My 2015 Toyota Fortuner 2.5L AT completes 2 lakh km: Keep or upgrade?

My usage ranges from 1500-2000 km in a month, hence need an excellent driver's car.

BHPian Harry@88 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello Everyone!

My 2015 AT 2.5L Diesel 4x2 Fortuner has logged 2,00,000 kilometres, and I have been debating whether or not it is time to upgrade. Toyota is a mile-muncher and the only factor preventing me from upgrading is the shuddering and braking system. In the past, I have tried numerous alternatives (including Brembo rotors with Brembo Brake pads), but I have never found a permanent solution. Last week, I travelled from Bangalore to Mangalore and due to the intense shuddering and vibrations, I began to doubt my ability to go beyond 100 kilometres per hour. Considering that I have clocked 2L km, I've been contemplating my decision to seek an upgrade, which is why I'm seeking advice from Bhpians.

Listed below are my current options:

1. Keep the Fortuner for another few years and maintain it by skimming every 10,000 kilometres.
2. For the upgrade path, my budget is Rs 30 lakhs for a pre-worshipped vehicle and up to Rs 40L for a newer car (Rs 10 L loan). I have always kept in mind GTO's recommendation that spending above Rs 30L on a vehicle should be limited as much as possible. Below are the few upgrade alternatives I have shortlisted.

My Requirements:

An excellent driver's car, as I will be driving regularly. Bangalore city runs on average between 50 and 100 kilometres per day and between 1500 and 2500 kilometres per month. Here is where the Fortuner shines since we can travel wherever without trouble. A comfortable 5 or 7-seater automatic with adequate safety is my highest priority. I am interested in sedans and SUVs and plan to keep the vehicle for the next seven to ten years.

Based on my intensive research in this forum, the following are the choices I have shortlisted.

• Used Kodiaq 4x4 Diesel: I have seen one in Bangalore for 28 lakhs with 60,000 kilometres on the odometer. However, I am uncertain about SKODA's dependability, particularly its maintenance.
• Used Fortuner: It is challenging to find nice AT models for Rs 30 L in Bangalore
• Used BMW 320 GT: Considering my budget, I expect 2016/2017 versions will be available, but I'm uncertain about the maintenance, particularly for models older than five years.
• New Hyundai Tucson: Ticks most of the boxes (Rs 3 lakhs must increase budget) and the initial assessment on this forum impressed me.
• Used Toyota Camry: I haven't located one in Bangalore within my budget.
• XUV 700 are unavailable owing to a long waiting period and Crysta somehow doesn't impress me on the driving.

Thank you!

Here's what BHPian CEF_Beasts had to say on the matter:

Wow, a 2.5L Fortuner is very rare! Congratulations on clocking 2 lakh km.

• Kodiaq has the space for 5 people but anything more will be tight. Also maintenance and if the warranty is expired the car will be expensive to up-keep in the long run.
• A used Fortuner for 30L and even the Pre-facelifted model will be hard to find. If you do they will have already run 100-150,000 km.
• A 3GT is a very versatile car in terms of many aspects especially space, BMW reliability is also great for the 20d engines. An extended warranty is a must though. If you find a good example get it checked at a BMW SC and decide.
• If you’ll be stretching for a new Tucson by 3L, I would recommend you stretch a little more and go for a new Fortuner.
• Camry Hybrid is a car which punches above its weight but is rare to find.

I would recommend you to get a new Fortuner 4X2 AT. This is the most logical upgrade to your existing Fortuner.

It has the space, the engine to keep you happy on the highways with 500Nm of torque, Toyota reliability, service and go-anywhere capability even with the 2WD because it has an Auto-LSD which is very useful!

Yes, I know it will be going beyond your budget by around 5-6 Lakhs, but if you’re going to keep it for 7-10 years, then the additional cash initially won’t matter much at the end.

Here's what BHPian SideView had to say on the matter:

Slightly confused by your post. Isn't Toyota ASC able to root cause and fix this issue? What have they mentioned?

Or is this shuddering a widespread issue among Fortuners? I highly doubt it, because if such a critical thing as braking is faulty the sure second-hand market would not have a high demand for Fortuners.

The reason I say to get it fixed is, that you can easily cover 3L km (it is only a 7-year-old vehicle)with it and not worry about ASC/reliability-related issues from other brands.

Here's what BHPian asit.kulkarni93 had to say on the matter:

Most old-school TCs and CVTs offer zero engine braking. They start coasting as soon as you let go of the throttle. Due to this, the brakes take a lot of beating. Excessive brake wear on Crystas or Fortuners isn't new. It's a common issue. If you do plan to retain the car, try engine braking when braking is predictable.

If you do wish to upgrade, the Kodiaq is a decent option. Yes, the upkeep is a little high but totally worth it. Alternatively, you can look at Tiguans too. Please skip on the Tucson. Given your high usage, stick to germans or Japanese. You can check out the pre-facelift new gen Fortuners too. Even if they have run 100-150k km, it's a Fortuner. It's built to last. If you want a change, Endeavour is a good option too.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.