Spirit of the Great Heart
Thank you, Toyota SA, for the test unit and thank you IX
Online Motoring and Autoworld for the opportunity to write this article.
Introduction: I was privileged to be able to
take the top of the range 7-seater Toyota Fortuner VX model, on a recent road
trip with my precious family to two of my most favourite game reserve
destinations, namely, the Kruger and Klaserie. Knowing that some of the route’s
safety might be compromised in various sections for all the reasons already and
boringly known to the citizens of our beautiful Republic, and needing to cross
a river in the Klaserie, I needed a vehicle that ticked off my Big 5 vehicle
must haves. So, when leaving my home city, where the People are as warm as the
Ocean, I needed something that had a proven track record wrt reliability, safety,
economy, an engine that had a bit of an extra kick, should I need to overtake many
of the poorly driven trucks that litter our roads and a proper 4x4 with low
range. Thankfully the Fortuner and the bush fully delivered the Big 5 in both
its interpretations!
Engine/ Comfort/ Drive/ 4x4: The brilliant 2.8
Liter Diesel GD-6 engine pushes out an incisive 150 kws, together with a
torquey 500 Nms, giving the vehicle enough power to overtake when needed and
works well together with the 6-speed automatic transmission. The Fortuner
drives so well, is comfortable and although it was heavily packed for 8 nights
in the bush, including 4 passengers, it remained in control of all corners
thrown at it. When driving over the magnificently built Able Erasmus pass in
the Limpopo province, where the scenery is as beautiful as the Fortuner, there
were not many places to overtake. However, the Fortuner, sensing my hunger to
relax in the Kruger with a chilled beer and a braai, was always available on demand to gap
it passed some slow-moving trucks when safe and legal to do so. When needing
4x4 for the crossing of the Klaserie river and having to drive a few hundred
meters in a dry and sandy riverbed, I stopped in neutral, turned the
conveniently placed dial from H2, clockwise to H4 and then to low range,
shifted into Drive and proceeded to cross the river and drive in the sand with
total ease. So much so that had I been blind folded I would have said that I
was driving on a tar road – it literally did not feel the challenging terrain,
which I found hugely impressive. So, a vehicle as comfortable in the bush as on
the road, is a Winner for me!
Interior/ Exterior: The VX version offers an
Interior of black and red leather, giving a luxurious feel to the cabin, which matches
nicely with a functional and ergonomically designed instrument display and fascia.
The top of the dash is made from a durable hard-wearing plastic type material to
take on Africa’s harsh sun and the windows appear slightly tinted which was
most welcome whilst driving in those 38-degree days, with the air-conditioning
working really well throughout the SUV. The VX looks even better than its
predecessor with a new reshaped front bumper and grille, 18-inch wheels and
back and front indicator lights that run successionally.
Features: A Winner 220V/ 100 W, 2-prong plug located
at the back of the front middle console for the second row of seats, that came
into good use when my daughter wanted to charge her cell phone and we had left
our C type usb cables at home (there are two C type ports located there too), Adaptive
cruise control which worked really well on my 80 meter setting – a really
awesome piece of technology to have in SA, 11 well-appointed JBL Speakers which
great sound, when turned up, reminded me of my JBL Extreme 3 and it pumps, Toyota
Wi-Fi (Works off the My Toyota App), Lane departure warning, Airconditioned
glove box to keep your biltong lekker fresh, Downhill assist, Park distance
control (front, side, rear), Blind spot detection, Pre-collision warning
system, 20 cm infotainment screen, Android/ Apple car play when connected to the
A type usb port, Climate control, Rear air-conditioning, front seat warming and
more!
In Summary: The Fortuner VX remains one of South
Africa’s excellent choices when in the market for a Solid, Legendary and Dependable
4x4 and with over 900 units sold last month, double its nearest competitor, I
can see why. When all is said and done, the Fortuner has the Spirit and a Great
Heart and that’s exactly what I was after.
As Johnny Clegg sung…
I'm searching for the spirit of the great heart
To hold and stand me by
I'm searching for the spirit of the great heart
Under African sky.
*This article is written in my opinion only. For detailed
accuracy of all specs contact Toyota SA*
