2017 Toyota Fortuner Crusade Automatic REVIEW – True Family Car, True Off-Roader
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE LIKES OF THE 2017 TOYOTA FORTUNER STRUGGLED TO PLAY THE ROLE OF ‘FAMILY CAR’.
Like the other pickup-based 4WD wagons, the Fortuner’s predecessors (such as the Toyota 4Runner) were simply a wagon body slapped onto a ute platform.
That meant the kids were uncomfortable in the back, they felt like a truck to drive, and the ride was somewhat forgettable.
While the plan is still the same - wagon body on ute platform - carmakers now are getting the recipe right, and a bunch of newcomers and updates (Ford’s Everest and Holden’s Trailblazer being two examples) have made competition in the segment tight.
So how does Toyota’s offering, the Fortuner, stack up?
Vehicle Style: Large 4WD / SUV Wagon
Price: $56,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine/trans: 130kW/450Nm 2.8 4cyl turbo-diesel | 6sp automatic
Fuel Economy Claimed: 8.6 l/100km | Tested: 10.0 l/100km
OVERVIEW
The 2017 Toyota Fortuner Crusade sits atop the Fortuner range, ahead of the mid-spec GXL and entry-spec GX.
A recent update from Toyota means the Crusade now comes standard with a six-speed automatic, and all Fortuner models have been granted huge price-cuts.