10 Features We Find Missing On The Toyota Fortuner

No car is perfect, and every vehicle compromises on something or the other. The Toyota Fortuner might be the King of the Road and everywhere else, but even this has a few drawbacks. Don’t take this personally because even we love the Fortuner for its reliable bulletproof engine, rugged chassis, go-anywhere character, and ease of maintenance of such a majestic elephant. Yet, facts are facts, and you can’t help but notice these ten features we find missing on the Toyota Fortuner are available on cars that cost way lesser. Some of the features are available on vehicles that cost the downpayment of the Fortuner.

1. Blind Spot Detection
   

   

   There is no excuse for a car of this size and this budget to miss out on such an important safety feature. It is helpful, safe, and makes a lot of sense on our Indian roads. Motorcyclists are trying to beat you to the red light, and nobody cares(or even knows) about lane discipline. And, when you are on a big butch SUV like the Fortuner, even a small change in direction might cause fatal damage to you or someone else. This is one safety feature that the Fortuner should not miss out on.

2. Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
   

   

   We understand the older models of the Fortuner did not have them, and previously, this was a lot of tech on a car meant to go places where there are no roads. But now, this technology has found its way to more cars, and the MG Gloster, Fortuner’s only surviving nemesis, has one. Even more affordable vehicles like the Mahindra XUV700 and MG Astor have this critical feature. Considering the weight of the Fortuner, which is almost the same as a planet, it would be beneficial if the electronic systems assist the driver in emergencies, which are quite often on our roads. Missing this feature makes no sense at this budget.

3. Rain-sensing Wipers
   

   

   Well, this is nitpicking as the rain-sensing wipers may not be a mandatory feature, but it has become standard on budget cars costing even less than 12-15 lakh. You won’t miss them if you have not used them, but having them is an advantage and more of a luxury quotient. They are most helpful when you’re going hardcore off-roading, you’re hands are already busy, and it starts raining cats and dogs, and you see the wipers automatically swinging left to right as if it knows what you need.

4. TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System)
   

   

   The Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is a must-have feature considering the places you can take this monster. There are expert off-roading tips that advise lower tyre pressures while going off-road, and then when you come back to the tarmac, you will have to maintain the ideal pressure. Between these situations, you need to know if all the tyres have the correct pressure. Maybe not all the time, but it should be at your disposal when you need it, and that is why the TPMS should be made mandatory as a standard feature. Toyota does offer it as an accessory, but after spending 40+ lakh, it should be a standard feature instead of paying extra for it.

5. Sunroof (Panoramic Maybe?)
   

   

   Toyota seems to shy away from the sunroof, and it does not have them on any of its products. This might be due to the fact that the AC vents are situated on the roof for all their cars, but that is not a strong enough reason to totally avoid it. Other cars provide rear AC vents at different locations and have excellent panoramic sunroofs. If you cite reasons like this, an SUV that does off-roading, and the structure needs to be rigid, then so does its competitors like the Ford Endeavour and MG Gloster, and yet, both offer panoramic sunroofs, and both of them are very safe.

   Get your car serviced at GoMechanic.

   

6. Cornering Headlights
   

   

   The Fortuner does have a commanding view of the road, and the A-pillars do not cause much intrusion to the driver. Still, even then, while driving at night, especially in hilly areas and ghat sections, a cornering lamp/headlight is a must-have feature. Many cars that are way below Fortuner’s budget have cornering lamps, and considering its price, it should not be much of a hassle for Toyota to provide one on the Fortuner. These cornering lamps also help when you make tight turns while off-roading in the dark.

7. Terrain Management System
   

   

   With all the goodies that the Fortuner has to offer for off-roading, one would think why Toyota does not provide adequate electronics to make it even more fun. Don’t get us wrong here; we like the more mechanical, old-school approach of Toyota, and the Fortuner under a capable driver can conquer anything thrown at it. But that’s the catch, not everyone is a skilled, seasoned driver and these electronic toys lend a much needed helping hand for every buyer to enjoy the Fortuner’s off-roading prowess. Many of you might disagree, but we feel the Terrain Management System present in all of its rivals is a feature that would make the Fortuner a much more compelling purchase.

8. 360-Degree Camera
   

   

   If there is one word that would summarize the need for the 360-degree camera, it is – Size. The Fortuner might be fun everywhere else, but it is a huge pain to drive it around in the crowded urban jungle. It becomes even more problematic while parking this dinosaur. No number of cameras around the car will be enough, but having a 360-degree camera might help you a bit. Again considering the dimensions, price and competition(MG Gloster), we believe Toyota need to give the Fortuner this helpful feature.

9. Old Dashboard layout (with no soft-touch plastic)
   

   

   This is a highly debatable topic, and we understand if Fortuner owners or prospective buyers might argue against us. Still, honestly, the Fortuner needs better quality interiors with more soft-touch plastic and a better dashboard layout. Forget the MG Gloster; even the Mahindra Alturas G4 has better interiors than the Fortuner. Now don’t go about explaining Fortuner’s advantages, but instead carefully compare it with its rivals and the more premium price you end up paying for a lesser premium interior where, as a buyer, you will be spending most of the time. Of course, Toyota’s reliability beats all features of its competitors to a pulp, but that’s the exact thought that Toyota is banking upon to deny its customers other features that would make it even better.

10. Better Cabin Insulation
    

    

    Not everybody will agree upon this, but we hope you can consider our opinion. The Fortuner needs better cabin insulation to make it feel more premium, considering its price and competitors. Apart from the road noise, the engine noise is very much audible from the inside. This becomes bothersome on long journeys where you can’t decide whether to listen to the music system or the engine noise. We know we will be receiving comments stating that the engine’s sound is a symphony, among other things, but we know you or your passengers will get bored of listening to the same symphony every time you crank the engine on.

The most important thing we would like to inform our readers is the fact that we’re not telling the Fortuner is a lousy car because it misses out on the above features, but we are trying to explain that adding the above components would only make the Fortuner a better car. Some of them for safety, and some for luxury, but we think the Fortuner needs all of it, and with this, the Fortuner can decimate its competition.

What other features do you think should be made available as standard or at least as an accessory to make the Toyota Fortuner better than it already is? Let us know in the comments below.