Toyota Fortuner might get a 2.5-litre engine

Toyota created a frenzy in the premium SUV segment when it launched the Fortuner, back in 2009. The SUV has been doing really well since it was launched and none of its competitors are anywhere close to returning the kind of sales numbers it achieves. For the last few months though, sales of the Fortuner have been seeing a steady decline and reports suggest that Toyota is planning to boost its numbers by introducing a 2.5-litre diesel engine for the SUV. 

The engine in question is the 2.5-litre unit from the Innova, which will be tuned to produce 142bhp, up from the 100bhp it produces in the MPV. The base variant will be a basic no-frills version with manual gearbox and two-wheel-drive (2WD) and is expected to cost Rs one lakh less than the current base variant. While the report says that the engine with an automatic transmission and four-wheel-drive (4WD) will also be offered as a new top-end variant, we think that it is very unlikely that a lesser powerful engine will be offered in a high-end variant. 

The Toyota Fortuner is currently offered in five variants powered by a four-cylinder 3.0-litre diesel engine producing 169bhp and 343Nm of torque. The car is available with either a five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic gearbox. While the automatic variant is available only with 2WD, the manual ones get the option of a 2WD or a 4WD.

While the Innova was recently updated with a minor facelift, it has become quite long in the tooth and is long due for an update. The Toyota Fortuner SUV shares many of its components with the Innova, and the move to a 2.5-litre unit might be a hint that things are going to change for the MPV too. A new Innova is expected to be launched sometime next year and this engine might end up in the updated car. 

The Fortuner is placed in the Rs 21.82 lakh to Rs 23.41 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) price bracket and goes up against five and seven-seater SUVs like the Ford Endeavour, Hyundai Santa Fe, Ssangyong Rexton, Chevrolet Captiva and the Renault Koleos. 

Source: Autocar