Toyota to launch new Fortuner in India on November 7

Toyota Kirloskar Motor has announced that the all-new Toyota Fortuner will hit Indian roads on November 7, a few days after the festive season of Diwali opens.

The carmaker says that the new Fortuner will be loaded with an array of improved features including a new and powerful engine, stylish exterior and luxurious interiors. 

Toyota is confident enough to give the Fortuner a heavy price tag, and sources have informed our sister publication Autocar India that ex-showroom prices will be over Rs 30 lakh. Currently, the top-spec 4X4 AT car costs Rs 28 lakh. Toyota did the same with the new Innova Crysta and raised the cost of the new-generation car, but sales have only been encouraging.

New petrol and diesel engines

In a first for the Fortuner, Toyota will initially launch the SUV with both petrol and diesel engines. Built on the same platform as the Innova, the Fortuner will feature both the 2.8-litre diesel and 2.7-litre petrol engines initially, and will have switchable drive modes for power and economy. There will be three configurations; the diesel will likely get a four-wheel-drive layout with both a manual and an automatic gearbox. Toyota's 4WD system is now called Sigma 4 which features active traction control for all four wheels, according to the manufacturer.

Although the launch of the SUV is scheduled for November 7, Toyota dealerships have already started accepting bookings for with deliveries being promised around the second week of November.

Fortuner sales near the 100,000 mark in India

The Fortuner, first launched in 2009, outsells its rivals like the Chevrolet Trailblazer and the new-generation Ford Endeavour as well, despite sales heading south in recent times. Launched in May 2009, the butch-looking SUV has sold a total of 96,700 units since June 2009. The Fortuner, which saw consistent sales growth over six years, recorded its highest fiscal sales in 2014-15, when it went home to 17,668 buyers in India. However, sales dipped by xx% in 2015-16 to 13,461 units. In the ongoing fiscal’s April-August 2016 period, Toyota has sold a total of 3,024 units.

Now with an all-new model and the diesel ban in the key market of Delhi-NCR now history, Toyota will be looking to regain traction on the Fortuner front. Stay tuned for further sales updates.