[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by rugsrags

I wonder how Toyota is famed for being reasonable/ dependable and value for money!The icing is that they have informed me that my steering is cracked

When you say steering is cracked, do you mean the rack assembly has a crack or the materials that cover the steering wheel?

There is no point taking this matter to Toyota before attempting to claim extended warranty. If its there, use it. It is irrelevant that it has been outsourced. Its their job to sort out the matter for you. Its when the Extended Warranty surveyor refuses a claim that you escalate matters. Then again, its all in the fine print of that extended warranty that will decide how this will play out. You need to read what is covered and what isn't on your Extended Warranty cover. If they don't fix your problem, ask them for a refund of the extended warranty. I am sure it would have cost a fair bit for a vehicle like a Fortuner.

I don't agree or know where it has been written that Toyota vehicles are reasonable or value for money, in any part of the world. A Fortuner is not "reasonable" for sure. Dependability? 100%.

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

When you say steering is cracked, do you mean the rack assembly has a crack or the materials that cover the steering wheel?

There is no point taking this matter to Toyota before attempting to claim extended warranty. If its there, use it. It is irrelevant that it has been outsourced. Its their job to sort out the matter for you. Its when the Extended Warranty surveyor refuses a claim that you escalate matters. Then again, its all in the fine print of that extended warranty that will decide how this will play out. You need to read what is covered and what isn't on your Extended Warranty cover. If they don't fix your problem, ask them for a refund of the extended warranty. I am sure it would have cost a fair bit for a vehicle like a Fortuner.

I don't agree or know where it has been written that Toyota vehicles are reasonable or value for money, in any part of the world. A Fortuner is not "reasonable" for sure. Dependability? 100%.

I am assuming it's the wooden part of the steering that has cracked. This is a known issue in Fortuner and Crysta, however Toyota for reason best known to them, haven't made a recall. I had mine replaced about 7-8 months back under warranty and process was seamless and took about a week's time to inspect and replace(The car was in service center for 4-5 hr). Mine is 2 year old Fortuner and is still under standard warranty. I don't know if extended warranty process is different but I am surprised to learn that it's outsourced.

[jbpanda]

So I drove down my Fortuner Diesel MT 4x4 from Bhubaneswar to Gurgaon between 18 to 21 December 2022 travelling through the States of Odisha-Chhattisgarh-Uttar Pradesh-Delhi-Haryana. Total kilometres driven was 1723 Kms. My father drove about 500 odd kms out of it and rest of it was driven by me. We stayed over at Sundargarh, Varanasi and Lucknow enroute.

Roads in Odisha, UP, Delhi and Haryana were mostly good and in Chhattisgarh was horrible. Google map took us through some villages in Chhattisgarh where most cars can only dream of making it through.

Thoroughly enjoyed the road presence and confidence/ ability to glide through good roads, bad roads and no roads. The black colour is a dust magnet for sure but a dirty black Fortuner looks equally appealing and I am not complaining. The 80L fuel tank is very helpful considering the range that it offers during long journeys. We were 4 passengers with lots of luggage and maintained air pressure of 30 psi on all tyres. According to my father (who drives an Innova Crysta Diesel MT 2.4 Z), the gear shifts are butter smooth in the Fortuner and much better as compared to the Innova Crysta or for that matter any other car. Surprisingly, got an average of 11.5 kmpl while driving on Eco Mode and 12.5 kmpl while driving on normal mode. The display is accurate and matches tankful method by the decimal.

Now I am getting 13 kmpl during and after a 800 km drive from Gurgaon to Chail in the 26 January 2023 long weekend.

The car has done about 3500 kms and I will write a detailed ownership thread soon. For now, sharing some pictures clicked on my phone during this dream journey. Hope you like them.

[R_R]

A short review of my Toyota Fortuner petrol AT (4000km):

This is very late, I did mean write this up earlier but work and other commitments came in the way. So this ends up being a bit long: my apologies.

