TD the Fortuner today noon. There is no engine noise as such IMO as claimed in some reports. After cranking the engine was as smooth , silent and refined as my Verna , definitely better than my Safari. The pick-up was amazing , i don know whether it was because of the 4WD or 170BHP. AC cooling was good even though what i drove was a black car! I was told i will get a FE of 8kmpl in city conditions if i drive normally( i highly doubt it). But rear seat comfort is pathetic! I found the same seats even in Innova. No offence meant especially Fortuner and Innova owners but i find the rear seats to be very very poor. Though leg room is great the comfort factor is missing. The rear seats are better in my Safari why even my Verna for that matter! And the HU does not even come with Aux-in or USB , and also the body is as flimsy as an Innova!!
The dealership experience was good in Lanson Toyota. Was offered the TD in 10 minutes. But the SE was trying to push me towards the Innova saying the 4WD will not be useful most of the times and the Fortuner is the same as the Innova inside. And also the Innova can be delivered in 10 days but i don like the looks of Innova and we want a premium SUV now. If i were to buy in that budget i would choose a new Scorpio or Safari again instead of Innova.
We decided to wait for Santa-fe but time is running out for our Safari. If it runs for another 3-4 months then the suspension bearings needs to be changed! We cannot wait for Santa-fe that long and also Hyundai's reputation and brand value is poor when it comes to SUV'S. Also its ex-showroom price is around 23-24Lakhs which exceeds our budget when it comes OTR. And also its generally not advisable to go in for a new car straightaway as it may have some problems which might be rectified in later models. The same applies for new facelifted Captiva! Jetta also ruled out as a new model is expected next year.
Pro's of Fortuner:
1. 3.0L 170BHP engine
2.4WD
3.Toyota's reliability
Con's:
1. Poor interiors
2. HU does not even come with Aux-in or USB
3.Rear seat comfort is poor
4.Body is flimsy as Innova!
So after seeing all this we have decided almost its going to be the Fortuner! The main thing we look forward to now is hassle free ownership. Only the color remains to seen , dad wants silver i want dark metallic grey! We are planning to book it next month and we may get the car in January!