[Anwesh]

Mod Note : Please do NOT post messages that add little or no informational value to the thread. We need your co-operation to maintain the quality of this forum.

Also, one-liner posts are best avoided.

We advise you to read the Forum Rules before proceeding any further. Request to post ONLY when you have something substantial to add to a discussion.

Thanks for the support & understanding

[kraken]

I can give you a few points about buying a Fortuner. I am not here to give you any advice on an alternative choice.

I own a Fortuner (2015 vintage) and so does my father (2022 Legender) and to give you my honest opinion, if comfort and driving pleasure are your main demands from the car, Toyota Fortuner is a tough bet. Let me explain.

If it's the go any where quality, the amazing road prescence the robust mechanicals, solid service experience, and the reliability (you can swear by it) you crave then it is for you. You can spend a lot of money on it to make it comfortable (suspension kits from TEIN and many reputed brands are available). So in short you get reliability + comfort at an already inflated Toyota price tag + added cost of a suspension upgrade. Then there is changing tyres to a softer compound. Summing up it's going to a costly affair. But if it's justified (love for cars makes us blind, believe me, I know) take the plunge.

3 things you should definitely do before booking / buying one are :

1. Take your grandmother and your family for a test drive, preferably a long one and see if they are comfortable with ingress/egress, bounciness, features and overall feel of the car. Then if avaialable drive a car with TEIN / other suspension upgrade to judge how much ride has improved.
2. Check with the dealer themselves for a TEIN / other suspension upgrade and get a quote. Do a cost benefit analysis.
3. Get a tyre dealer to give you a quote for tyre swap (right after delivery) to a softer compound tyre like Michelin. Michelins have improved my ride to some extent.

After all this if you are convinced no one can stop you. You studied it, did the math and have the knowledge about the car.
Happy car hunting !

[RoadFiend]

Imho, it is the overall experience and not just bouncimess that impacts reaction of senior citizens in a Fortuner. We have been on several half-day to full day trips in Fortuner with my aged and frail mother choosing the front passenger seat. Of course she needed assistance to board and unboard. However once seated she's been supremely comfortable. Quite confident in the ability of the large vehicle. The large airy interiors probably helped in giving her a sense of relaxation. But this is just my personal anecdote.

Nothing like a long test drive for yourself to try out!

[heydj]

Fortuner is not known for ride quality instead it's all about looks and reliability.

For ride quality would suggest looking elsewhere such as Innova or Tucson or Carnival etc.

However that being said if your heart is set on fortuner then go for it and do some changes to tires and air pressure for increasing comfort levels.

[sheelapratosh]

I moved from a sedan to Fortuner.

Great car. Wonderful looks. Head turner. Can handle anything.

Unfortunately, every time I sat in the middle row, at the end of the trip I got real nauseous. On winding roads, I ended up puking couple of times.

I tried sitting in passenger side of the front row. Much better. But still left with some hangover nausea.

But when I drive, I am able to manage.

So I sold the car to my friend within the first month and moved on to a Jeep Compass.( My needs were a 4 seater. But bought Fortuner purely for looks. But it backfired. So Compass worked out as somewhat in between a sedan and a real ladder frame SUV)

I suggest you stay away from fortuner for the specific use case. It also seems to be the majority opinion from our fellow community above.

[Newtown]

Originally Posted by Aditya94

I am sitting at the fence. Fortuner 4x4 MT is close to OTR 45-46L in Chennai which is a huge amount of money

Hi Aditya - Given your use case with parents and grandma, what you need is a Camry in my opinion.

[kadanaJ]

I found the Fortuner's middle row to be quite unsettling on the highway.

My recommendation would be, eyes closed, the Hyundai Tucson.

Great powerful engine, good ride, being an international spec car, should be safe. Monocoque SUV with the option of AWD. It's a perfect car for your use case, and a suitable upgrade from your Verna.

[gauravanekar]

2 options come to my mind, Kia Carnival and Citroen C5. Yes, Innova is indeed comfortable but the famed comfort of Innova is of a different kind when compared to the ride comfort experienced in a sedan.

[inwester]

Originally Posted by Aditya94

I have a small query people. How good is the comfort levels on the Fortuner?

We mean, My mother in her 50s, Father in his 60s and my grandmother in her 80s. I am certain that if I am going for a SUV, it would be a BOF with 4x4 or at least a monocoque with AWD.

How are the car in the front and 2nd rows at speeds around 120?

I request those who have moved on to a Fortuner from a Sedan to share their experiences.

Regards
Aditya

None of us are getting younger and there's a reason SUVs / crossovers outsell sedans by quite a lot these days.

We had the 1st gen and 2nd gen Fortuner and sold both within its first year of ownership. Do not buy it if you plan to carry grandparents and parents.

The ride quality is awful and bouncy on bad roads, good roads, no roads.. doesn't matter. The climb is also quite high and the elderly would struggle. You also sit VERY high while driving, almost too high for my liking and this causes a lot of vertical movement even on highways at high speeds. You will get tired easily. The middle and 3rd row seats are also worse than competition and feels like there isn't adaquate under thigh support. The new (and old) Innova trumps this in all aspects, except perhaps drivetrain.

Forget any BOF 4x4 car for your use case because they'll all behave the same and won't offer ride comfort. If you want monocoque AWD then your only options under 50 lakhs are XUV700, Tucson, Tiguan and Kodiaq (excluding Jeeps because their reliability is questionable).

If you don't care for AWD then new Innova is a great choice. Carnival is almost too big for our towns and cities.

