2020 Toyota Fortuner: Five things that are new

Toyota Fortuner is the finest off-roader embracing all the luxuries of an urban commuter. The model has undergone several radical changes since it was first introduced in 2005. The 2020 Fortuner facelifted model has recently made its official debut in Thailand and is expected to soon hit the Malaysian market. The new Fortuner is packed with contemporary features and has a sense of modernity. Here we have listed five things that are new in the latest iteration:

Exterior design

The significant design changes are concentrated at the front end. It features a larger grille edged by redesigned LED headlamps with DRLs. The restyled front bumper now has a more aggressive appearance, which complements the SUV's sturdy nature. 

Other highlights include fog-light bezels, redesigned rear bumper, and new LED taillights. The top-spec Fortuner Legender gets a Lexus-like front fascia with a split grille, sleeker LED headlamps, and a large spoiler. It gets a sportier persona with revamped front and rear bumpers along with new 20-inch dual-tone alloy wheels. 

Interior design

Though Toyota has not changed the new Fortuner dashboard, it updated the iteration with a new touchscreen infotainment system. The top-spec Legender Fortuner gets a 9-inch display; however, the standard model continues with the same 8-inch one. It also comes with a new instrument cluster emitting a blue glow and a smaller font size. The modish dark upholstery can also be seen in both variants.

Hi-tech features

The refreshed Fortuner’s infotainment system comes with Apple CarPlay connectivity but still misses on Android Auto. It houses a 9-speaker JBL sound system with a subwoofer. The Fortuner Legender model comprises an auto air-conditioning system, a 360-degree parking camera, a wireless charging pad, auto-dimming inside rear-view mirror, kick-to-open powered tailgate, and ambient lighting on the door panels. 

Potent engine

The 2020 Toyota Fortuner specs sheet incorporates a more powerful 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel mill producing 204 PS of maximum power and 500 Nm of peak torque. The engine comes with a 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmission options. While the ongoing model has a 2.7-litre and 2.4-litre engine options, producing 166 PS and 150 PS of power.

Besides improved output levels, the facelifted model also gets improved cooling and other revisions, which turn down fuel consumption and result in cleaner emissions. The new engine is 17 percent more fuel-efficient and has cleaner emissions, according to Toyota.

Toyota Safety Sense

The new Fortuner Legender is packed with the Toyota Safety Sense suite. It features a pre-collision system, lane departure alert, and dynamic radar cruise control. 

The pre-collision system lessens the risk of a potential frontal collision. It detects the obstacle and prompts the driver to take action through audio and visual alerts. The lane departure alert also gives audio and visual cues to alert the driver to check the road and go back to the center of the lane. The Dynamic radar cruise control uses a vehicle-to-vehicle distance control system that automatically adjusts the car’s speed to maintain a safe distance if there is a slower driving car in front.    

The automaker has unveiled the Toyota Fortuner price for the Thailand market, which lies between 1,349,000 THB (RM 182,869) and 1,839,000 (RM 249,259) THB. So, we can expect a tag somewhere around this.

With its sportier appearance, punchy engine, and an array of safety, and technological appointments, the 2020 Fortuner leaves a strong impression. We hope it will also be a blockbuster like its earlier iterations.

Also read: Toyota Fortuner: Old vs. New