The Toyota Fortuner seems to be age proof. It has long reigned as SA’s favourite medium/large SUV, and despite its advanced age of nine years it still comprehensively outsells newer rivals such as the Ford Everest and Isuzu MU-X — and also many cheaper SUVs.
Toyota has kept the Fortuner fresh with regular updates including a facelift in 2023 that saw the family SUV adopting a sharper, more modern look. With the next-generation Fortuner reputed to be about a year away, Toyota has introduced what is likely to be the final model in the present line up: a new flagship GR-Sport 4x4 variant (GR-S for short) inspired by the Hilux model of the same name.
It has the same up-specced turbo diesel engine as the Hilux GR-S together with more aggressive styling and enhanced suspension.
It is exclusively available in Attitude Black and Platinum Pearl White and stands apart from regular Fortuners with its reworked front bumper and lower grille, black front spoiler, new fog lamp bezels and streamlined rear diffuser.
The cosmetic tweaks provide a bolder presence, and the cabin gets a sporty makeover with a motorsport-inspired black-and-red theme, smoke silver metallic and matte carbon trim, and aluminium sport pedals.
The GR sports seats are covered in perforated leather and suede with red stitching and GR-branded headrests. Completing the sporty interior overhaul is a GR-badged steering wheel with a red centre mark, and a GR start button.
Sold with a three-year/100,000km warranty and nine-services/90,000km service plan, the Fortuner GR-S is priced at R999,000, which is R37,200 more than the next-best Fortuner, the mild hybrid 2.8 48V version.
The price premium comes with extra power in the form of Toyota’s venerated 2.8l four cylinder GD-6 turbo diesel engine which is boosted to 165kW of power and 550Nm of torque, respective gains of 15kW and 50Nm compared to the regular 2.8 GD-6.
The drivetrain remains a six-speed automatic gearbox which lays down the power via rear-wheel drive, four-wheel drive, or four-wheel drive low range selectable by a dial on the dashboard.
The flagship Fortuner is a touch less off-road focused than the Hilux GR-S and doesn’t have the bakkie’s BF Goodrich 265/65 17-inch knobby terrain tyres. Instead, it wears dual-purpose 265/60 R18 tyres wrapped around purposeful-looking black GR alloy wheels. But that rubber is more than capable of serious off-road work. Combined with its 4x4 system, generous ground clearance, rugged body-on-frame chassis, rear diff lock and downhill assist control, the Fortuner is a very respectable all-terrain machine that happily clambers over obstacles.
It remains a versatile family SUV that can be taken on off-tar adventures in the wilderness, with five forward-facing seats plus a third row of side-facing jump seats that fold up to expand the boot area.
Toyota doesn’t quote a 0-100km/h figure for the Fortuner GR-S but you can feel the extra spring in its step, especially in torque delivery. It accelerates swiftly and has strong midrange urge, making for pleasantly lively power across the rev range. It has a Sports mode that makes it feel more animated than the other two settings: Eco and Normal.
There’s a price to pay for the added muscle as the GR-S burns more fuel than other Fortuner models, with a factory-quoted 8.4l/100km consumption compared to the 7.9l of the standard version and the 7.6l of the mild-hybrid. The GR-S test car averaged 11.1l in a town-freeway combo, providing a range of just over 700km on the 80l fuel tank.
The Fortuner GR-S rides on a monotube shock absorber system designed to enhance its ride comfort and handling, and I found the ride to be on the firm side without being uncomfortable.
From a handling point of view the suspension upgrade doesn’t turn the Fortuner into a sports SUV. It corners neatly but has the typical body roll of a top-heavy SUV if you push the pace.
The Fortuner has aged well in its refinement, with well-supressed wind and mechanical noise, and a solid feel.
In terms of connectivity and keeping family peace on long journeys, the Fortuner delivers by being equipped with front and rear phone chargers plus a 220V appliance socket in the back seat. Standard features on the GR-S include a surround view camera, adaptive cruise control, an electric tailgate and electrically adjustable front seats.
The Fortuner shows its age in the scarcity of modern conveniences that are becoming standard in many modern SUVs — items such as wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which must be connected via USB cable in the Fortuner. It also has no wireless smart phone charger, while the infotainment screen looks retro with its relatively small size and old-school graphics.
But customers clearly don’t mind the Fortuner being long in the tooth judging by its continued strong sales, which must cause sleepless nights at rival brands. Toyota’s SUV has a watertight reputation and the new GR-S adds a dash of sporting character to the recipe.
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