Prado vs Fortuner

[Shaun]

I am starting a series of comparisons between the fortuner and its direct and not so direct rivals. First up, the venerable Prado

Lets take a look at the advantages each vehicle has:

Fortuner:

• Larger towing capacity 3000kg for the manual and 2800kg for the auto. Up from the Prado's 2500kg
• Cheaper by a few grand, which will make it a more attractive option as the Prado is getting a bit up there in price these days
• 7 Seats as standard (GX Prado is an option adding a substantial outlay)
• Better ground clearance 297mm on the fortuner vs 220mm on the Prado, that is pretty substantial
• Same engine as new Prado, but should be better performance/efficiency wise because it is a lighter vehicle, although doesn't show in quoted values... Hmmmm?
• Shares the Hilux DNA so there are bound to be shared parts and aftermarket bits and bobs coming soon (not really an advantage but hey...)

Prado:

• A more "premium" product
• Petrol option also available
• Long range tank
• Better approach angle
• More established and well known
• Larger interior by a few mm
• Better aftermarket parts availability

[4b4me]

2016 GXL Diesel Prado Auto

• Listed Drive Away price on Toyota website (White) Diesel AUto GXL $63,990
• Quoted D/away price "GX" Prado is $54,824 (No third row seats, no fog lights, no climate A/C, no roof rails, no reverse sensors...could suit me perfectly
• Prado is made in Japan (I believe) (Fortuner is made in Thailand)
• Climate control air conditioning front and rear on GXL
• Middle row seats can fit 3 adults reasonably well, although the middle position is not especially comfortanle
• Rear seats fold flat and leave a flat floor, albeit higher than the rear floor of the Fortuner.
• Full size alloy spare (so you can rotate the spare into the wheel rotation easily)
• Prado has a quoted fuel economy of 8l/100km...for some unknown reason the Fortuner is quoted as 8.6l/100km ?
• Prado has full time 4wd. GX may not have rear dif lock?
• Prado GXL has sat nav
• Prado has a 100w 12-240v inverter (useful for charging laptop etc etc) Fortuner doesn't have an inverter.
• Prado GXL middle row seat belts are heigjht adjustable

2016 GXL Fortuner Auto

• Listed Drive away price on Toyota website (white) $59,856
• Quoted drive away price $56,000 (white, auto Fortuner)
• Fortuner is made in Thailand I believe (Prado is Japanese built)
• No climate control; air conditioning (only on Crusade)...Prado has Climate control A/C with adjustable/settable temp for front and also for rear
• No Adjustable lumbar support ..Prado has adjustable lumbar support on driver seat
• Middle row seats is tight for 3 adults in Fortuner. I'm not large but doing up the seat belt in the middle position of the middle row is very tight. The seat belt is roof mounted, and needs to come down to a small clip, then across the lap to the buckle.
• Rear seats fold up sideways, and the floor is not flat. In fact I could not find and bolt holes to in the rear floow where I could perhaps bolt a false floor and set of rear drawers and anchor the Waco fridge.
• Steel Spare (ie non alloy and different to all the other wheels in appearance) mounted externally underneath the rear of the vehicle.
• Fortuner has a quoted fuel economy of 8.6l/100km.
• Fortuner has part time 4wd
• Fortuner GXL has no sat nav
• Fortuner has no 12-240volt inverter ...(may not be a big issue though, as the Prado only had a 100w inverter anyway)
• Fortuner GXL middle row seat belt pillar mounts are not height adjustable

	Prado GXL "GD" Diesel Auto	Fortuner GXL Diesel auto
Length:	4930	4795 (135mm shorter)
Width:	1885	1855 (30mm narrower)
Height:	1890	1835 (55mm shorter)
Wheel base:	2790	2745 (45mm shorter WB)
Weight:	2.3 T	2.11T (190kg lighter)
Payload:	675kg	Fortuner is 670kg ( 5kg less)

Thanks for starting this thread.

I am on the verge of buying another GXL Diesel Prado, but I have taken a 2016 GXL Fortuner for a drive...and wow, it drives well. I could be convinced, but I will miss the large fuel tank in the Prado.

[Shaun]

Hi 4b4me,

I agree that being more specific definitely has its benefits, but for now I wanted to just get the general differences in there and hopefully generate some conversation, because unfortunately I haven't been able to drive every model in each of the different brands (you have no idea how much I would love to do that) etc and this is where knowledge like your experiences with them both are really helpful.

