Subscribe to our RSS feedrss

Toyota Fortuner in India in September 2009

Saturday, April 11, 2009, 7:53

Toyota Kirloskar plans to launch its SUV, the Toyota Fortuner, in India by September 2009, at a price of Rs. 20 lakhs.

Update: Fortuner launched! Rs 18.5 lakhs, diesel, 171 PS. Click here for more.

Toyota Fortuner front photo: Rugged, but not overboard

Toyota Fortuner front photo

The Toyota Fortuner has been one of the most anticipated SUV launches in India. We have been hearing about the imminent launch of the Fortuner SUV for close to 6 years now. DWS AutoIndia published our first article about the Toyota Fortuner launch, I believe, in 2005, and its four years hence.

Since then Toyota has launched the Innova in India, and there several versions of the Innova. No sign of the Fortuner. Meanwhile, we went on faithfully reporting every rumour about the Fortuner launch making complete asses of ourselves for close to 4 years now.

Our last story on the Toyota Fortuner launch sort of got it right. This time there were definite indications that the SUV was going to be launched in 2009 and it seems along with the rest of the motoring press, we have something accurate, finally.

The Toyota Fortuner will be available in two engines, four-cylinder petrol 2700 cc  and a 2500 diesel common-rail turbo engine.

The diesel engine produces 163 bhp of peak power and 250 Nm of max  torque, while the petrol variant produces 160 bhp and 343 Nm of max torque.

Photo: Toyota Fortuner rear

Toyota Fortuner rear photo

Tough looking from the outside with a strong bonnet, alloy wheel, big tail lamps, fog lamps, the Toyota Fortuner will have plush interiors with all the standard luxury and safety features thrown in. There is no doubt that the Fortuner is a looker.

Toyota Fortuner will drive in with advanced features such as overhead rear seat, Bluetooth connectivity, air conditioning vents, cruise control and navigator.

Safety features will include traction control, bigger disc brakes, and vehicle stability control.

Photo: Fortuner Interior

Toyota Fortuner Interior photo

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) Deputy Managing Director Sandeep Singh said, “The Fortuner is an important addition to our product line-up in India and we are currently in the process of finalising details for the launch.”

“Entering the SUV space was a natural extension to our multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) business. Though we already have the LandCruiser Prado (petrol variant) in this segment, Fortuner will be our actual entry into the Indian SUV market,” he added.

Toyota looks to capture the SUV market with the Toyota Fortuner, and hopes to take on the likes of Mercedes Benz’s M-Class, Audi’s Q7, and BMW’s X5. Though, it looks like it will be the Honda CR-V that will bear the brunt of the Toyota Fortuner’s entry into the Indian market.

What we are quite unsure of is the pricing. At around Rs 20 lakh, what you have here is a premium SUV that will battle the Honda CR-V in its own territory. And if there is any automobile company that can take on Honda in its stronghold, it is Toyota. But it means that a lot of Indians’ wish for a small SUV at affordable rates still remains unfulfilled – the only vehicle that can do that is the Mahindra Scorpio – which to my eyes looked like a grandmother when it launched. The next version wore lipstick, and then she wore a mini skirt, and now she wears a tanktop. That is no SUV. The Fortuner is not going to satisfy that segment at all. It will be bought by the elite looking for space and comfort, some off-road pretence – so the company which will be hit will be Honda. Not Ford, whose Ford Endeavour is priced easily more than 6 lakhs lower than the Fortuner. The Endeavour now holds 30 % of the SUV market in India.

Fortuner will be assembled in India at Toyota Kirloskar’s factory at Bidadi, near Bangalore, Karnataka.

As of now, Toyota’s Camry and Land Cruiser Prado SUV are imported, and not assembled from Completely knocked Down (CKD) units.

Toyota’s Corolla and Innova are manufactured at the Bidadi factory.

The company started building a new 100,000-unit-a-year plant in Bidadi, in August 2008, to start the production of a “strategic” small car in India by 2011.

