When Toyota Fortuner launched in 2009, Toyota was certainly riding high on the success of the Innova.
The Indian automotive industry was growing and one segment which showed potential was- SUVs. The bulky cars which were able to tread any roads, comfortable, sort of luxury and looked dominant.
Earlier, the Bolero and the Sumo were present but didn’t have a ‘luxury’ image exactly. So, in order to fill the gap, the international players came in. Ford brought the Endeavour back in 2003 and it did well for itself.
So, Toyota decided to enter the market as well. The Japanese carmaker had been long thinking of bringing the Fortuner into the country. It had already clocked in good sales in most of its markets and wanted to replicate those numbers in India as well.
So, after 10 years of this mighty hulk, we look into the success of the Toyota Fortuner. What has made the Fortuner one of the top-selling cars not just in India, but in most of its markets? Let’s find out.
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The India Entry | Fortuner
As mentioned above, the car came to India to satiate the SUV demand. Toyota Fortuner had already made its name in the South East Asian market and the Middle-East. It had all the characteristics to capture the Indian market.
After the Innova’s success, Toyota had gathered some much-required goodwill in the diesel engine arena. Toyota had already been looking at the Indian market to launch the Fortuner. The market was ripe, the brand had a good image, the car was good. So, now all it had to do was, hit the hammer when the iron was hot.
On August 25, 2009, Toyota launched the Fortuner in India. The car was significant for SUV lovers. It had to compete with the likes of the Mitsubishi Pajero and the Chevrolet Captiva which were currently present in the market.
About the Car | First-Gen Toyota Fortuner
The first-gen Toyota Fortuner was launched with a 3.0-litre engine. This diesel engine generated 171 PS of power, churning out 343 Nm of torque. The car came with an all-time all-wheel-drive system giving it an extra edge over the other SUVs. It was launched a humble manual transmission back then.
To add to its SUV characteristics, the 17′ inch alloys which gave the car a dominating stance. All in all the SUV became a new rage in the Indian car markets. Toyota had expected to capture 50% market share through the Fortuner. What might have felt a bit overambitious, turned out to be a piece of cake. The SUV went on to capture 75 % market share in the SUV market.
The Sequel | Second Gen
Toyota had done it again. It took it’s time and hit the iron at the right time.
The Toyota Fortuner was selling itself around the country. So, seeing this overwhelming response, Toyota decided to give it’s star car a makeover. In November 2016, the second generation Toyota Fortuner arrived. However, things seemed a bit tumultuous.
Delhi had been experiencing it’s worst pollution levels in 2016. This led the Delhi Government mulling banning of diesel vehicles in the city. Apparently, diesel vehicles had become the villain now. To top that off, came demonstration. It seemed quite certain that the launch was a huge mistake.
This made Toyota come up with a 2.7-litre petrol engine. The new Fortuner came with a set of gizmos and a plethora of electronics. But it still lacked behind some of its rivals because of the ride quality.
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Why India Loves the Fortuner?
It came and it conquered. What made the Fortuner, India’s favourite SUV.
Toyota Factor
Indians are crazy for all things Japanese when it comes to cars. Moreover, Toyota had created goodwill because of the success of the Innova and Qualis. Internationally, Toyota was already known for its ruggedness, and the Fortuner seemed to be a gateway to those rugged cars in India. People wanted to taste what all the fuss was about. And those who did didn’t regret it.
Resale Value
Toyotas always tend to have a high resale value. This isn’t a big mystery of any sort. It’s simply because of the low maintenance. Toyota cars are known for their durability which means lesser wear and tear. So much so, in a study done by CarWale, it was found that Fortuner held 85 % resale value even after three years. Yes, the car was expensive but it was worth it, literally.
Maintenance
The maintenance costs of a Toyota Fortuner can bring even the smaller hatches to shame. Toyota’s after-sales service is known for its quality, durability and reliability. Moreover, lesser break downs amount to lesser repairs, which kept the car intact for a long long time. This might not be the same scenario when it comes to its arch-rival, the Endeavour.
Power and Mileage
You need the power to drive through that treacherous off-road trail, you got it. You need mileage while driving through the city roads, you got that too. Fortuner feels to be everyone’s car. The GD series engines in the Toyota Fortuner come with ESTEC technology (Economy with Superior Thermal Efficient Combustion). This gives the car a rather greater edge over its competitors.
Conclusion: It’s Here To Stay
The Toyota Fortuner came and it conquered. And Toyota Fortuner has been here since a decade now.
All it can be said about the Toyota Fortuner is that you can love it, you can hate it but you cannot ignore it. Yes, the car has its own set of imperfections, but so do the best of the cars. But some cars are worth ignoring the minor imperfections, and looking at the bigger picture.
Toyota Fortuner is certainly one of them.
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