TL; DR
- Design & Platform: Sharper, boxier styling with updated ladder-frame chassis targeting better ride quality and handling.
- Interior & Safety: Dual 12.3-inch displays, ventilated seats, 360-degree camera, and Level-2 ADAS as standard.
- Engine & Price: Mild-hybrid diesel making 201 bhp arrives in India between ₹38 lakh and ₹55 lakh.
Spy shots of the next-generation Toyota Fortuner have been trickling out of Thailand, where heavily camouflaged test mules have been caught doing the rounds. And if you look past all that tape and cladding, it’s pretty clear Toyota isn’t just slapping on a new grille and calling it a day. Word is we’ll see a global reveal somewhere around mid-2026, with India getting its turn by late 2026 or possibly early 2027. More importantly, there’s actual substance to the changes this time.
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Same DNA, Tougher Attitude
The camouflaged prototypes suggest Toyota is going for something boxier and more assertive — still unmistakably a Fortuner, but with sharper clothes on.
The front end features a bigger, more upright hexagonal mesh grille, and the headlamps look like they’ve been put on a diet. There’s a possibility of a split lighting setup, with DRLs sitting high and the main beams tucked lower — a layout that’s already made its way onto the latest Hilux and the new Tacoma. It gives the whole thing a more internationally minded look rather than one designed purely for specific regional tastes.
Out back, the tail feels more upright and squared off. Slimmer tail lamps wrap around the sides, and there’s chatter about a full-width light bar connecting them across the tailgate. The bumpers look reworked too, giving the SUV a more grounded, purposeful stance.
Under all of this sits what’s expected to be a revised version of Toyota’s IMV ladder-frame platform — the same bones it shares with the Hilux. Engineers are said to be putting serious work into ride quality and handling this time around, which honestly isn’t surprising. The current Fortuner is a lot of things, but a magic carpet over broken tarmac it is not.
The Interior Catches Up — Finally
The outgoing model’s cabin was always a tough one to defend. Solid and dependable, sure. But step inside, and it never quite felt like ₹35-40 lakh well spent on creature comforts.
The new Fortuner looks set to fix that. Expect a dual 12.3-inch display setup — a digital driver’s display paired with a large floating touchscreen for infotainment. That’s no longer a wow factor in this segment; it’s just the baseline buyers expect.
On top of that, Toyota appears to be loading the new model with a 360-degree camera, wireless charging, ventilated front seats, and possibly cooled second-row seats as well. A hands-free powered tailgate is also in the cards — one of those features that sounds minor on a spec sheet but quickly becomes something you’d miss if it were gone.
Safety gets a proper overhaul, too. Toyota Safety Sense with Level-2 ADAS is expected to come along for the ride, bringing adaptive cruise, lane departure warnings, and automatic emergency braking. For a vehicle that regularly clocks highway miles loaded with passengers, that’s not a luxury addition — it’s just sensible.
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The Powertrain Story: Diesel, But Smarter
The 2.8-litre turbo-diesel is sticking around, and that’ll keep most buyers happy. What’s new is that Toyota is expected to pair it with a 48V mild-hybrid system — something already deployed in certain global versions — nudging total output to around 201 bhp and 500 Nm.
Those figures won’t make headlines. But in actual use, the mild-hybrid’s contribution should show up where it matters most: smoother pull from low speeds and better fuel returns in city traffic, where plenty of Fortuners spend far more time than their owners probably intended.
The 2.7-litre petrol (166 hp/245 Nm) should survive in a few markets, and there’s talk of a 2.4-litre turbo-petrol hybrid joining the global lineup at some point — though whether that makes it to India is anyone’s guess right now.
Gearbox options are expected to include the familiar 6-speed manual and automatic pairing, with some speculation pointing toward an 8-speed automatic upgrade. Toyota hasn’t said anything on that front yet.
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What Indian Buyers Should Expect to Pay
Factor in the tech upgrades, mild-hybrid hardware, and general improvement across the board, and pricing is expected to open somewhere around ₹38 lakh, stretching well past ₹55 lakh for fully loaded hybrid variants.
That’s a lot of money by any reasonable measure. But here’s the thing — people who buy Fortuners aren’t usually sitting there comparing it line-by-line against a Hector or a Creta. The buying logic is different. It’s about the badge, the resale value, the sense that what you’re buying will still feel solid five years and a hundred thousand kilometres down the line.
The Fortuner has built that reputation over decades. The new one just needs to not squander it.
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