2016 Toyota Fortuner revealed – Official images and details
The 2016 Toyota Fortuner has been officially revealed with Toyota announcing it will go on-sale in Australia at the end of October.
TOYOTA HAS STAGED simultaneous global reveals of its new seven-seat family SUV, the 2016 Toyota Fortuner that will arrive in Australian showrooms towards the end of October.
Toyota Australia’s executive director sales and marketing Tony Cramb said the world premiere, staged simultaneously in Australia and Thailand, heralds a stylish and refined vehicle that is remarkably tough and offers genuine 4WD ability.
“Fortuner’s strength and refinement ensures it is equally at home on the school run as on the toughest off-road trails found in Australia,” Mr Cramb said.
“Fortuner shares the rugged underpinnings of the ‘unbreakable’ HiLux, allowing owners to travel to – and return from – places many other SUVs simply can’t go.
“At the same time, Fortuner’s unique design suits the advanced tastes of modern SUV buyers while being equipped with a comprehensive list of features appreciated by families and business owners.
“Fortuner provides a diesel alternative to the petrol-only Kluger range as the new entry point for customers looking to purchase a large Toyota diesel SUV.”
When it arrives at the end of October, Fortuner will be available in three grades – GX, GXL and Crusade – all powered by Toyota’s new 2.8-litre direct-injection four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine which offers 130kW at 3400rpm and 450Nm of torque (from 1600-2400rpm). A new six-speed manual gearbox will be available with what Toyota says is ‘intelligent’ technology on GXL and Crusade grades to “ensure smoother shifting by matching engine speed to transmission speed”. A newly developed six-speed automatic transmission will also be available. Fuel consumption will be around 8L/100km.
Toyota says all variants will be fitted with trailer sway control, while the maximum braked towing capacity will be three tonnes for the manual and 2800kg tonnes for the auto. It measures, It’s 4.795m long, 1.855m wide and 1.835m high, and ground clearance is just 225mm.
A part-time 4×4 during day-to-day driving, owners can turn a dial to access Fortuner’s four-wheel-drive ability in high or low range. Toyota says the Fortuner’s suspension was developed and tuned by local engineers, and runs double wishbones at the front and a five-link, coil-spring configuration at the rear for impressive handling stability and ride comfort on all surfaces. Front and rear stabiliser bars should help keep body roll to a minimum. The Fortuner also features a rear differential lock “with the componentry placed within the differential housing for greater off-road protection”. Drivers can disable the stability and traction controls for specific off-road situations, such as when negotiating slippery mud or sand.
A reversing camera is standard across the range, as are seven airbags, hill-start assist control and an emergency stop signal. All variants will feature front and rear air-conditioning, large touchscreen audio displays, Toyota Link connected mobility, side steps, 17 or 18-inch wheels, disc brakes front and rear, and an air-conditioned compartment.
The GXL and Crusade variants get roof rails, fog lamps, reverse parking sensors, keyless smart entry and start, and downhill assist control. The Crusade adds, features include bi-LED headlamps and LED daytime running lamps, a powered tailgate and 18-inch alloys with highway tyres.
Toyota says it will also offer a range of genuine accessories for the Fortuner. “These accessories – including alloy and steel bull bars compatible with the vehicle’s safety systems – build on the strong global platform and specifically meet the needs of Australian buyers,” Mr Cramb said.
UPDATE: we have spent a bit more time looking at the Fortuner specs.