In the three months plus that I have been driving my new Fortuner petrol automatic, I’ve put in slightly over 4000 kms, which includes two longish drives from Gurgaon to the hills near Ranikhet. When I bought the Fortuner, I wasn’t entirely happy. I had never really liked the Fortuner, and I was somewhat disappointed I had to settle for it but it seemed the best suited to my needs, which was a car that could serve both city, highway and bad road long-distance travel, and would be reliable over the full 15 years I plan to keep it. It was thus a decision of the head rather than the heart, because my heart had been set on either the VW Tiguan (mainly) or the Hyundai Tucson. But now, after just this short while, I can say with honesty that I am completely in love with my Fortuner. I can’t now believe that I never considered the Fortuner earlier. I still have a place in my heart for the Tiguan (in particular) but I’ve changed my mind about the Fortuner. I look forward to driving it; on days that I don’t, I am actually disappointed.

So, a brief review, with this limited experience, of what I like and what I don’t, mostly about the Fortuner in general but some initial views on the petrol version. I am sure there are others who are particularly interested because of its rarity. I see a lot more interest in the NCR region, for obvious reasons, so hopefully this will be helpful to those considering this car.

First, fuel consumption and engine power. Yes, power is a bit on the weaker side, but I find it perfectly adequate for my needs, both in the city and the highway. It could have used a few more horses in the hills, but even there I did not really feel that it was holding me back by much. I haven’t driven the diesel version, so I can’t compare with it, but my last car was a 2008 Grand Vitara, and I find not a great difference except that my GV was manual. Sure, the Fortuner P does not like being hustled, especially from a slumber, but once it gets going, it is quite sprightly. But I am generally a sedate driver, so there’s that; I don’t usually get into street racing at traffic lights.

One odd thing, however: I found no great difference between the eco and power mode settings, either in power delivery or in fuel consumption. As for the latter, in the city, in both power and eco modes (I drove 1000 kms in each mode to try), I found the fuel consumption at about 8.1-8.3 kmpl, which I thought was decent. Yes, my GV gave one km more but the Fortuner fuel consumption is a lot better than I expected. On the highway, I got as much as about 10.5 kmpl when I was driving to Ranikhet, but this declined slowly as I hit narrower roads and crowded cities like Rampur, Rudrapur and Haldwani, and even more so once I hit the hills. Eventually, it ended up around 8.2 kmpl when I reached Ranikhet, and this improved only slightly on the return trip to Gurgaon, with a final at slightly over 9 kmpl. This was the same on both trips, driving entirely in power mode. On my next trip, I plan to drive entirely in eco mode and see if it makes any difference. As for power delivery, unless you look at the mode setting, I think it’s impossible to know if you’re driving in power or eco because I couldn’t make out. At best, it’s marginally better in power mode.

Things I like about the Fortuner:
• I do find it quite luxurious and well-put together, though my impression when I test drove it was different. My initial hesitation—before delivery—that I was getting a cheap, over-prized car whose only attraction was reliability was quite wrong, and I am very happy to be proved wrong on this, obviously.
• Love the leather on the side of the front central tunnel. Always wondered why cars didn’t provide some padding there for the knees. This one is perfect, it provides just the needed level of softness for one’s knees.
• The seats positioning is excellent. I was worried about constantly having to adjust the seats without having an auto seat memory function, but I am easily able to find a good position even after I move it for better exit and entry. The seat cushioning, feel etc are also very good, though the cooler temperatures in the NCR means that I haven’t had an opportunity to fully experience the seat ventilation.
• The petrol engine is smooth, with a nice tone to it. I didn’t think this would be an attractive feature, but I really like the sound of this engine, muted but powerful.
• Of course, road presence, height, the full-sized spare wheel (even if in steel rather than alloy) etc. and the feeling of indestructability. As in my GV, I can go for a long drive without thinking about whether I might face some issues while driving in remote areas or in the hills. The peace of mind is unmatchable and very necessary for me, cause I am a natural worrier.

