With quite a bit of travelling ahead of me and my requirements being a tow bar for my bicycle rack, enough space for four adults, camping gear and general luggage, I decided that the Toyota Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 4x4 auto at the office would be my companion for these adventures. Some 3500km later, I feel that I have a very good idea of what the Fortuner offers and indeed, where Toyota could improve upon it.
The journey
The first Monday of my festive season holiday presented the Fortuner with a 650km trip down to the KwaZulu Natal coast where I spent six days before a trip back to the Highveld for Christmas.
Later on, I embarked upon a camping trip of sorts to the Drakensberg for four days. Having three people and their luggage with me at any given time really allowed me an opportunity to get varied opinions surrounding the car while also discovering the perks and quirks of South Africa’s best-selling seven-seat SUV.
The ‘Tuna
As many in the 4x4 community have affectionately named it, the ‘Tuna is certainly a local favourite and after spending time with one, I can see why.
Having the most highly specified variant on test gave me the opportunity to surmise that the 2.4 GD-6 4x4 auto is likely all the seven-seat SUV you’ll really need, and it’s around R130 000 cheaper. Having said that, the 130kW/450Nm from the 2.8-litre turbodiesel was quite handy during overtaking situations, although I’d never describe the car as brisk.
Out on the open road is where the ‘Tuna really started to make sense, the ride quality is commendable for a bakkie-base SUV and the general ride height and visibility make you feel rather commanding out in the road. The mild off-road section of our camping journey was simply too easy for the Fortuner. Its massive ground clearance and clever electronics sailed through the muddy path to the entrance of the facility.
When it came to filling-up though, the Fortuner proved relatively thirsty. By the time I gave the car back I’d managed to get the consumption down to 10.3-lites/100km, which is rather far from the 8.5-litres/100km claim. That being said, the car was fully loaded and travelling at the national limit, making its returns respectable.
The things a month will teach you
Embarking upon a lengthy trip in a car with several people really allows you to see the pros and cons of Fortuner ownership. On the plus side, passengers commended the car for its comfort and rear space.
The three 12V charge points and single 220V charging point really came in handy during both trips, particularly when camping. The standard sound system and touchscreen infotainment system were par for the course, with no real complaints to note while the brown leather split opinions within the car frequently.
Some of the negatives noted are of course the manner in which the third row of seats is folded away. The third row sits on either side of the C-pillar, taking up valuable boot space while on rivals these seats seem to fold away into the floor, or at least only compromise space slightly. The seats can be taken out, but then you’re left without the option of transporting more people if you’re in a squeeze.
The second negative noted was most of my passenger’s pet peeve during both trips and that was the automated tailgate. The system simply takes too long to open and close the boot, and sometimes doesn’t open when you’ve pressed the button.
Verdict
With over 1000 units finding new homes each month in South Africa, the Fortuner is the undisputed leader within its segment. That comes down to what I believe to be a trifecta of attributes that all feed one another. Firstly you have the reputation for locally-produced reliability from the brand, the enormous dealership network and support structure and of course the fact that the product is capable and practical. This makes the Fortuner difficult to ignore when shopping in the off-road ready seven-seat segment.
Price
Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 4x4 AT - R678 200
