Is there any downside to getting a Fortuner?

[boobook]

My neighbour is looking to get a Prado but has a budget of 50K. He is tossing up between a GXL 2.8 or an older VX 3.0. Everything I have read says go the 2.8 ( except the DPF issue).

He wants to tow a camper and not interested in serious off road stuff.

But on the way we looked at a Fortuner. He is not fussed about it being a bit smaller than a Prado and it has the same motor. It has Lo range and the same tyres as a Prado 265 65 17. I guess the wheels are the same. They look the same.
It looks like you can get second battery under the bonnet, snorkel, etc etc. It's clearance is 5mm more than the Prado and it has a rear diff lock. I know it is basically a wagon version of a hilux but that often doesn't mean much.

He has always had toyota cars and wants a toyota.

Is there a downside or something I am missing about the Fortuner, or is it a decent 4wd for someone touring Australia and not concerned about it being a bit smaller than a Prado.

 

[Cokedaddy216]

Haven't seen one but it sounds like it is a hilux with a wagon body , can't go wrong there brother
The DPF issue toyota sells a fuel cleaner , the fifth injector is what most likely causes the issue , put the cleaner every 5000 km all good

 

[boobook]

Thanks. A birdie told me that are about to do a major fix for the 2.8 in the field.

 

[mikehzz]

A friend has a Fortuner. He does a decent amount of 4wding and has it done up with a bar, sliders, snorkel and tyres etc. From what I've seen it goes good, looks good too. I'm surprised I don't see more of them. Typical Jap dorkus name for a car though.

 

[Spooner]

I'm surprised I don't see more of them

Same here , Ive seen a few all decked out with the basic mods and they look good .
Its the Toyota equivalent of the Everest wagon to Ranger ute .
Get a Gold one (Lucky) then you can have a Fortuner Cookie

 

[phs]

Thanks. A birdie told me that are about to do a major fix for the 2.8 in the field.

What is the fix ?

As for your OP, hard to go wrong with either but one of the last built 3lts will have less long term issues.

2.8 is still a little unknown, except there current DPF woes.........

We looked at the Fortuna, less refined and smaller than the Prado but if that's not a catching point there good

 

[itlldoo]

don't stand back and compare vehicles, get underneath to compare them, that's where a 4wd matters, then you start to see the difference

 

[cam04]

Haven't seen one but it sounds like it is a hilux with a wagon body , can't go wrong there brother
The DPF issue toyota sells a fuel cleaner , the fifth injector is what most likely causes the issue , put the cleaner every 5000 km all good

The 5th injector is in the exhaust and gets clogged on the outside from the oil blowby and exhaust crap. Cleaner fuel makes 0 difference. We had yet another one (hilux DPF replacement) done under warranty last week. You seriously shouldn't be giving advice about this topic. If Toyota don't fix this issue soon then I'd recommend the OP's mate allow for a DPF delete in his budget, which will make the car unroadworthy and if he gets caught there are some solid fines. The pattern forming with ours is the vehicles doing big highway runs - usually the most DPF friendly environment. It looks like they aren't getting the burnoff done at speed. It surely can't be that hard to fix, the utes (and fortuners) are a good thing apart from this stupid little issue.

 

[Tink]

I heard last week, no actual proof so take this as you wish, but the Toyota DPF issue is the angle of the fifth injector and Toyota has modified this on the production line. Appears the most recent arrivals to Oz do not suffer this problem. For what it is worth.
Tink

 

[Cokedaddy216]

The 5th injector is in the exhaust and gets clogged on the outside from the oil blowby and exhaust crap. Cleaner fuel makes 0 difference. We had yet another one (hilux DPF replacement) done under warranty last week. You seriously shouldn't be giving advice about this topic. If Toyota don't fix this issue soon then I'd recommend the OP's mate allow for a DPF delete in his budget, which will make the car unroadworthy and if he gets caught there are some solid fines. The pattern forming with ours is the vehicles doing big highway runs - usually the most DPF friendly environment. It looks like they aren't getting the burnoff done at speed. It surely can't be that hard to fix, the utes (and fortuners) are a good thing apart from this stupid little issue.

Mate you seem to have a bad attitude my old man owns a hilux ( yep he drives one ) 2016 model with DP fing F it has never had a problem with the frigging" DPF " or any the bullshit you type .
You don't use fuel conditoner obviously so your the one that needs to check your comments brother !

 

[Tink]

Way off topic, but fuel conditioner for a modern diesel is just “snake oil” and marketing hype.
Tink

 

[Cokedaddy216]

Way off topic, but fuel conditioner for a modern diesel is just “snake oil” and marketing hype.
Tink

Must be lonely up there on that high horse matey .
You seem to know every thing .

 

[Tink]

Umm, if that is your best rebuttal for a flawed arguement then I bow out gracefully. Have a nice day.
Tink

 

[Ziggy]

My neighbour is looking to get a Prado but has a budget of 50K. He is tossing up between a GXL 2.8 or an older VX 3.0. Everything I have read says go the 2.8 ( except the DPF issue).

He wants to tow a camper and not interested in serious off road stuff.

But on the way we looked at a Fortuner. He is not fussed about it being a bit smaller than a Prado and it has the same motor. It has Lo range and the same tyres as a Prado 265 65 17. I guess the wheels are the same. They look the same.
It looks like you can get second battery under the bonnet, snorkel, etc etc. It's clearance is 5mm more than the Prado and it has a rear diff lock. I know it is basically a wagon version of a hilux but that often doesn't mean much.

He has always had toyota cars and wants a toyota.

Is there a downside or something I am missing about the Fortuner, or is it a decent 4wd for someone touring Australia and not concerned about it being a bit smaller than a Prado.

It was on my shortlist too cos I was thinking it was a wagon HiLux. But my mechanic says it isn't as strongly built.
It's been out since '15 I think. No reports of cracks when I last looked at their forum.

 

[Tink]

No reports of cracks when I last looked at their forum.

Yeah forgot about all the body cracks in the Prados.
Tink

 

[R83D]

Yeah forgot about all the body cracks in the Prados.
Tink

That’s no longer an issue with the new prados.

 

[Tink]

That is good news. There was a few cracks in some Isuzus, but they also fixed that on the factory floor a while back.
Tink

 

[boobook]

I read that the Fortuner is built on the same chassis as the Hilux but with coils at the rear so presumably it would show up in Hilux first.

 

[Airstrike]

I haven't seen many Fortuners off road but they are a capable car as built after the Hilux
https://unsealed4x4.com.au/mid-sized-wagon-year/
Hopefully this helps, they basically won the award. I think the downfall was poorly selling car + wasn't value for money
+ some people don't like the back looks haha!

 

[Ziggy]

You need to consider the possibility that it's not built the same way as the Hilux. 'Based on' doesn't necessarily mean the same.
Maybe the design brief was more Kluger than 76 seies.