At the cheaper end there's Kia Carens and MG Hector, which both offer great ride comfort, but since you're considering cars from a segment above I'm excluding them.

Choose wisely.

[nkrishnap]

Tucson or the XUV700 would suit the need better. Moreover both these cars have seats placed lower than the Fortuner, which would make it easier to get in and get out. This itself is a big reason for the elders to like it.

[neerajku]

I have been driving it for almost 1 lakh KM plus and have almost always been with my parents, till 2020, for the temples trips in TN, KA and so on. Have done many many KM with them. Father was 80 plus when we did Navagraha Darshana in October 2019. Ride quality has never been an issue.
Reading the comments of many worthies about its body roll and undulating suspension used to insist father to occupy the front seat. Later on realised that it meant he used to be as alert as I was, so shifted him to the middle seat. Had Innova earlier. And he had traveled in that as well. He always had word of praise for Fortuner's ride quality. He is no more though. In 2020 took my old In laws to Goa. They were also very happy with the ride quality.
Recently took my mother for a year end trip to Udupi and Goa. Same; no complaints. She always says this vehicle never makes her tired.
To cut the story short, Fortuner is my bet, The new one is even better. Innova, try it, the middle seat, will feel like you are in swing. I have tried it for long duration office trips. impossible to work in the middle seats.
Each according to his or her choice though. Added my experience. It is rock steady, swallows potholes and humps. Only advice dont drive it like a car, quick sharp turns etc are not meant for this frame.
I am no expert high end fit driver, just an old experienced one but have done more than 900 km in a day and never felt tired or exhausted. Sheer comfort and confidence it offers.

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by Aditya94

Coming back to my predicament. How comfortable is a Fortuners?

Hey Aditya,
I am going through a similar predicament after I sold my Montero. Had gotten used to excellent comfort of the Montero.
Now the only two larg SUVs with AWD/4WD in the 50 lakhs range is the Fortuner and the Jeep Meredian. I am not even factoring in fake British marques or chinese tin cans with British logos.

It's a very tough call between the Meredian and the Fortuner.
Meredian Advantages:

1. Loaded with excellent features.
2. Brilliant ride and handling
3. Way more comfortable than the Fortuner.
4. With the deals/offers one can save about 10 lakhs over the Fortuner.
5. Refined Engine/less NVH

Meredian Disadvantages:

1. Not sure of the long term reliability of the Meredian
2. The Jeep will always be more expensive to maintain than the Fortuner.
3. Third row is practically useless unless are taking along a family of pigmies.
4. Resale I presume will be far less than the Fortuner

Fortuner Advantages:

1. Robust and Proven platform
2. Just the essential features with no unnecessary frills.
3. Low Cost of maintenance
4. Very Usable third row

Fortuner Disadvantages:

1. Expensive
2. Higher NVH
3. Lumpy ride due to body on frame setup
4. Relatively less features.

If comfort is a major factor for you and third row is not, then consider the Meredian. That's what I am leaning towards. If you don't need AWD/4x4 then go with the Innova Hycross.

My logic is simple, for another 5 lakhs more than the Fortuner 4x4 AT, I can get a Meredian (with discounts) and a Jimny. So, one for the long distance touring and the other for my rough stuff/daily beater.

[2TR-FE]

My beloved brother!

Disclaimer: The below shall be a very critical answer. Viewer discretion advised for all Fortuner Fanboys.

I really appreciate your courage to question it's comfort on this forum. The so called great Fortuner isn't the car to be purchased with anything more than 25 grands. Visit the Gulf and you shall get to know how cheap Innovas and Fortuners are considered.

Coming to its comfort, get your enemy seated in the middle of 2nd row. By the end of an hour's ride, he shall seek your forgiveness sincerely Observe in the pic how high the second row passengers are seated.

Unfortunately, the Indian herd mentality is the only reason why Toyota has been milking money with this car. For some strange reason, it has also got that Neta factor associated with it. Undoubtedly, Bullet proof reliability is something I can definitely vouch for in almost the entire Toyota lineup. Therefore, It has it's own pros and cons while comfort ought to be considered as a con.

My personal suggestion would be to avoid the name Fortuner in order to save your comfort fortunes. If you aren't concerned about the status symbol, check out anything other than a fortuner. Moreover, A Kia Carnival with captain seats seems to be a better purchase in your case considering your grandma's usage.

Cheers!

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by Axe77

For your needs, I feel the Innova Hycross will suit much better than the Fortuner.
…
Another choice could be the Mahindra XUV 7OO which too should be more comfortable than the Fortuner. Between these three the Hycross would be my hands down top pick followed by the 7OO.

Didn’t occur to me then and echoing the thoughts of some other members, I think the Kia Carnival is a great choice too. Comfortable people mover without the BOF disadvantages. Only thing to keep in mind is not sure how much longer the current gen will be sold before the next gen is launched in India.

[Figopian]

An eye opener thread for many! And lot of honest comments by some about the Fortuner!!

Although I am not in a hurry to change my car, but I keep contemplating the same question every month - which SUV? Just like any other Indian car buyer. Then, when I compare what I am losing - the comfort, the solid build quality, an exceptional gear box (touch wood!!), amazing fuel efficiency - I own a 2016 VW Vento Highline DSG - the decision becomes lot more difficult.

Most of the times I come to the conclusion that I need a Kodiaq for all those reasons mentioned by many and then I decide to keep Vento for some more time

Its just unbelievable now that the qualities I mentioned about Vento above, if you need to get something like that, you probably need to spend at least 3 times the money I spent 7 years back, just crazy!!