Everything from the sight lines, the position of the mirrors, to the way you peek slightly up the dashboard to look ahead is déjà vu. With a carryover platform, piloting it just for a few hundred meters brings a strong sense of connection to the first-generation model. The similar seating configuration serves as a prelude to the Fortuner’s driving experience which is, in a word, familiar. The third row meanwhile still flips to the side, but a spring loaded mechanism and rear-mounted latch point, attached to the rearmost seatbelts, make it easier to store. The second row still folds, slides, and tumbles in a 60/40 split, but a one-touch tumble mechanism allows easier access to the third row.
Apart from that, it doesn’t learn any new tricks. Yes, it’s still quite roomy, but there’s surprisingly not a lot of head room available (especially the middle occupant in the second row and the entire third row).
Moving to the second and third row though, the experience feels largely unchanged. The gated shifter also falls much more naturally within arm’s reach as well. The instrument cluster presents all pertinent information clearly and concisely, while the steering wheel and seats offer a commendable driving position. With the exception of the chintzy glowing vertical stripes in the gauges, it’s a straightforward affair. It’s been cleaned up with logical placement of controls and switches for greater ease of use and operation. Greatly improved for 2016 is the ergonomics. Upfront, the interior space is more or less comparable to the previous Fortuner making it roomier than another sci-fi inspired rival, but the aggressively angled A-pillar does shave off some headroom. Tastefully done piano black accents and matte wood trimmings complete the transformation. The plastics are also nicely textured and softened up too. Further elevating the tactile experience is the supple leather not just on the steering wheel, but on the seats, door trims, and center console as well. Once in there, it has a notch-above look and feel with the two-tone black and brown color scheme. The rear is no less striking with the tapered tail lights with bold LED elements.Ĭlimbing aboard requires a step up, but ingress/egress is easier thanks to the A-pillar grab handles for the front passengers. Along the side, a strong character line runs across the doors while the blacked out C-pillar produces that distinct “floating roof” effect. The front is dominated by a large upper grille and Bi-LED headlights with DRLs. It’s all fluid and swoopy with a strong crossover-vibe. While the first-generation model looked sturdy, the new one is sleek. It doesn’t take a car designer to appreciate what Toyota has done with the Fortuner’s design.
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