Toyota spins wheel of Fortuner

Toyota Australia is confident its brand power will make the new Fortuner a sales success in contrast to most other ladder-frame SUVs, which account for only a few thousand sales per annum in a market dominated by more car-like crossover SUVs.

Toyota already sells by far the most popular ladder-frame 4x4 wagon in Australia, the Prado, which leads the large SUV segment ahead of its light duty all-wheel drive stablemate, the V6 petrol-only Kluger seven-seater, which is based on the same monocoque platform as the Camry.

Toyota is pitching the seven-seat Fortuner, which goes on sale in late October, into the same large SUV segment as an alternative to Kluger for shoppers wanting a turbo-diesel engine.

Toyota says Fortuner is its sixth SUV model, but that’s without counting the 70 Series LandCruiser wagon and Troopy. Add them in and it’s actually number eight.

As reported yesterday from its global co-reveal in Sydney, the three-model Fortuner line-up will be powered by a new 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that will also be seen in the new HiLux – with which the Fortuner shares its chassis – due in early October and the updated Prado coming in September.

But while Prado manages big sales, with 7872 registered in the first six months of 2015 according to VFACTS, other ladder-frame large SUVs are strugglers.

The Isuzu MU-X is best of the rest with 3220 sales in the first six months of the year, but the soon-to-be-replaced Mitsubishi Challenger has managed just 1235 sales and the Holden Colorado 7 only 1232.

A potential major player soon to enter the market is the Australian-developed Ford Everest, but the Ranger-based wagon is likely to be has been pitched in pricing terms further upmarket against the Prado, from $55,000. 

“Prado is well and truly in excess of those sales figures that you are talking about for those smaller SUVs,” said Toyota Australia executive director sales and marketing Tony Cramb.

“But we do have many customers who would consider a Kluger but want a diesel alternative. And Kluger sells in excess of 1000 per month.

“So I think what you will find is there will be many customers attracted to a Toyota-branded SUV of this style. It gives that luxurious almost car-like drive but the opportunity to adventure on the weekend.”

Despite putting forward the proposition that potential Kluger buyers would be attracted to Fortuner, Cramb also said different types of buyers who would be interested in the two wagons
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“They are very different vehicles,” he said. “The Kluger does attract a far greater proportion of families than this vehicle may do.

“This vehicle may in fact attract active couples or empty nesters who want to hitch up the caravan and tow around Australia. I think … they will probably appeal to a slightly different market.”

Toyota produced a bunch of statistics yesterday to support its contention that the Fortuner was an appropriate vehicle to launch at this time.

It cited figures showing that until 2013, non-private sales – including to business, government and rental companies – accounted for the majority of diesel SUVs, with the annual gap over private sales often around 25 per cent and as high as 40 per cent.

But it said sales to private customers edged ahead in 2013 and accelerated last year, growing to more than 69,000 diesel SUVs – 11,000 more than the combined sales to business and other users.

Total sales last year of 127,588 diesel SUVs were almost four times higher than the level reached a decade ago in 2005. By comparison, the overall SUV market has doubled during that period from 180,292 to a record last year of 352,462 vehicles.

Toyota delivered 56,663 SUVs in Australia last year, outselling its nearest competitor by more than 22,000 vehicles and achieving its second-best year on record. No other brand has ever sold 40,000 SUVs in a single year.

Cramb said the introduction of the Fortuner as a new diesel entry-level model for Toyota’s hard-core 4x4 range would potentially boost other more expensive models over time.

“I think the customer base for this vehicle is so broad we think virtually anyone who is after a large SUV – even people who may aspire to one day owning a Prado or a LandCruiser 200 Series -- may start here.

“They will probably be active couples, young families, adventurous-type people who love the idea of a vehicle they can use around town or take adventuring on the weekend. So a very broad range of customers will be attracted to this vehicle.”