It is quite well-known by now that Toyota has been working on a mid-life facelift for the Fortuner. In the latest update, we get to know that the Japanese auto major plans to unveil the ever popular SUV in Thailand on June 4, 2020. The Fortuner facelift has been spotted testing on the roads for almost a year.
The upcoming Toyota Fortuner facelift is expected to get a fresh set of cosmetic and feature updates. The previous spy pictures indicated that mid-life refresh of the popular ladder-on-frame SUV features visual changes on the front fascia.
Expected Exterior Updates
The facelifted Fortuner will come with an all-new front bumper and grille, restyled headlamps with LED lights and a slightly reshaped bonnet. The Toyota SUV will also get new-look 17-inch alloy wheels and re-profiled LED tail-lamps at the back, with subtle revisions to the rear bumper too. The revised design is in line with the Japanese auto giant’s global SUV design language. It is characterized by narrow wraparound LED headlamps, a narrower grille than before, inverted trapezoidal secondary air dam, silver chin and vertically oriented fog light enclosures/intakes. The bonnet has also been reprofiled to go with the new face.
As for the rear, the SUV is expected to sport revised bumper design along with sporty detailing in the form of a new roof-mounted spoiler, roof rails, blacked-out skid plates and single tip exhaust. Also expected is a new taillights detailing to round off the exterior changes.
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Expected Interior Updates
As for the interior, the Fortuner facelift is expected to get more enhanced upholstery and an updated infotainment system. The updated SUV is also expected to get modern connectivity features that will enhance the ownership experience. The interior is also expected to undergo subtle tweaks including new materials and color themes, however, the dashboard is likely to be retained more or less without any changes.
Expected Powertrains
As for the mechanicals, the 2021 Fortuner is likely to be powered by a similar set of powertrains that currently power the ladder-on-frame SUV. It is powered by a BS6 compliant 2.7-litre turbocharged petrol engine and 2.8-litre diesel unit. The petrol unit makes 166 PS of power and 245 Nm of peak torque and is mated with either a five-speed manual as standard or a 6-speed automatic transmission as optional.
On the other hand, the 2.8-litre diesel unit churns out 177 PS of power and 420 Nm of peak torque in the manual transmission and 450 Nm of peak torque in the automatic version. The manual version consists of a 6-speed gearbox and the automatic version comprises a 6-speed unit as well. This engine is set to be upgraded to produce power of 200 hp and upwards. However, it is yet unknown whether this state of tune will be available in India or not. The all-wheel-drive option will continue to be offered in diesel guise.
Expected Launch
The refreshed Fortuner will go on sale in Thailand first, followed by other international markets. For India, expect the market launch of the new Fortuner to take place only next year. However, as per some reports, a “Special Edition” of the current pre-facelift Fortuner will be introduced before the facelifted car comes to Indian showrooms. On its launch, it will continue to rival the likes of Ford Endeavour, Skoda Kodiaq, Isuzu MUX, Mahindra Alturas G4 and the soon to be launched MG Gloster.