Toyota Fortuner GX Review: The SUV That Still Rules the Road

While some SUVs cater to specific needs, either for city use or for rough roads and long hauls, the 2021 Toyota Fortuner GX has succeeded at balancing the two extremes. Toughness, reliability, comfort, and a commanding road presence – few SUVs get so right at the same time.

The Fortuner is one of the most revered SUVs in so many markets simply due to the owner’s trust. You know that it will take whatever the daily drive or a weekend away throws at it, from commuting to the kids to the mall to driving on highways at speed or tackling dusty desert roads and off-road paths without it even appearing to strain or falter.

The 2021 Fortuner GX received even more attention by receiving improvements in many key areas that were crucial for the facelift model. The SUV received better styling, a more potent engine, updated technology, increased fuel economy and a range of better safety features.

Today, resale value continues to be high due to what the Fortuner buyer knows he or she is getting: a rugged SUV for every occasion.

Bold Exterior Design With Strong Road Presence

Another one of the key aspects that made owners fall in love with the Toyota Fortuner is how the car actually looks. It comes across as a modern, imposing, aggressive, yet still utilitarian and robust SUV.

On the front, it received quite a few updates:

A bigger grill up front
LED lights that appeared sharper
Refined bumpers
More assertive housing for the fog lights
Other aggressive design features

It just looked commanding on the road, instantly turning heads while both standing still and driving through town. The Toyota Fortuner has the kind of street presence that turns heads without necessarily even being a conspicuous vehicle.

The elevated driver seating position and the substantial body size are features owners often cite as creating confidence behind the wheel of this large SUV, with one Redditor describing it as “commands road respect”. While several new-age crossovers and SUVs look sleek and have a premium design, the Fortuner’s appearance and body-on-frame construction clearly define it as an off-road-capable machine.

Spacious Cabin Designed for Families

Cabin practicality and comfort are good in the Fortuner GX, with Toyota prioritising function and durability over showy luxury bits.

The dashboard layout is logical and user-friendly. The buttons are where you’d expect them; it’s easy to see, and the driving position gives you an excellent all-round view of your surroundings.

The 2021 update came with an improved 8-inch infotainment screen supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The 7-seat setup means it is very useful for big families or long journeys.

Front seat comfort is brilliant and ideal for the motorway. Second-row comfort is fair for adults on longer journeys.

As with all seven-seaters, the third row isn’t really comfortable for more than children and should only be used when absolutely necessary. This has also been noted by some reviewers.

One thing that Toyota is particularly good at, however, is how well the cabin stands up to time and wear and tear. After a couple of years, it feels as good as the day it rolled out of the factory.

Powerful Diesel Engine Performance

The Fortuner feels a lot more eager, and the overtaking is much simpler; highway cruising is effortless. This turbodiesel engine is very capable of pulling strongly at any time, particularly with passengers and luggage aboard, as well as during longer journeys.

Toyota’s engine refinement was also improved for the facelift. According to Autocar India, the engine is also smoother and quieter in comparison to earlier iterations.

Even if it isn’t quite a sports SUV, it packs a strong punch in the real world. It feels potent during most situations where that’s important.

Highway Overtaking
Off-roading capabilities
Carrying a load
Long-distance journeying

The 6-speed auto transmission felt smooth in the cut and thrust of daily driving and in highway cruising.

Ride Quality and Driving Experience

One of the other reasons the Fortuner is liked so much is it seems incredibly competent off the beaten path. Bad roads, potholes, bumpy surfaces, and rough ground are all areas where the Fortuner takes things without flinching. A quick look through user reviews show it’s one of the features owners enjoy most – its composed and settled handling over rough roads. The suspension is set up more for durability and ability on rough tracks rather than fast corners, and as a result the SUV is extremely planted over long trips.

The high driving position is a significant plus point. Drivers get a commanding view of the road ahead that adds to the confidence the vehicle delivers both in traffic and on the open road. Toyota also improved steering in the 2021 model, which makes maneuvering and parking much less taxing than before. On the highway, the Fortuner feels incredibly solid and stable. The diesel engine covers miles at highway speeds with little fuss, and that’s what makes it a great highway SUV.

Technology and Features

The tech package of the Fortuner also saw improvements with the 2021 refresh.

Available in the Fortuner GX trim and up the Fortuner also got the following features:

• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto
• Touchscreen infotainment
• Bluetooth
• Rear parking sensors
• Reverse camera
• LED lights
• Cruise control
• Push-button start
• Smart key entry

The infotainment interface was also given a facelift, making it more modern and user-friendly when compared to older Fortuner models. The competitors do offer some flashier features, but in the Fortuner’s case, it emphasises a system that will last you for a long time without any hassle.

Safety features

In 2021 Toyota fitted very robust safety systems on the Fortuner.

Some of the features in the SUV include;

Many airbags
Stability control
ABS
Lane departure warning
Autonomous Emergency Braking
Pedestrian detection
Adaptive Cruise Control

It also gained Toyota Safety Sense for added comfort when on the motorway.

Fuel Economy

Considering this is a big seven seat diesel SUV, fuel economy isn’t terrible.

Toyota claims a city driving fuel economy improvement of 17% compared to previous generations.

Majority of the real life owners find:

9-10 km/l in the city
12 km/l on highways

These figures aren’t so bad for such a big and heavy SUV.