For a long time, there have been murmurs of Toyota developing a more affordable version of Fortuner for developing markets like India, especially after the exorbitant price tag of the original model hovering around Rs 50 to 60 lakh in recent years. This has made the large D-segment SUV inaccessible even for the ardent enthusiasts.
As a solution for this, Toyota could bring a more affordable Fortuner to our market which isn’t going to be a completely stripped down derivative of the existing model but a brand new model developed from scratch. A recent article published by Autocar India, confirms the same development.
While the new SUV may carry the same moniker of “Fortuner” underneath it will be a completely different beast. For starters, it will be based on the FJ Cruiser concept which broke covers earlier this year. Unlike the Fortuner which is based on a ladder-on-frame chassis, the FJ Cruiser concept is based on a monocoque chassis.
The mini Fortuner is said to be built on an all-new flexible platform designed to support multiple body styles and powertrains. In fact, this platform will be different from the TGNA monocoque platform that underpins the Innova Hycross. As of now, there is practically no information regarding this platform but given Toyota’s reputation the new frame will offer the same reliability as its body-on-frame architecture.
As for design, the FJ Cruiser concept borrows design cues of the Land Cruiser Prado which looks rugged and indestructible. Although the mini Fortuner will not share the exact same design, we can expect it to be rugged like a typical body-on-frame SUV. As for powertrain, it can borrow the 2.0-litre petrol hybrid unit from the Innova Hycross. This unit produces 184 bhp and 206 Nm of peak torque. Toyota will most likely offer this in a 4×4 guise.
The latest report further mentions that this all-new SUV could possibly be one of the first models to be produced at Toyota’s new Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad) plant in Maharashtra, with production set to begin in 2027.
