Toyota Fortuner
Encyclopedia
The Toyota Fortuner, also known as the Toyota SW4, is a medium-sized SUV based on the Toyota Hilux
Toyota Hilux
The Toyota Hilux is a series of compact pickup trucks produced and marketed by the Toyota Motor Corporation. Most countries used the Hilux name for the entire life of the series but in North America, the Hilux name was retired in 1976 in favor of Truck, Pickup Truck, or Compact Truck...

. Originally assembled only in Thailand, but later also in Indonesia and other countries, the Fortuner is built on the well-established platform of the Toyota Hilux
Toyota Hilux
The Toyota Hilux is a series of compact pickup trucks produced and marketed by the Toyota Motor Corporation. Most countries used the Hilux name for the entire life of the series but in North America, the Hilux name was retired in 1976 in favor of Truck, Pickup Truck, or Compact Truck...

 pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...

. It features three rows of seats and is available in rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...

 among others. The Fortuner is part of Toyota's IMV project in Thailand, which also includes the Toyota Hilux
Toyota Hilux
The Toyota Hilux is a series of compact pickup trucks produced and marketed by the Toyota Motor Corporation. Most countries used the Hilux name for the entire life of the series but in North America, the Hilux name was retired in 1976 in favor of Truck, Pickup Truck, or Compact Truck...

 and the Kijang Innova
Toyota Innova
The Toyota Innova is a Toyota-designed Compact MPV i.e. being less than in length as per the European system of size classification, produced in Indonesia under supervision by Toyota Astra Motor since 2003. As with Toyota Kijang, which it replaced, the Toyota Innova is produced and first marketed...

 (in Indonesia). The vehicle was designed by Toyota Technical Centre Australia.
A number of engine options are available depending on the country of sale, including a 2.7 L 2TR-FE and 4.0 L 1GR-FE V6 petrol with Variable Valve Timing
Variable valve timing
In internal combustion engines, variable valve timing , also known as Variable valve actuation , is a generalized term used to describe any mechanism or method that can alter the shape or timing of a valve lift event within an internal combustion engine...

 and 2.5 L 2KD-FTV and 3.0 L 1KD-FTV common rail
Common rail
Common rail direct fuel injection is a modern variant of direct fuel injection system for petrol and diesel engines.On diesel engines, it features a high-pressure fuel rail feeding individual solenoid valves, as opposed to low-pressure fuel pump feeding unit injectors...

 variable geometry turbocharger
Variable geometry turbocharger
Variable-geometry turbochargers are a family of turbochargers, usually designed to allow the effective aspect ratio of the turbo to be altered as conditions change. This is done because optimum aspect ratio at low engine speeds is very different from that at high engine speeds...

 diesel models.

Trim levels are G and G Luxury for rear-wheel drive diesel and gasoline, and V for 4×4 Diesel and gasoline. The common rail turbo intercooled diesel has functional scoop on its hood.

In 2007 Toyota Thailand dropped the 4×4 gasoline model and replaced it with a two-wheel drive gasoline version.

This car was the best selling in its category (SUV/PPV) in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

 and currently Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

.

The Fortuner is not offered in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

, North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

, Australasia
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...

, or China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

. For the medium pick-up based SUV segment in those markets, Toyota offers the Hilux Surf
Toyota Hilux Surf
The Toyota Hilux Surf is an off-road vehicle manufactured by Toyota, sold mainly in Japan, with large numbers exported as used vehicles to Pakistan, Afghanistan, United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia...

 (Japan), 4Runner
Toyota 4Runner
The Toyota 4Runner is a mid-size SUV manufactured by Toyota and sold throughout the world from 1984 to the present. In Japan it was known as the Toyota Hilux Surf...

 (North America) and Land Cruiser Prado
Toyota Land Cruiser Prado
Toyota Land Cruiser Prado is a, mid-size four-wheel drive vehicle in the Toyota Land Cruiser range produced by the Japanese car maker Toyota Motor Corporation. The Prado is one of the smaller vehicles in the range...

 (Europe, Australasia and China).

Colombia

The Fortuner was unveiled in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

 -- Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...

 in 2005 and launched in 2007. There are various models out and Toyota released a new model in 2010 - Fortuner Urbana (Gasoline 2.7 L 4×4 and 4×2).

Ecuador

The Fortuner was unveiled in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

 -- Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...

 in 2005 and launched in 2007. Versions of the Fortuner have come from Venezuela and Thailand. There are various models released, originally only 4×4 and 4×2 options using a V6 4.0 L petrol engine were sold. Since 2010 a 2.7 L engine option has been released and the new face lift model has arrived.

The Toyota Fortuner was very popular and successful with Ecuadorian drivers since it was released in 2007, until late 2009. Since 2010 the Ecuadorian government has exempted all hybrid cars from import taxes, which reduced the number of Fortuner cars sold greatly due to the fact that Toyota purchasers preferred Toyota's Hybrid Highlander Limited which has a similar price and has more and better stand out features. Nevertheless Toyota continues to sell the Fortuner mainly because there is still a niche of drivers who are looking to own a true 4×4 car with chassis, something that the Highlander Hybrid does not have and because the Highlander Hybrid is not designed to be driven off-road.

