Toyota Fortuner is synonymous with power and opulence in India. The new facelift is expected to reach dealers in January 2021. Let us find out what it has on offer.
Two models from the Toyota India portfolio are ready to be launched in their facelifted avatars soon. However, the Innova Crysta Facelift will be launched this month, the face lifted Fortuner is expected to launch in January 2021 as reported by our dealer sources. Pre-launch bookings for the vehicle have even commenced in the country for a token amount of Rs 50,000. This is slightly different from the regular Toyota Fortuner and according to ACI, Toyota is preparing to launch the much more premium Legender version of Fortuner in India.
Exterior
The new Fortuner is likely to be available in the regular and sportier Legender variants. The standard variant will get a bold face with a new grille, LED projector headlamps with LED DRLs, muscular bumpers, and gets 18-inch alloy wheels. Whereas the Legender variant will get a premium touch with the Lexus-Esque front fascia and dual-tone 20-inch alloy wheels along with some additional design revisions at the rear of the SUV.
The design of the alloy wheel is also expected to be different from the regular version. Both variants get new LED tail lamps. The interior layout follows the current Fortuner, However it will get new 8-inch touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with a 9-speaker JBL audio system.
Moving to the rear, Legender gets a slightly redesigned muscular and sharp bumper along with reflector lamps on them. The split tail lamps are now LED and apart from that, no major design changes are there on Legender. The headlights have the same design but, the integrated LED DRLs inside get an all-new design along with LED projector headlamps, new front bumper with larger curtains, sharper character lines, Also, there are dynamic LED turn indicator strips that are placed lower down on the bumper.
Engine
To begin with engine and transmission, Toyota is likely to bring the updated 2.8 litre diesel engine to India. This won’t be just powering the Legender but, the regular Fortuner too. The updated diesel engine produces a maximum of 204 Ps of power and 500 Nm of peak torque.
There is a smaller 2.4 litre diesel engine that is currently available with BS6 Innova Crysta, but it is not known whether Toyota will offer that engine with the Fortuner facelift. Other than the diesel engine, Toyota will offer the Facelifted Fortuner which is available with a 2.7 litre petrol engine with four-cylinder motor that puts out 164 bhp and 245 Nm of peak torque. As for the transmission, the new Toyota Fortuner will probably accompany a similar 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic gearbox options as the outgoing model.
Interior
On the inside, Legender would get the updated 9.0-inch touch infotainment display along with nifty features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, premium dual-tone upholstery on the seats, automatic climate control, 360-degree camera, wireless smartphone charging, multi-function steering wheel with mounted controls, ambient lighting, an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, hands-free boot opening and so on. The top-end variants might offer features like the Lane departure warning system, radar-guided cruise control too.
Price
The Toyota Fortuner Legender is a more premium looking version of the popular SUV from the brand. The Legender will be a bit more expensive and come with a price tag much higher than the regular SUV. It will rival the likes of the MG Gloster in the Indian market.According to ACI, Legender is expected to be priced around Rs 43 lakhs which will be almost Rs 9 lakh more than regular Fortuner. Toyota will be selling both the models through Toyota dealerships across the country.
However, this is not exactly to say that the Fortuner cabin is “premium” in the actual sense of the word. Some lesser-priced but more contemporary crossovers are currently on sale, offering better quality materials and interior design.
