Review: What makes Fortuner a leader in the Indian SUV market?

This billion dollar baby, running into second generation in India - fetched more than $500 million revenues last year for Toyota here in this market. The second generation has netted over 10,000 bookings in a short span of two months since its November 7 debut, a day before demonetization woes come into effect.

So what makes Fortuner a through leader in Indian SUV market for almost a decade now? Its trouble-free operations and extreme dependability on the harshest of terrains has kept it going for these years and the newer generation further reinforces its claim to the pole position.

Toyota has worked harder than General Motors and Ford in its new SUV, to keep the price lucrative while adding more safety and performance arsenal. It comes with seven airbags and at Rs 25.92 lakh is a tad cheaper than GM's Trailblazer or the new Endeavour from Ford.

Driving the new Fortuner is real fun; thanks to the all-disc brake, a standard against the outgoing model which faced huge drag from its weaker rear drums. These new ventilated discs brakes has improved overall braking and also stops this beast much faster, which at times could be a real savior on patchy Indian roads.

The SUV market did not see many superlative products in the past few years. Except the noteworthy Pajero, or to some extend the Santa Fe from Hyundai, none could come closer to Fortuner in performance and delivery.

Also, off-roading comes naturally to SUV's, but many have faltered on rough roads, an arduous challenge for the German luxury machines, but Toyota's maintain its edge. Fortuner with its new all wheel double whisbone and independent coil suspension along with improved tyre specs delivers something closer to the superior Prado pedigree.

The new Fortuner is loaded with a similar DNA. Its chassis has been reinforced, while the engines are been re-tuned with the power of double-overhead cam and 16valves to give higher projected pressure discharging 420 newton metres of raw power at 1600-2400rpm.

"We want to take the bar high for the SUV segment both in terms of performance and driveability. The new Fortuner shares the DNA of its elder siblings, Prado and Land Cruiser and comes very close to their off-roading capabilities," says Toyota Kirloskar Motor MD Akito Tachibana.

This muscular SUV have been flavour of our politicians, young entrepreneurs and in vast tracts of rural landscape, where few machines could tread successfully. The misgivings of the Indian roads and highways have further abetted demand for SUV type vehicles, rendering high durability with extremely low maintenance.

It's durability, where Fortuner has carved a niche for itself and virtually butchered the entire competition, with the new exception of Ford Endeavour coming closer in terms of sales.

Driving the Fortuner was never a great pleasure, for its design and layout didn't allow a comfortable ride except for the front passengers. This has been taken care in the newer version, making driving and seating both a comfortable experience with plush leather seats and reworked ergonomics. It has a new automatic mated to all new 2.8 litre diesel and 2.7 litre petrol powertrains.

Toyota remains sold-out on this machine for the next two months after 10,000 strong bookings, notwithstanding the demonetisation concerns for this Rs 26 lakh plus vehicle. Also tapering demand for high-ticket machines has not impacted Fortuner's fortunes.

With a 70 per cent share in top SUV segment, it remains the favourite machine for Indians, something which Hyundai Santa Fe, Tata Hexa or the Trailblazer would only aspire for.

(The writer is a motoring writer and passionate driver)