Toyota Motor Corp owns 89 per cent in Toyota Kirloskar. The Kirloskar Group owns the rest 11 per cent in the joint venture.

Tagged with: , ,

Scroll down to comment on this story
Both comments and pings are currently closed.

54 Responses to “Toyota Fortuner in India in September 2009”

  1. shivraj khatana said on Wednesday, April 15, 2009, 7:17

    we are eagerly waiting for launching of this suv fortuner.we will purchase this suv immediate after launching.
    pls. launch this as early as possible.

  2. VISHAL GUPTA said on Friday, April 17, 2009, 8:53

    actually toyota brand is launching first SUV car of this range in auto version n i would like to know about the fuel required n average..after all if it is good i m ready to buy as i have all toyota cars app. in each n every color

  3. MAHESH said on Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 15:57

    if its launched above Rs 17lk+ i think it will not be big success and compared to other country pricing will very high .plz let me know how will be the third row seating ,will it be like innova or like that of captiva and ford endr …. ?

  4. rahul jain said on Thursday, May 14, 2009, 18:20

    tell me,exactly when toyota fortuner launched hurry

  5. Prabhdip Singh said on Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 13:21

    Hope it does well ! Needs to be priced competitively . 18 lac is way too much ….

  6. ANAND JENA said on Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 17:16

    I am just waiting for this vehicle eagerly.Please let me know when ru planing to lunch the vehicle .I am looking for a DISELONE ith auto transmission.thanks

  7. sawan shukla said on Friday, June 19, 2009, 17:59

    when will it launh i m waiting for it . becoz i have 2 qualis, 1 innove and i m crazy about toyota carzz becoz we feel comfort in drivent them even my qualis turs in the radius just 1 metre more than turning radius of maruti 800.so plezzzzzzzzz tell me exactly when it will launch .

    i m gettin crazy abt it

  8. sagger gill said on Tuesday, June 23, 2009, 18:48

    common toyota hurry i’m ‘av been vatin 4 so long

  9. gurjeet sandhu said on Wednesday, June 24, 2009, 6:48

    toyota name is suficant.i m waiting sep.

  10. kamal golchha said on Wednesday, June 24, 2009, 13:55

    as launch we intrested to purchase this car we allredy use camary car our car no. ddo3-h 41
    average and automatic gear systems available or no we use ford endeavour what reference Toyota to Fortuner in September

  11. arun ghai said on Wednesday, June 24, 2009, 14:32

    want to know about automatic gear is availability

  12. Hameed said on Friday, July 3, 2009, 7:57

    Wants to know about fortuner auto transmission available in india as i am using the same car in doha -qatar.

  13. rajiv said on Friday, July 3, 2009, 16:59

    hi..it sounds gr8 to hear about fortuner year after year just wanted the information tht will it be available in deisel automatic and when. which models r ull planning to launch first . thnx

  14. ajit n. bachepatil said on Saturday, July 4, 2009, 8:14

    My self and my partner are eagerly waiting for the fortuner. we will book 2nos. of disel version,

    hope we will get delevery before dasera or diwali.

  15. s.k.rout said on Saturday, July 4, 2009, 9:44

    we are waiting the vehicle and want to get now .how will it posible

  16. SAHIL PURI said on Tuesday, July 7, 2009, 7:58

    when it is launching in india…tell me the exact date..

  17. sanjay bhor said on Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 9:53

    when it will available in pune dealer????????

  18. E.G Manoj said on Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 9:58

    I would like to know, whether Toyota Fortuner auto transmission deisel version is launching in Sept 09, if not when it will be launched and waht will be the price range?

  19. Raj said on Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 13:01

    would like to be first seven proud owner of this SUV, probably this car will fullfill my dreams of owning PRADO, waiting for its launch, please let me know if there is any advance bookings

  20. Subhash said on Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 13:55

    Through Toyota sales people, I hear that Automatic Tarsmission version will not be available in India this year. Is this true? If yes, big disappointment ! Any ETA for AT version?

