While Indian car buyers might be in the middle of a long-term love affair with SUVs, not every brand or model has managed to capture the market as the Toyota Fortuner has. First launched in 2009, the Fortuner has remained an aspirational and reliable option for the majority of premium SUV buyers in the country. Between a few facelifts and a generation update, the Fortuner has largely remained the same dependable SUV from the inside. Meanwhile, flashier and more advanced models have attempted to counter it, but have failed. Here are five such SUVs that the Fortuner has outlasted in the last 16 years.
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1. Ford Endeavour:
When we talk about former rivals of the Fortuner, the Ford Endeavour
takes the top spot. The Endeavour took the fight directly to Toyota's backyard with larger dimensions, multiple engine options, multi-terrain modes and other hi-tech features. However, after Ford exited the Indian market in 2021, the Endeavour was discontinued and the Fortuner remained unphased.
2. Mahindra Alturas G4:
Launched as Mahindra's flagship SUV in 2018, the Alturas 4G offered 2WD and 4WD in a full-sized SUV package. Once again, the Fortuner rival offered flashier design and more advanced tech inside the cabin, but failed to attract buyers away from the Toyota SUV.
3. Mitsubishi Pajero Sport:
The Pajero nameplate is another contender that gave serious competition to the Fortuner from the beginning. While the Pajero is still considered to be an iconic SUV, the more advanced Pajero Sport failed to beat the Fortuner despite having comparable off-road equipment and powerful engine options. After being discontinued in 2021, the Pajero Sport was another SUV that got left behind, while the Toyota Fortuner continued along its journey.
4. Chevrolet Captiva:
American carmaker Chevrolet had once pitted the Captiva SUV against the Fortuner; however, it failed to impress the Indian SUV buyer. While the Captiva bid its farewell with Chevrolet's exit from India in 2017, the Fortuner had just raised the stakes with the new-generation model that was launched in November 2016.
5. Hyundai Tucson:
The Tucson has time and again tried to woo Indian SUV buyers in the premium segment. Across a facelift and a more recent generation update, the Tucson failed to stir up the same appeal among buyers in India that it enjoys in global markets. Instead, it has once again been discontinued in India, while the Fortuner keeps making headway despite a costly price tag.
The list of rivals that the Fortuner has outlasted certainly included some worthy opponents, but none of them seemed to appeal to the Indian consumer as much as the Toyota SUV. While the rivals may have more attractive designs and premium tech, the Fortuner is known for its dependability, ruggedness and stress-free ownership. This history of fundamentals that the SUV has earned continues to bring in sales for Toyota, even after 16 years.
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