The things I don’t like about the Fortuner:
• I initially found the entry and exit from the driver’s seat to be quite complicated and unwieldy. The space between the ceiling and floor of the doorway seems a bit too small, forcing me to bend down to enter or exit, which is a bit uncomfortable because of my bad back. I have now figured out that I can climb on the footboard and back into the seat, butt first. Not very elegant but it works well now. I never heard this issue mentioned previously, so I wonder what other owners/users think. I am 5 foot 11, by the way.
• The space between the seat and the door is so tight that the door pockets are basically useless. It’s difficult even to use the electric seat adjustments because the seat is so narrow. Poor ergonomics from Toyota.
• The lack of full cover for the wheel wells are telling. I’ve been repeatedly startled by noise of small stones and other road debris clanging against the inside of the wheel well, something I never heard in my Grand Vitara.
• The graphics on the HU. Seriously, it’s an afterthought from Toyota. Terrible, even if it doesn’t affect the unit’s functionality. Unforgivable that a 40L car has such a rudimentary system, which is worse than on my wife’s previous gen Urban Cruiser!
• The bottle holder next to the air vents is a great idea but I find it impractical because it hits my knee when I get in and out. Also, the clip to hold up the third row keeps coming off when driving over bumps, which is a nuisance.

Accessories, not much. I didn't do either ceramic coating or anything else, but just taught my cleaner to use a Jopasu brush first and then wipe down with a Proklear spray, which he does thrice a week. Also wanted something to protect the rear bumper when loading luggage. I didn’t like what Toyota provides as an accessory. I wanted a black rubber type deal but couldn’t find anything I liked either in stores or even online. So I decided I would simply buy a cheap yoga mat and keep it in the trunk to spread over the bumper when loading luggage.

I do miss not having a full owner’s manual, but this seems to be a general trend. All in all, I am very happy with my petrol Fortuner so far. Now a couple of photos.

[gadadhar]

One full tank of Adblue gives around 8500 kms from my experience of running 25K kms over last one year. Warning lamp will popup after 6500 kms indicating another 2K more can be done.

Toyota doesn't provide a full tank of Adblue while delivering the new car (saving few hundreds in 0.5 Crore vehicle!), hence you can end up with different mileage in the first run.

Off topic, Kerala has got lot of fuel pumps and road side shops that sells Adblue from a fuel pump like dispenser which makes refilling very convenient, especially in Fortuner where refilling is a Herculean task, but not seen this in other part of the country.

[jbpanda]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

One full tank of Adblue gives around 8500 kms from my experience of running 25K kms over last one year. Warning lamp will popup after 6500 kms indicating another 2K more can be done.

Toyota doesn't provide a full tank of Adblue while delivering the new car (saving few hundreds in 0.5 Crore vehicle!), hence you can end up with different mileage in the first run.

I see. Thanks for your guidance on this. In fact my Fortuner has started displaying the warning lamp for Ad Blue since 3000 KM I am planning to have it refilled at the Toyota Service Center during the 5000 KM servicing. It seems the low quantity at the time of delivery is the result of the warning lamp popping up so soon!

[getsurya]

Originally Posted by jbpanda

I see. Thanks for your guidance on this. In fact my Fortuner has started displaying the warning lamp for Ad Blue since 3000 KM I am planning to have it refilled at the Toyota Service Center during the 5000 KM servicing. It seems the low quantity at the time of delivery is the result of the warning lamp popping up so soon!

Why do you want to wait another 2000 kms to fill adblue? Just buy a can and top it up as soon as possible. Don't expect the ad blue in your car to last another 2000 kms, not worth the risk.

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by jbpanda

I am planning to have it refilled at the Toyota Service Center during the 5000 KM servicing.

Originally Posted by getsurya

Just buy a can and top it up as soon as possible.