  21. Arun said on Friday, July 10, 2009, 11:17

    I heard that Toyota Kirloshkar india dealers have started advance booking of new Toyota Fortuner ! It would be worth to know the exact prise and different versions/ colours available…let me know once details are available…Thanks.

  22. Ajay Rana said on Saturday, July 11, 2009, 6:10

    I am waiting for launch of toyota fortuner to get first delivery

  23. HETAL SHAH said on Saturday, July 11, 2009, 14:08

    would like to know the time of launch as i am finalising to buy a suv by sep 09

  24. DHEERAJ WADHERA said on Saturday, July 11, 2009, 17:09

    HEY GLAD TO KNOW ABT LAUNCHING OF TOYATA fortuner,I AM WAITING TO BUY THIS SUV NOW.CHEERS HEEP HEEP HURRAY.

  25. kunalpuri said on Saturday, July 11, 2009, 18:32

    interior is same like innova change the interior

  26. YOOSAF MOHAMMED said on Monday, July 13, 2009, 11:30

    WELCOME TO WORLD SUV IN INDIA I WATING FOR YOU

  27. nitin gour said on Tuesday, July 14, 2009, 11:15

    suv is maco.car. iam wating for me.

  28. rajan ray said on Thursday, July 16, 2009, 6:37

    i have both, a 2 year old endeavour and a 4 year old innova. would like to book a fortuner 4×4 asap. mgf toyota gurgaon know little details so mfrs should clear the air.

  29. parul patanwala said on Saturday, July 18, 2009, 7:47

    what is the confirm time of toyota fortuner launching in india…..nd wen can v make da boooking 4 da car… thank u..

  30. Dikshant Aggarwal said on Monday, July 20, 2009, 9:24

    hi…….im waitng fr dis vehicle since last year………….n eagerly wanna know when it is gonna launch n thnk it would be ours as soon as possible……..

  31. harshad said on Tuesday, July 21, 2009, 17:10

    just launch it as early as possible.. atlest start booking coz its teee best….as its toyota its going 2 b a gud exprince.. jus like a mini prado.. n i was jus thinking tht y toyota is not having a suv in beetwin inoova n prado but the its the time now coz iam a satified existing custmer of the toyota….

  32. Subodh said on Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 11:31

    I will buy the fortuner diesel if it is priced less 15lac send me the technical specifications.

  33. Subodh said on Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 14:42

    I will buy diesel version fortuner when will it be launched finally.

  34. Subodh said on Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 14:47

    What is the price range in diesel and what about its specifications? ???

  35. Sourabh Kamra said on Thursday, July 23, 2009, 8:15

    Its not a new design, it a copy of Grand Vitara, Pajero n Safari. Lets see the performance

  36. Dr. Shashibhushan said on Friday, July 24, 2009, 5:58

    hi,toyotofortuner will be launched in september and will cost about 18.60lakhs ex showroom.keep witing guys.

  37. kevin mathew said on Saturday, July 25, 2009, 13:26

    earlier they said the price was about 12-13 lakhs…now its 20!!!! thats way too much…..hope toyota would price properly….remember this car has already lotsa fans when they said about their arrival in dec 06……

  38. arjun said on Saturday, July 25, 2009, 21:05

    Toyota fortuner will be launched on 17 of august..prices are not disclosed yet by the company.but it will cost around 18-20 lakhs…and the first delivery of cars will be on first week september

  39. pandian said on Sunday, July 26, 2009, 16:37

    Kudos to XYLO for forcing the launch of FORTUNER which was eagerly awaited by many in India for the past 5 years.It will be good for Toyota if FORTUNER is priced around 13-14 lakhs. At 20 lakhs it will cater to a niche market competing with Honda CRV, FORD Endeavour, Chevrolet Captiva ,Mitsubishi Pajero & outlander while XYLO will walk away with the majority of the market.

