KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- The Fortuner has been around since 2009.
- Over the years, the Fortuner has been available in petrol and diesel options.
- The Fortuner has also become a cult meme legend in the last few years.
- The landmark figure has been achieved cumulatively by the Fortuner and the Legender.
The Toyota Fortuner needs no introduction at all, and the fact that it has achieved the 3 lakh sales landmark simply goes to show how popular the car is, despite remaining unchanged for a long time. Toyota has announced that it has sold a cumulative 3 lakh Fortuners and Legenders on Indian roads.
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What Makes The Toyota Fortuner Click?
For a long time, the Fortuner was one of the most anticipated cars in the Indian market, and a rumour would pop up every now and then, but to no avaial. However, in 2009, Toyota eventually gave in to the demands of the Indian audience, and people simply couldn't get enough of it. The Fortuner, much like the Qualis and the Innova before it, proved to be an instant success.
However, much like the Innova, the Fortuner too has been a victim of its own success, with its prices going through the roof over the last few years. In some states, the range-topping Fortuner GR-S costs close to Rs 65 lakh on-road. That places it in the proper premium SUV category, and a few shy of some premium sedans.
The reason that the Fortuner clicks, and it continues to do so even today comes down to a few key factors. Ever since its debut, the Fortuner set the template for a premium SUV that is still accessible to a larger audience. It is a properly rugged SUV, which allows you to take it just about anywhere, while also making sure that you come back safely too, be it on the road or off of it. There is the infamous legend of Toyota cars outliving their owners anyway, and it is not uncommon for these cars to continue runnning even upwards of a lakh kilometres on the odo, thus making customers believe in its reliability.
More importantly, the Fortuner became the go-to option for so many customers because a lot of them were upgrading from a smaller SUV to something a bit more aspirational. We are not saying it is perfect though; by today's standards, it lacks a certain sophistication, refinement, and some new-age features. However, there is a very good percentage of people for whom this is still an aspirational car. The lack of electronics also mean less chances of something going wrong with it.
Last, but certainly not the least has to be the design. From the first-gen car back in 2009 to present-day, the Fortuner's design has meant business. Even though the current-gen car is in need of an overhaul, its design still seems to work, and it has aged well. Even today, a white Fortuner with tinted glasses is enough to bully the sh*t out of other unsuspecting drivers on the road.
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Varinder Wadhwa, Vice President, Sales-Service-Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the passionate Fortuner and Legender fan base in India for their unwavering trust in our brand as we celebrate the remarkable 3-lakh milestone of our most admired SUV. The Fortuner and Legender remains a top choice among SUV enthusiasts who seek a perfect blend of luxury, performance, and reliability. Whether navigating city streets or tackling challenging terrains, it offers premium feel paired with robust strength.
Built on the solid foundation of Toyotas renowned QDR (Quality, Durability and Reliability) philosophy the Fortuner and Legender embodies the core value that define our engineering and manufacturing excellence. These principles are central to Toyotas global reputation for delivering vehicles that not only last but perform consistently and retain their value over time, thus bringing mass happiness to all.
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Verdict
Toyota's Fortuner may have achieves the 3 lakh sales landmark, but there is no doubt the need for a generation change. There is no news from the Japanese car maker on when that will happen, but we can expect test models and teasers to start popping up sometime later next year.
