Towing with your Fortuner

[geo]

I'm in the process of narrowing down the choice of my next 4WD & the Fortuner & MU-X are two on my short list with the Fortuner so far looking like the favourite.

I'm a member of a 4WD Club in Brisbane so do quite a bit of off road driving & currently have a 76 Series Land Cruiser. This is a great car but a bit "agricultural" & I really don't need its off road ability for what I do so I'm looking for something a bit "softer" but still capable of tackling some moderately rough stuff.

The other requirement is towing ability. I have an off road camper trailer with an all up weight around 1.6 t & want a bit of feedback on how others have found the Fortuner for towing.

How does it perform with a weight on the back.
How does it go in winding hilly country.
What about head winds.
Economy.
What gear does it generally need to be in on the highway.
Any sagging of the rear of the Fortuner with the weight of the camper.
Any other comments

On a search I've seen a few general comments about towing in other topics but nothing specific so I hope some of you current owners can give me your feedback.

Thanks

[Archie]

Hi Geo. I have had my auto GX for 3 months now and so far I have towed my EcoTourer van about 5100 klms through western NSW and western Qld.
Performance with the van on is excellent. No problems maintaining road speed on major or minor roads.
On windy or hilly roads I simply drive to the conditions and the car performs very well.
Headwinds are not much of an issue for me as the EcoTourer folds down and is actually lower than the car.
Economy on our last trip (5100 klms) averaged 10.70 klms / 100 klms. I usually try to drive in the engine's sweet spot, 1600-2200 rpm.
If the countryside is reasonably flat, ie no BIG hills, I leave the transmission in Drive. For hilly or windy areas I put the transmission into sport mode and select an appropriate gear for the conditions. The aim is not to stress the engine or the transmission.
There is only minimal rear end sag with the van on, 25 mm. I use a wdh to return to level.
I have driven several hundred klms off-road with a mixture of sand, creek crossings, jump ups and rock shelves and the car didn't miss a beat.
Am I happy with the Fortuner; YES. I also find it a better, more comfortable drive than my 2009 Kluger Grande. The diesel engine is a better performer on- and off-road and fuel consumption leaves the Kluger way behind.
Cheers, Archie.

[geo]

Hi Archie,
Thanks for that really detailed & specific feedback, gives me a much better idea of what I might expect. It's difficult enough to get a decent run for a test drive of a car in the city & impossible to know how how it might perform while towing. Plenty of reviews that give an idea of on & off road performance but haven't seen anything on towing ability so your comments are really appreciated.
Thanks again, Geo

[Archie]

Hi Geo,
I forgot to upload the photo of the Redarc brake controller installation. It is installed behind the dash panel to the right side of the steering column. Here it is. As you can see, the only part visible is the control knob.
Cheers, Archie.

[geo]

Neat job Archie, thanks!