REVIEW | Why the Toyota Fortuner still has its rivals beat

It took some time for Toyota to jump on the bakkie-based sport-utility vehicle bandwagon in South Africa.

Before the Fortuner arrived, there were offerings like the Nissan Sani and Isuzu Frontier. But as it usually goes when the Aichi-based Japanese manufacturer is involved, Toyota popularised the breed.

The Fortuner quickly became a sales leader. From a monthly volumes perspective, it asserts supremacy over its rivals, the Isuzu MU-X, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Ford Everest. In May Toyota shifted 1,018 units, while Ford recorded 245 units of the Everest.

As we know, the Ford recently won the top spot in the Adventure SUV category of the 2023 South African Car of the Year category, in addition to placing second overall in the competition, behind its sibling, the Ranger.

Still, that plaudit is unlikely to upset the sales of the Fortuner any time soon. Aside from having a solid reputation for durability, the Toyota has strong resale values on its side. And since it is locally produced, the brand is able to secure competitive pricing.

The range starts off at R653,500 for the 2.4 GD-6 4x2 manual and tops out at R925,600 for the range-topping 2.8 GD-6 4x4 automatic in VX grade. Pricing includes a nine-service/90,000km service plan and three-year/100,000km warranty.

Earlier this year, Toyota updated the model, incorporating sharper styling, redesigned alloy wheels and updated lighting clusters. It makes for an altogether crisper, pointier look than rivals.

The manufacturer also said work was done to the suspension. But we struggled to declare ride quality as being superior to the compliant, polished Everest.

Still, the four-link set-up at the rear axle brings a palatable on-road character, even if some rivals are better at evincing car-like levels of composure and comfort.

What we did notice during our weeklong evaluation with the Fortuner, however, was how much quieter it seemed than before, with a notable increase in smoothness when it comes to its 2.8 GD-6 powertrain.

No doubt, this is a strong unit, delivering a robust 150kW and 500Nm. Kick the right pedal down and the Fortuner hustles along with an appreciable sense of urgency that belies its weight and size. The six-speed automatic works well left to its own devices. We achieved just over 10l/100km during our week of driving.

Enhanced interior materials dial in a touch of class to the Fortuner. The steering is finished in soft leatherette upholstery, compared to the coarse texture of before. The leatherette seat trim is also of a more upmarket quality than previously.

While the range-topping VX is equipped with everything a buyer spending R1m on a new vehicle would expect, the interior ambience of the Fortuner looks outdated compared to the slick, screen-intensive Everest cabin.

But perhaps this simplicity and impression of durability is what Fortuner faithfuls love. It still has an analogue instrument cluster, for example.

Adaptive cruise control, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, a panoramic view monitor and 11-speaker JBL audio system are among the highlights. There is no navigation system, but standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay should make up for that requirement.

On the safety front, seven airbags are standard across the range, but the VX benefits from Toyota Safety Sense. This comprises pre-collision avoidance, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control.

Toyota knows its South African customers quite well and though the brand is often accused of being too conservative in some regards, the sales speak for themselves.

The Fortuner ticks the boxes, but objectively, it is difficult to describe it as a better product than the Everest. But it has that winning mix of badge equity, reputational excellence and widespread public acceptance which ensures monthly sales figures in excess of 1,000 units. It is the dependable bet that most of us would end up taking.