sport, the seats are perforated with added suede inserts, plus GR logos embroidered onto the front headrests.
Expanded red stitching on the steering wheel, handbrake and upper glovebox on the passenger’s side rounds the interior off.
On the spec side, the GR Sport again mirrors the VX, although somewhat bizarrely, without the heating function for the electric front seats.
Still standard is the eight-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, the 11-speaker JBL sound system, drive mode selector with three settings; Eco, Normal and Sport, the electric tailgate and folding electric mirrors.
Safety and added driver assistance comes via front and rear parking sensors, a panoramic rear-view camera, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Monitoring, Downhill Assist Control, Hill Start Assist and Trailer Sway Control.
As its main drawcard, the mono-tube suspension shocks have had no impact on the claimed ground clearance Toyota still rates at 279 mm.
Also unchanged is the 3 300 kg braked trailer towing capacity, the 25° departure angle and 29° approach angle.
While the first leg of the journey from George up to the N2 and then to the tiny enclave of Herbertsdale 56 km outside Mossel Bay would be done on tarmac, the added power twist and revised suspension immediately became apparent from the off.
Outputting the same 165kW/550Nm as the Hilux GR Sport III, the Fortuner feels a lot more liver and responsive, though subtle bouts of turbo-lag remain at low speed.
Switching to Sport all but reduces this as, apart from the improved throttle response, the recalibrated ratios of the six-speed automatic gearbox make opting for the paddle shifters almost a non-requirement.
In its element off-road, the Hilux-sourced shocks make for a compliant and composed ride that doesn’t “hit through” or becomes wholly rebounded after traversing imperfections.
Admittedly, while high range four-wheel-drive (4H) was activated on the loose stuff, the GR Sport seldom felt nervous and confidence inspiring enough to nudge the speedometer into three figures.
The opposite side is slightly firmer ride on-road and, as a result of the all-terrain footwear, noticeable tyre roar inside the cabin.
In fact, a shared sentiment with colleagues involved the developing of a squeak somewhere near the driver’s side seatbelt once off of the gravel, as well as the poor quality of the camera system that highlights the Fortuner’s most dated interior aspect, the infotainment display.
Just as irksome are the third-row seats that still fold-up against the inner walls of the boot, and the slow-to-open-and-close tailgate.
Admittedly though, these are unlikely to be definitive dealbreakers as the case had been for the 10 666 buyers who bought a Fortuner in 2024.
Extending model lifecycles often passed a decade has been a Toyota forte and despite the Ford Everest and Mahindra Scorpio-N being newer and Isuzu and Mitsubishi soon to launch updated versions of the MU-X and Pajero Sport, the Fortuner is unlikely to be displaced soon from its position as the country’s best-selling three-row SUV.
With the introduction of the GR Sport, an already accomplished package becomes harder to resist, in addition to being an alternative for those wanting a bit more than the VX but unable to stretch their budgets to the new Land Cruiser Prado.
Although priced under the psychological R1-million mark, it is still pricey given its lack of modern features compared to its most direct but way pricier rival, the Everest.
However, considering what it offers over the VX, the GR Sport make for yet another pending smash-hit should it also be the final encore for the current generation Fortuner.
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