Venezuela

Two trims are available for 2011 -- 4×4 and 4×2 -- both sporting the 4.0 L V6 engine. The assembly plant is located in Cumaná, Venezuela.

South Africa

The Fortuner was unveiled in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

 in 2005 and launched in 2006. There are various models out and Toyota released a new model in 2009.

India

Toyota launched the Fortuner in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

 in 2009. It is assembled at the Bidadi, Karnataka plant of Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Limited from imported CKD kits.
The much anticipated SUV has been a runaway success for Toyota. The Fortuner was initially supposed to be launched in 2005, but Toyota took time to bring it to India. The Toyota Fortuner has clocked over 10,000 units so far in sales, and has become the best seller in its segment. The company had increased production to more than 950 vehicles per month from the initial 500 units per month, but is still finding it difficult to meet demand.
Within 9 months of its release in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, Toyota Fortuner broke sales records and Pre delivery stats.
In May 2010, Toyota suspended bookings for Fortuner SUV. The company said its suspension of bookings will continue till the waiting period reduces to three months.

There is only one variant sold in India of the Fortuner, which is the 3.0 L Common Rail Turbo Diesel engine, with leather upholstery and climatronic as standard. Though the waiting period has come down to 3 months now, it is still selling at a premium, white being the most preferred color of choice.

Indonesia

The Fortuner was introduced in 2005 at the Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...

 International Motor Show. It is positioned below the Land Cruiser and the RAV4.

Initially the Fortuner was sold in 2.7G and 2.7V trim levels. The rear wheel drive 2.7G was offered in the base with fabric interior and the Luxury with leather interior and premium sound system. The 4-wheel drive Fortuner 2.7V is only available as the luxury model. The V trim with the 3.0 diesel engine is not officially sold in Indonesia, due to the heavier tax regulations imposed on vehicles with 4×4 drivetrains and engines having volumes of 3.0 L or more. It was specially imported for the Sumatra and Kalimantan markets, where it became a strong seller.

The 2.7G is fitted with a 4-speed automatic transmission and a two-wheel drive with a 2.7 L petrol engine. This model is a strong seller in big cities because of its automatic transmission. The 2.7V adds four-wheel drive, and is popular outside Java, where off-road and bumpy roads predominate. The rear wheel drive 2.7G and 4×4 2.7V come only with automatic transmission. The 2.5G was later added to the market, powered by a 2.5 L diesel engine giving 75 kW, criticized for being underpowered for its size. It is mated to a 5-speed manual. Its high body model has been criticized as unstable, and not aerodynamic when running at higher speeds. Despite this, 2.5 L Fortuner enjoys success regardless of only available with a manual transmission, because the Toyota brand is trusted by many Indonesians. Moreover, the 2.5 L diesel engine is considered more efficient and durable in the long run.

In mid 2009, a new variant was added to the lineup, which is the 2.5G with a 4-speed automatic transmission. Current owners of the 2.5G with manual transmission criticized the model, saying that the manual was already very underpowered, and adding an automatic transmission would only make matters worse. Despite such criticism, Toyota hopes this model would be a best seller and would bring up sales of the Fortuner which was weakening, because the current best selling model, the 2.5G with manual transmission aren't selling very well because at that price the market wouldn't pay for a manual transmission car, so the introduction of an automatic transmission would definitely be suitable for the market. The 2.5G can be ordered with TRD Sportivo body kits, which is also available as dealer installed options for other models.

At its launch the Fortuner sold well, but it never outsold the Honda CR-V
Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V is a compact suv, now called crossover, manufactured since 1995 by Honda. It was loosely derived from the Honda Civic to satisfy a public demand for a sport-utility vehicle from Honda. There are discrepancies as to what "CR-V" stands for, with Honda sources in different markets...

 and Nissan X-Trail
Nissan X-Trail
The Nissan X-Trail is a compact crossover SUV produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan since 2001. It was one of Nissan's first crossover SUVs and was released about the same time as several other companies competing car-based compact SUVs including the Ford Escape and its Mazda Tribute sibling,...

 because these SUVs are more efficient and are regarded as being superior for urban use. In rural areas the Fortuner is popular since it can accommodate many people.

The current President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono AC , is an Indonesian politician and retired Army general officer who has been President of Indonesia since 2004....

 privately owns a gray Fortuner in V guise, and was often seen during the recent campaigns for the 2009 presidential election
Indonesian presidential election, 2009
Presidential elections were held in Indonesia on 8 July 2009. The elections returned a president and vice president for the 2009–2014 period. A run-off election was scheduled to be held on 8 September if needed, but President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono won more than 60% of the vote in the first...

.

Malaysia

The Toyota Fortuner is sold in Malaysia in 2 variants – 2.7V and 2.5G.

