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The popular Hilux-based SUV is coming with significant changes for the next year. It brings a whole bunch of changes in different aspects, starting from a new styling, new interior features, and increased output. All these upgrades are part of the 2021 Toyota Fortuner facelift, which comes five years after the launch of the current generation. With all these novelties, there is no doubt that the Fortuner will continue to be one of the most popular SUVs in Australia, Asia, South Africa, and other markets where it is offered.
In the past several months, there were also reports that the 2021 Toyota Fortuner might come to North America as well. These days, it’s clear that this won’t happen. We will see it in the same markets and similar overall characteristics, despite there are some pretty big novelties for the next year. We expect it will hit the market soon, though the exact launch date will vary from market to market.
2021 Toyota Fortuner Design
When it comes to the base design characteristics, this mid-size SUV remains the same. The facelift has brought a number of interesting changes but the base layout still remains the same. We are talking about the design that has been introduced five years ago. The Fortuner shares most of its mechanics with the legendary Hilux truck, and that is one of the main reasons why it is one of the most reliable and most capable SUVs around.
Since the overall design has remained pretty much the same, dimensions have also remained unchanged. Therefore, you may count on a genuine body-on-frame SUV, which measures around 108 inches in wheelbase and around 188 inches in overall length. Such 2021 Toyota Fortuner dimensions seem pretty versatile, as the SUV is large enough to accommodate seven passengers, but keeps the wheelbase reasonably short, which is vastly important in terms of off-road performances.
2021 Toyota Fortuner Facelift
The 2021 Toyota Fortuner facelift has brought a lot of interesting changes and most of them are about styling. The new version comes with a plethora of new details. The first thing you will probably notice are new headlights, which are sharper and look more striking than before. Along with new headlights, there is a new, bigger grille, as well as a new front bumper with bigger air intakes. On the other end, you may notice a new rear bumper, as well as revised headlights. Of course, there are also things like new wheels, new color options, etc.
Another big novelty is an introduction of a new flagship trim, called Legender Fortuner. This model comes with several exclusive styling solutions, particularly at the front, where you can notice a split grille, similar to those we can find on Toyota’s crossovers for the Global market, such as RAV4 or Highlander.
Interior
When it comes to interior design, Toyota designers decided not to change things too much. Therefore, the dashboard looks largely the same as in the pre-facelifted model. Still, the obvious improvements can be seen in terms of standard equipment, as the 2021 Toyota Fortuner interior comes with loads of new tech goodies, either standard or optional. The most notable upgrade is probably a new infotainment system, which comes with a bigger 8-inch touchscreen, smartphone integration, etc.
On the other side, the overall cabin layout remains largely the same. We’ve already mentioned that there were no changes in size made, so the new model comes with the same amount of space. This is a three-row crossover, which accommodates up to seven passengers. Typically for the class, the third row is best to be left for youngsters. The cargo area also remains the same and offers a quite decent volume.
2021 Toyota Fortuner Engines
Besides visual updates, the 2021 Toyota Fortuner also comes with big novelties under the hood. This particularly refers to a 2.8-liter turbodiesel, which received a notable power boost. It now features a max output of 201 horsepower and 370 pound-feet of torque. For comparison, the pre-facelift model was good for about 174 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. That’s a nice improvement, which also has an impact on towing capacity, which now gets pretty close to 7.000 pounds. The company claims that this power increase won’t affect fuel economy.
In some markets, this SUV also comes with a smaller 2.4-liter turbodiesel. This engine didn’t receive any update, so you may count on the same output, which goes around 150 horses and 300 pound-feet of torque.
2021 Toyota Fortuner Release Date
As we’ve already mentioned, the exact launch date will vary from market to market. For example, the Australian model will hit showrooms sometime in August. When it comes to the 2021 Toyota Fortuner release date for other markets, there is no doubt that all markets will get the new version by the end of the year.