  40. ranveer singh said on Monday, July 27, 2009, 10:31

    By the very looks of the vehile it looks like it wil wash off the SUV market in INDIA. People would have the real taste of SUV. I firmly believe that it shuld be priced below 15 Lakhs.. and the merketing team of Toyota Kisloskar should think lateraly in the sense that rather than pricing it at 20 Lakhs and fetching a few Thousand customers, it would be advisable to Fetch Good amount of Advance much before deliery ,price it below 15 Lkahs and Fetch 100,000 customers atleast.This way Toyota Kirloskar can meet out the cost,Kill all the SUV competetion totaly and have a large Customer base and make huge profits also. I am Game , If priced around 15 Lakhs.

  41. rajeshwadhwani said on Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 9:58

    m egarly waiting for the veichal 2 launch.. n i hope waiting period is not much….

  42. azim i said on Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 12:21

    muzhe yah gadi lena hai

  43. haridas said on Wednesday, July 29, 2009, 16:05

    Toyota Fortuner absolutely it will become the best SUV in India. For its insurance (attractive premium) please contact me Haridas Velayudham HDFC ERGO SUNLINKS,Palakkad,Kerala. 09388081000,09349601540.

  44. Dr. Azeem Siddiqui said on Thursday, July 30, 2009, 8:54

    Toyota Fortuner , its a Hit Model for Indian Driving Conditions.
    Toyota must price competively with the Scorpio MHawk / Tata Dicor and Ford Endeavor Lineage.

    A Sun Roof on Top and a 4×4 Unit is also a Much Required for Off Road Terrains. Come on Toyota ChakDe the Fortuner to INDIA.

  45. kulwant singh said on Thursday, July 30, 2009, 14:43

    i dont believe when i see the features of fortuner really its true is my dream car plz tell when it was launch in india

  46. GOURAV said on Monday, August 3, 2009, 9:21

    BEST CAR IN THE WORLD

  47. A K Gaibee said on Tuesday, August 4, 2009, 16:54

    I am using Fortuner for last 3.5 years. it is very good SUV and comfort like family car. Eagerly waiting to launch in INDIA. but price should be with in range of 14 to 16 lac

  48. Kalyan said on Thursday, August 6, 2009, 9:00

    It’s going to launch on 24th AUG 09 and will be available from SEP 1st week, There won’t be any AT variant up to 1 year. Price is 23 lakhs on road.

  49. PANKAJ said on Friday, August 7, 2009, 6:38

    pankaj suv is macho car. iam wating for me

  50. kapil verma said on Friday, August 7, 2009, 7:04

    hi ,i m kapil verma son of roshan lal verma ( DL4CAE 0958 ), very proud of toyota india nd immensly overwhelmed by performance of innova petrol of which i was among first buyer in delhi in 2006 april.since i bought it has been very amazingly beautiful vehicle with no problems at all .nd further to buy fortuner nd being a proud owner of a toyota again , i wud like toyota people to provide me a special discount and a very special offer for me as i wud love to buy but i have problems for fund nd this fortuner has been my dream car since years .my request to toyota people wud be that on special grounds i should be given some amazing discount to buy FORTUNER. to fulfill my dream of life .

  51. zoher HAKIM JARIWALA said on Friday, August 7, 2009, 8:27

    I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT THE FORTUNER BUT RECENTLY I TOOK THE NEW VERSION OF THE INNOVA BUT STILL I M INTERESTED IF THE PRICE IS BETWEEN 12-14LAKHS TO SAY THE FACT NO BODY CAN BEAT THE TOYOTA THIS IS MY VIEW DO INFORM ME

  52. vikram said on Friday, August 7, 2009, 10:07

    by seeing its looks and specifications i think 20 is the fair price and its launching in october and 1 person(me) is surely ready to have this truly amazing SUV.

  53. jithu.k.das said on Saturday, August 8, 2009, 2:27

    hai am jithu kerala i want to know the exact price of toyota fortuner . plz send some photos and price immediatly to me .

  54. salman said on Saturday, August 8, 2009, 4:48

    im waiting for new toyota fortuner,i need to get more info about this car so plz contact me at 9662790360

Tata Nano is the most fuel-efficient car in India
Tata Nano 51,000 booking forms sold in three days