If you are considering buying the Toyota Fortuner but feel that it is too bare bones for a car that costs almost Rs 50 lakh, here are a few new options that will be worth considering
Some of us may agree that the Fortuner is overrated but whether we like it or not it has achieved a cult status among enthusiasts and its sky-high resale value is proof enough. The mechanicals and the status symbol may be very convincing but right now cars are costing less than half of the Fortuner but have way more features not just for comfort and convenience but also regarding safety as well. In this article we are considering upcoming rivals of the Toyota Fortuner in its segment:
1. Jeep Meridian Facelift
This is something which caught all of us by surprise as Jeep announced the facelift of the Meridian while we were all waiting for updates about the Wrangler. Based on the updates provided by Jeep India, the upcoming Meridian will be a facelift and will go through a lot of cosmetic changes and will get a lot of feature upgrades, but the mechanicals will remain the same.
On the exterior, it will get revised front and rear bumpers, upgraded grille and headlamp design, slightly tweaked alloy wheels, and possibly new paint schemes. The interior dashboard design will remain the same but will now host a larger 12.3-inch infotainment system with wireless smartphone connectivity, dual-zone climate control, ventilated and powered front seats, a fully digital instrument cluster, a 360-degree camera, rear window sunshades, and Level 2 ADAS.
2. MG Gloster Facelift
In other news, the MG Gloster is getting a facelift, and this 3-row SUV also will be more of a nip-and-tuck update. The already tech-laden Gloster will get some more features and a few cosmetic changes. On the outside, it will feature revised front and rear bumpers, new alloy wheels, a redesigned grille, and new taillights which possibly may get the connected LED treatment and reflectors repositioned.
As for the interior, the MG Gloster will continue to come loaded with a large portrait-style infotainment system, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, dual-zone climate control, wireless charger, fully digital instrument cluster, 360-degree surround camera, and Level-2 ADAS suite. This will command a slightly higher price tag, but the hike should be nominal since this is just a facelift and not a generation upgrade.
3. Skoda Kodiaq (New Gen)
Skoda’s flagship SUV may not have registered sales in good numbers, but it was very much appreciated just like a rare piece of art and one of the main reasons for this is maybe because it was a CBU unit. Similarly, we believe that the upcoming 2024 Skoda Kodiaq will also be a CBU unit which was launched recently in the European market with redesigned grille, LED headlights, and revised front and rear bumpers.
The amazing 2.0-litre diesel engine was replaced by a more powerful 2.0-litre petrol engine that puts out 205bhp of power, and the same engine is likely to remain. There will be only one engine option which will be paired to a 7-speed DCT only. The only option we will have is to select between the FWD or the AWD units. Coming to the features, this being a flagship SUV, will be loaded to the gills including the Level-2 ADAS functionalities.
4. Ford Endeavour (New Gen)
Yes, you read it right, we are talking about the Ford Endeavour as Ford plans to launch the new generation Endeavour which was recently launched in the global market(as Ford Everest) in India as well. Its interior comes with a more upmarket appeal and is equipped with a comprehensive array of features such as a 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and an all-digital instrument cluster.
The exterior is inspired by Ford’s highest-selling vehicle, the F-150 pickup, and that’s not a bad thing as it now looks more butch and muscular that it can easily take on the current king of the segment, the Toyota Fortuner. The global model will be sold with multiple engine options, however, for India, we believe that the 2.0-litre diesel engine will be provided, but we are not sure if it will be made available with the manual option or if will it come with only the automatic option. We hope that Ford gives the 4×4 model at least as an option which will increase the value of the Endeavour.