Agree to getsurya, it is better to top it up in next 1000 kms and have peace of mind

BTW my sales person told me at the time of delivery that Adblue tank is not full and will last only for ~3K Kms

[cool_dube]

Toyota Fortuner Posts Highest Monthly Sales In India Since Launch

Toyota Fortuner recorded a total of 3,698 units last month as against 811 units during the same period in 2022 with a YoY growth of 356 per cent

Source

[iTNerd]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Toyota Fortuner Posts Highest Monthly Sales In India Since Launch

Toyota Fortuner recorded a total of 3,698 units last month as against 811 units during the same period in 2022 with a YoY growth of 356 per cent

Source

And I happen to be one of the contributors

Taking delivery of my car next week. Dealer had offered me accessories worth Rs 30K as freebies, besides matching the insurance I got from outside (at 1.15L with zero dep, RTI, Engine cover, key, tyre). I also sold my 13 years old Civic and I intend to carry over the 50% NCB to the fortuner and that should bring down the premium (OD) to 50%. For accessories (freebies), I have chosen 3M underbody rust coating, fender mirror, muffler cutter, rear bumper step guard and 3D rubber mats. Any other accessories that I should get from dealer ?

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Time to let convenience take precedence over pleasure, perhaps?!

Having mulled over replacing the Fortuner with a smaller SUV (given the small family that we are), our recent drive to central India made it very clear that there is nothing else that combines power, performance, reliability, ruggedness, capability, and (very importantly) luggage capacity like a Fortuner does. So, the plan to replace it was dropped. That said, I had started to come to terms with the fact that traffic on our highways had increased drastically over the last few years, and was only going to grow. The premise of minimal gear shifts/clutch presses on highway drives - which was the basis of my decision to buy Fortuner in its MT guise - was starting to falter. The situation was aggravated by the fact that I was not getting any younger with time

All of this led to the thought of replacing my Fortuner MT with a Fortuner AT - there was simply no other SUV that came close, given my use case. A fleeting thought was to wait for the next-gen Fortuner, which could hit our shores by 2025 but there were a couple of nuances there too:

• It would be a mild-hybrid for sure, leading to increased complexity and possible drop in reliability quotient
• Knowing Toyota, the pricing would certainly be out of my reach

Current generation of the Fortuner is a well-rounded product, having been in the market for 2+ years now, and moreover, is the last big (pure) diesel engine that one can buy before hybrids and EVs take over. We had owned one for 1.5 years and had started loving it on long drives - yes, including the ride

Given all of the above, we sealed the (difficult) decision to replace our Fortuner MT with a Fortuner AT. Quick visit to my friendly neighborhood Toyota dealership was followed by evaluation of my 1.5 yr / 13,000 km old Fortuner by their UTrust division, a decent offer was made, and before I knew it, I had booked a new Fortuner Sigma-4 AT in Attitude Black. I really liked the grey color on my earlier Fortuner and would possibly have gone for the same on AT as well, but unfortunately, it was no longer available. Black has always been my weakness when it comes to SUV shades and despite being well aware of the super-high maintenance it demands, I succumbed to the charms of what is arguably the best shade for hulking SUVs.

So, long story short, we recently got our Fortuner 4x4 AT home. Initial impressions are quite good and while I do miss the MT once in a while, the sheer convenience of AT more than makes up for it. Paddle shifters are much more useful than what I initially thought them to be - one can achieve good amount of engine braking, not only on hills but also on plains, by using them appropriately.

With a busy schedule on both work and personal front, am yet to complete the run-in. Hope to put some good miles on the black beast this year. Signing off with a recent pic - just love that brute in black!

[achyutaghosh]

Originally Posted by R_R

One odd thing, however: I found no great difference between the eco and power mode settings, either in power delivery or in fuel consumption.

There are 3 modes in the Fortuner. Eco, Normal (D), and Power. Unlike the diesel, the petrol does not get the Normal mode button, but it activates when you deselect Power or Eco modes. I have found the normal D mode to be best suited for all needs. Try that.

Originally Posted by R_R

Eventually, it ended up around 8.2 kmpl when I reached Ranikhet, and this improved only slightly on the return trip to Gurgaon, with a final at slightly over 9 kmpl. This was the same on both trips, driving entirely in power mode.

