2012 Toyota Fortuner specification & Features

The upcoming model of the Toyota Fortuner has just been revealed in Thailand. This is the very same facelift that will be coming to India. Toyota has updated its Thailand website with images and specifications of the new SUV as well. The front end is where a lot has changed including the grille, the headlamps and the bumper. The rear end has also undergone a makeover and so has been the interior.

• The new Fortuner now looks more bolder than the earlier version especially with the huge chrome grille with horizontal slats. 
• The headlights get new projector lamps alongside conventional lights.
• The fog lamp housing has also been redesigned along with the front bumper which gets a scuff plate as well. 
• Now the old Fortuner looked bulbous from the front which is not the case with the new model

The new Fortuner retains the brute front end look with the lower side of the front fascia now being more flatter than the old SUV. Toyota has also got rid of the side cladding and replaced it with a nice muscular element. In profile the car is instantly recognizable though. At the rear, a redesigned bumper has been added and so has been a new tail lamp cluster. The new clear lense tail lights get an integrated, circular brake lamp as opposed to a rectangular one on the outgoing model.

The interior has also undergone a subtle makeover, the major change being the center console and the steering wheel. The old version had an interior which looked pretty similar to that of the Innova MPV. In the new version the dials too are new giving it a more fresh and unique feel. Now Toyota is offering a 4-speed automatic version of the Fortuner in Thailand which could also come to India. The lack of an auto box was one of the drawbacks the Fortuner faced making the drive a tad more cumbersome in the city, especially given its massive size.

Now, Toyota customers had been complaining about the lack of an automatic option in the Fortuner and this time Toyota might take heed of this and bring in the auto transmission. Despite the lack of an automatic gearbox the Fortuner has been selling only because of the brand and its street presence which is the most sought in India. The powertrain is to remain the same with e 3.0 litre D-4D Diesel with Intercooler Turbocharger which puts out 171 PS and 343 Nm.

The Fortuner’s main rivals in the market today are the Chevrolet Captiva, Mitsubishi Outlander and to an extent the BMW X1, all of which come with automatic transmissions. Secondly, the Captiva is also due for a makeover but expect the new Fortuner to arrive only in 2012 and not during this year.