New Toyota Fortuner: First look

 Toyota, it seems, is making good on its promise of producing ‘no boring cars’. How else can you explain the radical looks of the all-new, second-generation Fortuner, slated for an early launch towards the end of the year? Very different from the car it replaces, the new Fortuner is built on the new Toyota light truck platform. Thing is, unlike the current car, it looks nothing like the truck on which it is based.

The design language is now more in line with current-gen Toyota off-roaders sold internationally. Up front, the look of the car is characterised by the wedge shaped bonnet and the long, Camry-like headlights that are recessed well back. Big, fat chrome bars have been used to help define the V-shaped grille and there’s loads of chrome around the sunken fog lamps as well. Toyota has also used LED daytime-running lamps to help add ‘bling’ to the nose. 

Moving to the sides, the wheel arches now get a ‘square’ profile and are large enough to take the big 12-spoke alloy wheels. The sides are characterised by two design elements that stand out. The first is a ‘floating or pillar-less’ roof that Toyota has used to great effect. And then there’s that kink in the beltline that looks radical and really sets the Fortuner apart. It’s quite new-age from the rear as well. The pillar-less glass breaks up the mass quite nicely, the sleek tail-lights merge with the bar of chrome well and the wide rear bumper stops the SUV from looking too top heavy.