Once you get used to the engine characteristics, and engage C and C (cruise and coast) as much as possible, you can get more. I am just back from a trip to Mukteshwar and Ramgarh- got 9.5 kmpl from Greater Noida and back, over 800 kms. If i have to break it up, in the flats i got around 11 kmpl, in the hill climbs 5-6 kmpl, in the hill descents, again 11 kmpl. Car was fully loaded with 4 adults, 2 kids and luggage, and we did fair bit of offroading in going down to river bed levels etc. The Fortuner petrol AT continues to surprise.

[jbpanda]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

So, long story short, we recently got our Fortuner 4x4 AT home. Initial impressions are quite good and while I do miss the MT once in a while, the sheer convenience of AT more than makes up for it.

Considering that the Fortuner MT (4X4) is a rare breed, I was inspired by your posts and I thought my MT has got company. It seems the convenience of AT got the better of you. I am sure you will enjoy the beast irrespective of the MT or AT. Any other noticeable difference that you see. Will bother you and fellow BHPians in case I have any doubts during the ownership of my MT.

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Hope to put some good miles on the black beast this year. Signing off with a recent pic - just love that brute in black!

I cannot agree with you more on this. This beast looks brute and dashing in black! Equally difficult it is to maintain the real estate in black colour. You may consider getting PPF or ceramic coating depending on your usage. Wishing you lakhs of happy miles!

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

Toyota doesn't provide a full tank of Adblue while delivering the new car

Surprisingly, when I topped the AdBlue tank up in my newly delivered Fortuner AT last week (at ~150 km on the odo), it took in less than 2 lit. Which implies that the car was delivered with 8-plus lit of AdBlue.

Originally Posted by jbpanda

In fact my Fortuner has started displaying the warning lamp for Ad Blue since 3000 KM

Just get two 5 lit cans of AdBlue from your Toyota dealership and do these top-ups yourself. All you need is a good quality plastic funnel and a 1-lit tumbler. My thumb rule has been to keep topping it up after every 3,000-4,000 km OR before a long (read 3,000+ km) drive. It hardly takes 10 mins!

Originally Posted by iTNerd

Taking delivery of my car next week

For accessories (freebies), I have chosen 3M underbody rust coating, fender mirror, muffler cutter, rear bumper step guard and 3D rubber mats. Any other accessories that I should get from dealer ?

Many congratulations on your Fortuner. Wishing you lacs of happy km on it. Please do share pictures post taking delivery.

As for accessories, I usually keep my cars bone stock with bare minimum accessories, much to the disappointment of dealerships. In case of the Fortuner, I only went for underbody/wheel-arch coating and 3D mats! But then again, this is a very individual preference, so go for it

Originally Posted by jbpanda

Considering that the Fortuner MT (4X4) is a rare breed, I was inspired by your posts and I thought my MT has got company

My sincere apologies for jumping ship Believe me, I still hold my ground that MT is way more fun to drive than the AT, and that was the reason to go for MT in the first place. However, one has to accept realities of life - one of the prominent ones is age and associated need for convenience. Having crossed over to the wrong side of 40s sometime back, I do not seem to have much choice but to give in to such conveniences.

Any other noticeable difference that you see

Too early to say but initial impressions are a mixed bag, compared to MT. While the higher torque makes its presence felt, the pleasure of engaging the clutch and associated immediate acceleration is missed in the TC transmission. You win some, you lose some!

Will bother you and fellow BHPians in case I have any doubts during the ownership of my MT

Anytime!

You may consider getting PPF or ceramic coating depending on your usage.

I've never had PPF on any of my cars till date and as for ceramic coating, I'll consider it sometime down the line, as I was anyways stretched thin on budget. For now, I plan to enjoy it as an SUV as opposed to pampering it.

Wishing you lakhs of happy miles!

Thanks, mate! Wish you the same.

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Surprisingly, when I topped the AdBlue tank up in my newly delivered Fortuner AT last week (at ~150 km on the odo), it took in less than 2 lit. Which implies that the car was delivered with 8-plus lit of AdBlue.

You are among the lucky few I would say. It is a shame on Toyota dealerships for the miserly attitude