The 2.7V carries a 4-cylinder, in-line 16-valve, DOHC, VVT-i petrol engine, with a maximum output of 118 kW at 5200 rpm and maximum torque of 241 newton metre at 3800 rpm. 2.7V is available only in 4-speed automatic transmission with ECT.

The 2.5G has a DOHC Turbo diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...

 with a maximum output of 75 kW at 3600 rpm and maximum torque of 260 newton metre at 1600-2400 rpm. 2.5G was initially available with a 5-speed manual transmission only, but for the 2009 model year facelift it has been replaced by a 4-speed auto.

The Fortuner is not selling well in Malaysia because of its limited engine options which is limited to the 2.5 L common-rail diesel (2.5G) and the 2.7 L petrol (2.7V) engines and partly because of the dominance of the Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota Land Cruiser
The is a series of four-wheel drive vehicles produced by the Japanese car maker Toyota Motor Corporation. It is not related to the Studebaker Land Cruiser car produced in the US from 1934-1954....

, which is brought in by grey importers. However, the Toyota Hilux
Toyota Hilux
The Toyota Hilux is a series of compact pickup trucks produced and marketed by the Toyota Motor Corporation. Most countries used the Hilux name for the entire life of the series but in North America, the Hilux name was retired in 1976 in favor of Truck, Pickup Truck, or Compact Truck...

 which shares the same platform has had good sales in Malaysia.

Philippines

The Fortuner was introduced in 2005 to supplant the RAV4
Toyota RAV4
The Toyota RAV4 is a compact crossover SUV from Toyota. It was the first compact crossover SUV, introduced in Japan and Europe in 1994 and beginning sales in North America in 1996...

 and the Land Cruiser
Toyota Land Cruiser
The is a series of four-wheel drive vehicles produced by the Japanese car maker Toyota Motor Corporation. It is not related to the Studebaker Land Cruiser car produced in the US from 1934-1954....

. It is sold in 3 variants: 2.7G gasoline, 2.5G diesel, and 3.0V diesel.

The 2.7G model is equipped with Toyota's 2.7 L 2TR-FE engine with VVT-i technology, which produces 118 kW at 5200 rpm and 241 newton metre of torque at 3800 rpm. The 2.5G model, on the other hand, is equipped with the 2.5 L 2KD-FTV engine with common rail diesel (D-4D) technology, which produces 75 kW at 3600 rpm and 260 newton metre of torque at 1600--2400 rpm. The 3.0V, which is the top variant, is the only 4×4 model in the range (previous variants are both 4×2). It is equipped with the 1KD-FTV engine with D-4D technology, which produces 121 kW at 3400 rpm and 343 newton metre of torque at 1400--3200 rpm. The 2.5 L 4×2 diesel variant comes in both manual and automatic transmissions, while the rest comes in automatic transmission only. The facelifted Fortuner was introduced in November 2008, together with the facelifted Innova and Hilux.

The Fortuner has been recently overtaken by Mitsubishi's Montero Sport
Mitsubishi Challenger
- First generation :Production began in Japan in 1996, and was available for most export markets by 1997, where it was variously known as the Challenger, Pajero Sport in Europe, Montero Sport in North America and South America, Nativa in parts of Central America and the Middle East, Shogun Sport...

 in overall sales, and currently faces stiff competition from newer SUV models like the Ford Everest, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Kia Sorento.

Singapore

The Fortuner was introduced in 2005 and was immediately popular with SUV buyers. The problem was finding a place for this SUV in the urban jungle of Singapore. Some problems include parking since it has a staggering height of 1.85 m and some car parks cannot accommodate that height. The 2009 model is now out and to this day fewer than 1000 in Singapore exist. The Toyota Hilux which shares the same platform also had poor sales (but sells better than Fortuner) in Singapore due to the same reasons.

Middle East

The Fortuner is available with two engines, the 118 kW rated 2.7 L or the 175 kW rated 4.0 L.

Facelifts

A minor redesign of the Toyota Fortuner was launched in August 2008 for the 2009 model year. It features new projector headlamps and grille, new rear lights, bluetooth
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...

 connectivity, new light sand interior, electronic adjustable driver seat in 4×4 V trim, rear cool air conditioning from ceiling for second and third row. Electronic Brake Force Distribution, with Brake Assist replacing LSPV in some models only. It is also All Wheel Drive (AWD) for the first time. Its newly redesigned front grille and front lamps are in the style of the Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota Land Cruiser
The is a series of four-wheel drive vehicles produced by the Japanese car maker Toyota Motor Corporation. It is not related to the Studebaker Land Cruiser car produced in the US from 1934-1954....

200 Series. There are basically four models; 2.5G 4×2, 2.7G Luxury 4×2, 2.7V 4×4, and 3.0 G 4×4.

In July 2011, for the 2012 model year, the Fortuner received another facelift. It had a new radiator grill, projector style headlamps with wipers in some variants, high mounted brake lights, a new trunk lid, and slight changes in the interior. However the previous model is still on the market

External links

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