Premiering alongside the facelifted Toyota
Hilux is the refreshed 2021 Toyota Fortuner and while it isn’t sold in the
U.S., it brings with it some minor revisions that should help it keep pace with
the competition in markets including Australia.
The second-generation Fortuner has been on
sale since 2015 and while it wasn’t really crying out for a facelift, the host
of changes made by the Japanese car manufacturer do make it look a tad more
stylish. These changes start at the front end where a set of slim headlights
have been fitted and complete with an incorporated LED daytime running lights.
Complementing the more striking headlights
is an enlarged grille with a black horizontal mesh pattern. The bumper is also
more angular and includes large black vents housing small fog lights. The shape
and design of this vents, as well as the grille, depends on the variant. In
Thailand, for example, the Fortuner Legender has a split front grille. At the
rear, customers will find new taillights.
In Australia, the rugged SUV will be sold
with a 2.8-liter turbo-diesel engine producing 201 hp and 500 Nm of torque, gains of 27 hp and 50 Nm over the
pre-facelift model. Despite the added grunt, Toyota says additional measures
made including improved cooling actually results in better fuel consumption,
particularly in “city driving where the improvement is more than 17 per cent.”
Not only is this new 2.8-liter turbo-diesel
more powerful and more efficient but towing capacity has been increased by 300 kg up to 3,100 kg. As for the cabin, limited changes have
been made although there is a larger 8-inch infotainment system that supports
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The 2021 Toyota Fortuner will land in
Australia in August.
