After a large SUV that’s also a 4WD? The Toyota Fortuner is up there with the most rugged of off-roaders, and the 2022 version is no different.
Thanks to a model year makeover it has a lot more to offer than the last model.
Built to be driven through creeks and up dirt roads, how does it fare everyday in suburbia, doing the school run for a family? That’s why I drove it to find out.
I was in the Fortuner Crusade which is the top-of-the-range and costs $61,480, before on road costs and extras. It competes with cars like the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Ford Everest. Here’s how it did over seven days of driving for this week’s family review.
Toyota Fortuner 2022: Crusade
| Engine Type | Diesel Turbo 4, 2.8L |
|---|---|
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.6L/100km (combined) |
| Seating | 7 |
| Price From | $57,860 - $66,550 |
| Safety Rating |
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How does it look?
The Fortuner has been given a whole new look for 2022 and boasts a cool looking grille, elongated headlights and an overall tough looking exterior.
It’s still square-ish in shape with modern angles and looks like it means business. It’s definitely brought the Fortuner into the 2020s.
Inside is updated also. While it’s the top-of-the-range, bear in mind it primarily exists as a 4WD off-roading vehicle which aren’t generally built to be luxe. Still, it has a leather accented interior and a woodgrain look steering wheel.
The centre console is well thought out, with everything in easy reach. It’s a big improvement over the last model and you can tell this interior is built to last over long camping trips, lots of off-roading and will go the distance. It feels good to drive on the road.
How spacious is it?
There is loads of space in the Fortuner, with a lot of leg and head space for front passengers, and there’ll be no jostling shoulders in between driver and front passenger either. It is roomy.
It’s very high off the ground which always makes it feel more spacious and my kids loved climbing up into the back seats.
I can easily sit back there at 161cm, and there’s enough room between my knees and the seat in front of me that taller adults and teenagers will be fine also.
The third row pops down from either side of the boot, which is strange to see, but also functional because it gives you more boots pace when that row is in use.
It’s not the most comfortable spot to sit but it will be fine for kids, and adults will be happy in there over short distances.
The boot space does get eaten into when these seats aren’t in use, but it still easily fits two large suitcases or a double pram. And when you’re only using one of these seats, the other can be folded up for extra boot space.
With all seats upright the boot volume is 200 litres, with the third row folded that grows to 716L, and with the second and third rows flat you have 1080L to play with.
How easy is it to use every day?
There are power operated front seats on this model, and a power tailgate which is helpful as the car sits so high. The second row tumbles forward so it’s easy to climb into the third row (though my kids just went straight in from the boot).
There’s a push-button start and it still has a manual handbrake, which sometimes you just appreciate pulling up. It’s quite the novelty these days.
There are two cupholders in the front, a centre storage bin and bottle holders in each door.
Rear passengers get their own directional air vents, with two cupholders in the centre armrest. There’s a side step to climb into the car which we very much needed.
How does it drive?
You can instantly tell it’s meant to be doing bigger things than the school run and driving to work, but that was not the Fortuner’s fate with me this week, so school runs it was!
There’s a loud 2.8L turbo-diesel engine that growls when you start it and take off. It’s got a lot of power to get up hills and cruise along highways.
The handling is good, although I wouldn’t call it a smooth ride, as the car bounces over bumps and humps.
But that's part of the off-roading base it’s made for. I did find while driving it in suburbia, the large turning circle is probably one of the only things that makes it a bit hard to zip around town. That and the heaviness on take-off.
Steering is also heavier than in a mid-size SUV for example, but nothing out of the ordinary for a large 4WD.
Still, I found it enjoyable to drive, especially because you start to enjoy the ruggedness. It’s nice not to be driving a city car sometimes, and you feel you can pull into a park, rip the handbrake up, jump down from the high seat and it just makes you feel a bit tougher for it.
Parking is good in the Fortuner. There’s a good reverse parking camera and while the steering is slightly heavier, it’s still not hard work to squeeze into a spot.
How safe is it?
The Fortuner Crusade comes with 'Toyota Safety Sense' which includes auto emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure alert, and high speed active cruise control. There’s also blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.
There are seven airbags, which cover driver and front passenger, and side curtain airbags. You’ll find two ISOFIX points and three top tether points. It received a maximum five-star ANCAP rating in 2019.
What’s the tech like?
Like other Toyotas, the Fortuner now comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, which means you can sync instantly with your phone’s main apps and use Google maps for navigation while streaming audio on Spotify.
There’s an 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity and digital radio.
How much does it cost to own?
The new Toyota Fortuner Crusade costs $61,480, before on road costs and extras.
The official combine fuel consumption figure is relatively low 7.6L/100km, and that’s because it’s diesel. I averaged 10.2L/100km this week doing mostly suburban driving.
It’s covered by Toyota’s five year/unlimited warranty and servicing is required every 12 months/15,000km. Services are capped for the first three years at $260 each.
Verdict
The Toyota Fortuner has had quite the makeover and is now competitive in the large 4WD category.
While we used it mainly for suburban driving, it does just make you want to drive to some rugged landscape and use it how it’s meant to be used. Still, the Fortuner fared well in the suburbs. It’s spacious inside with a large boot, and while it’s a bit loud for everyday with the large diesel engine, it does drive well.
I gave it a family rating of 7.8 out of 10 and my kids gave it an 8, they loved that back row.
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