OREANDA-NEWS. July 21, 2015. Toyota unveiled a full redesign of its Fortuner seven-seater SUV at simultaneous events in Bangkok, Thailand and Sydney, Australia.

The Hilux-based Fortuner is already renowned as a durable SUV with impressive off-road capabilities. As the nameplate approached its second generation, however, Toyota focused on creating a more distinctive, sleek and powerful design while improving performance and adding a wide variety of features to increase convenience, safety and ride comfort.

The result: a comprehensive revamp, creating a unique SUV that’s every bit as comfortable on the school run as it is on the world’s toughest off-road trails.

Under the skin, the all-new Fortuner will be available with Toyota’s newly developed direct-injection turbo-diesel engines that raise the bar for fuel efficiency, performance, and noise reduction. Toyota’s engineers developed the engines (designated GD) from the ground up to be lightweight with high combustion efficiency and low friction, resulting in excellent fuel efficiency.

The engines feature a compact high-efficiency variable geometry turbocharger produced in-house by Toyota. They have a newly developed turbine that improves efficiency and a newly developed impeller that provides instantaneous acceleration response and produces maximum torque over a wide range of engine speeds.

On the outside, the all-new Fortuner debuts a compelling design with a strong identity, expressing refinement and innovation as well as being functional and tough.

The large, slanted upper grille is framed by thick chrome plating that extends around the sleek, aggressive headlamps, while the prominent trapezoidal front bumper creates a sense of depth. Along the side, a bold character line runs across the doors between the flared front and rear fenders, while the C-pillar has been blacked out to produce a “floating roof” effect for a dynamically striking look even when the vehicle is stationary.

Toyota Australia’s Executive Director of Sales and Marketing, Tony Cramb, praised the new balance struck by the second generation Fortuner: “The unique design suits the advanced tastes of modern SUV buyers while being equipped with a comprehensive list of features appreciated by families and business owners."

Sharing Toyota’s development philosophy for the vehicle, the Fortuner’s executive chief engineer, Hiroki Nakajima, explained: “Our concept was to build a true SUV that has style and confidence. The all-new Fortuner is the outcome of our continuous efforts to redefine toughness.”

When the Fortuner nameplate was born in 2005, it was aimed principally at markets in Asia, where Toyota saw emerging demand for an affordable yet sturdy family vehicle with proven off-road capabilities.

Global sales have been impressive, growing from 50,000 in the first year to around 150,000 a year, and the vehicle’s target markets have broadened beyond Asia to the Middle East and several other regions, including—for the first time—Australia, where the all-new Fortuner will go on sale in late October. Sales began in Thailand yesterday.