Toyota has launched an all-new Fortuner model simultaneously in Thailand and Australia. The high chassis car is the SUV version of the HiLux pickup.
It is now entering its second generation, to replace the first-generation Fortuner launched in 2005, which is still on sale in Iran.
Slotting in between the RAV4 and the Land Cruiser Prado, the Fortuner is Toyota's challenger to the new Ford Everest, which is similarly based on the Ranger pickup. To put it in relative terms, the vehicle is bigger than the Nissan Xterra, but with more updated styling, according to Autoblog.
The midsize SUV boasts seven-seat capacity and packs a 2.8-liter turbo diesel (in some markets) inline-four with 174 horsepower and as much as 332 pound-feet of torque. Part-time all-wheel drive comes standard, paired with either an automatic or manual six-speed transmission.
The new Fortuner is capable of towing up to 1,650 pounds on a trailer without its own brakes, over 6,600 lbs on a braked trailer, and features a trailer-sway system that keeps a towed load in line in adverse conditions.
The truck rides on double wishbones at the front and a five-link, coil-spring setup at the back, with front and rear stabilizer bars to minimize body roll. It also boasts a locking rear differential, hill-start assist, and all the electronic systems one could need on the road or off.
Financial Tribune contacted IrToya, the local Iranian dealership representing the Japanese brand to see when the vehicle was entering the country.
Despite calling multiple showrooms, no one was available for comment.
