Unofficial Picture: 2012 Toyota Fortuner

Toyota’s very successful SUV the Fortuner, has been comfortably leading the Indian SUV market since its launch two years ago. The Japanese manufacturer however is planning to give it a facelift, as is evident from these leaked brochure pictures.

The nose is now all-new and is designed to appear wider and more aggressive. It features new headlamps that are slightly stretched, a restyled and sculpted bonnet with a larger scoop for the air-intake, a re-profiled bumper and a wider redesigned chrome grille that makes it resemble the Toyota Land Cruiser.

Toyota hasn’t changed the side profile of the Fortuner, but the rear now gets new clear-lens tail-lamps that have a different profile from the current ones. The roof-rack and scuff plate, as seen in the picture, however are likely to be optional extras, which may or may not come with this updated version of the car.

The current Fortuner is powered by a 3.0-litre common rail diesel motor that churns out a respectable 169bhp. This is the same motor that does duty in the larger Land Cruiser Prado as well, although the Prado gets more torque, and the Fortuner may be given this step up as well as an automatic version could be on the cards too, along with imporved interiors.

Toyota has been planning to increase the local content on the Fortuner for some time now and this facelift may provide the perfect opportunity. And this could be accompanied by a correction in price that would make it more affordable. But its not clear when this is likely to happen.

Expect the updated Fortuner to reach our shores by early 2012.

Thanks to: Autocar India