Trusty Toyota Fortuner shows why it is a keeper

It’s easy to see why the Toyota Fortuner has been South Africa’s favourite SUV for such a long time.

Usually, we get to spend around a week in a test car. Every now and again we get to turn this one-night stand into a more serious commitment by virtue of long-term cars. Very much like a real-life relationship, spending an extended period of time with a car gives us the opportunity to really get to know it.

We looked forward to our time in a long-term Toyota Fortuner in top-spec 2.8 GD-6 4×4 VX guise as being enjoyable. And after two months and 2 000km we can go one further and compare it to the partner you take home to meet your parents.

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Peace of mind

Like its Toyota Hilux sibling, the Fortuner might not be the most modern or technologically advanced offering around. The recent updates do well in keeping it fresh, but the core model has been around since 2016.

But in saying that, the Fortuner brings with it a kind of peace of mind that the Toyota badge is renowned for. The “everything keeps going it” mantra.

Despite the absence of some fancy graphics on the infotainment system and the latest technology in creature comforts, the Fortuner is comfortable, versatile and safe.

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It seats five adults in leather-clad comfort and move between the school, the office and the shops without any fuss. Should you need to squeeze two more passengers in, the two third row seats fold down in an instant.

They might not offer adequate legroom for taller adults, but will get the job done on shorter trips. What also helps is the second-row seats’ ability to slide forward to create more legroom behind them.

Powering the Toyota Fortuner

Up front, the trusty 2.8-litre turbodiesel mill adds to the overall theme that this car will probably last forever. It punches out 150kW of power and 500Nm of torque to all four wheels via the on-demand 4×4 system via six-speed automatic gearbox.

Very much like its Hilux sibling, it is a tad sluggish accelerating from a standstill, but has enough urge once it gets going. And the generous torque on tap means that overtaking is effortless.

In city traffic its sips between 10 and 11 litres of diesel per 100km, with the number coming down on the open road. Our best has been 9.5 L/100km on a weekend getaway to the Pilanesburg. And it was while viewing game in the park on this trip that you appreciate the high seating position the Toyota Fortuner offers.

For our next instalment, we plan on taking the Toyota Fortuner on another adventure to Mozambique, where it should make light work of the sandy tracks.