I have to agree with everything you have said between the two vehicles, the Prado is bit more feature heavy, although, I do like the cleaner look of the spare being hidden away on the fortuner and that is definitely robbing you of the space where your bigger fuel tank would go. This could become a conversion where the spare is put on a rear bar and the tank takes up the rear wheel space, I guess we will have to see what gets released...

I have mainly been in the now older generation 150 series Prado's mainly in GX's and I felt that the Fortuner was a bit newer tech, but it has to be, I guess because it is newer from the ground up. One only has to look around to see the sheer amount of Prado's in the bush, at Bunnings and at the mall to see that it is still an excellent vehicle because true indications are generally evident by mass public choice. I do believe that younger families can benefit from the more attractive pricing, and I suppose its not too often when most people would squeeze five adults into the car. But at the end of the day it all hinges around what is best for the person buying the vehicle. I think the extra 7-8K could go a long way in terms of extra gear to make it more capable, of course, when it starts to be released.

I am interested to see what your final choice is and either way let us know how you go!

[Shaun]

That post got way longer! All valid points though!

[4b4me]

Thanks Shaun,

Yeh, my post got longer....sorry Shaun...can I keep editing the original post ..if that works ...I am making a list of items to compare the Prado and Fortuner for myself..so I might as well make the list on the forum if that's ok? It might just help someone else perhaps

I have had a 2010 150 Auto Diesel Prado for the past 5 years, and really got into the world of "Prados" ....and up until the past couple of months I was simply going to get another Prado....but the new Fortuner, and Hil;ux had me looking.. The hilux is quite expensive for what it is, especially when I add in the price of a rear canopy etc (as we wont want a torneau cover), and I test drove the Fortuner and it seems to be great....for us anyway, perhaps we don't need quite as big a car as the Prado...and in fact we may not need the rear third row seats (although it makes it easier to sell if you have 7 seats).

The only thing that worries me, and why I might just take my time in buying a replacement for my Prado, is that the Prado and Fortuner (and Hilux) all have a "new" engine, and I believe there have been a few teething problems (as with any new car), so I might not rush to buy before Christmas. I have heard of one new 2016 Prado that has simply stopped, and the dealer has yet to find the problem, after quite a few weeks, and the owner has been without a car the whole time. It wont put me off, but it just reinforces the idea of not rushing immediately to buy a new model until any bugs have been ironed out.

Anyway, it all depends when I sell my existing Prado, which has just recently been put up for sale.

Carsales Ad ID SSE-AD-3677248

In the mean time, the Fortuner is tempting me....but if I get a Fortuner I will miss the 150 litre fuel tank. And the Fortuner spare, whilst underneath, is a basic "steel spare" (and I like to rotate all 5 wheels every 20,000km), and to put the spare on a rear wheel carrier may be tricky as the rear door opens upwards..perhaps?

[Shaun]

All good 4b4me! Its a community that we can all contribute to and you are posting some great info so keep it up!

I agree the Hilux is a lot of outlay for what it is, but people will pay the money because of its reputation. I think the Hilux suits a certain kind of buyer and I have never really been a ute person myself. I had one before and it was not well loved by the family...

Like you say new engine, new problems but the boys at Toyota have a reputation to upkeep and will definitely iron out any issues pretty quickly I would hope.

I had a look at your ad and your Prado looks in really good shape and without looking at your vehicle in person, you seem to have maintained it impeccably. Feel free to post it in the for sale section on the website, although we have just started up, and there is only a few users on the site, there has been quite a lot of traffic going through the site in the last week. It might bump up your views on the advert.

The carriers can be a pain and the steely is a bit budget.

Well I think you are spending a lot of time on the Fortuner website so you may already have a soft spot for the vehicle

[4b4me]

My dear wife took one good look through a Fortuner on the weekend ... and its crossed off the list...interior colour, (who came up with that brown colour!)...the middle row seat space too narrow, fold up rear seats...not good.....she was seriously not impressed...and she is easily pleased...honestly...if you sit in the middle of the middle row of seats, you have the weirdest seat belt arrangement....belt comes out of roof, down to a small clip at your left hip, and across your lap to a buckle that even the thinnest of adults would virtually be sitting on...sorry, but the Fortuner did not pass the SWMBO test...(mind you, she has been spoilt by driving a Prado for the past five years)...I think the Fortuner will have a market, but I don't think it will truly compete with the Prado, IMHO

[davidd]

Shaun, where did you get the ground clearance figures from mate? Every motoring writer in the country has claimed 279mm for the Fortuner, and allowing for your misprint you are claiming 279 as well. My 6 week old fortuner GX manual has 225 mm under the diff and I have measured a few other new unplated ones in car yards and they are 225 mm as well. Also checked 4 new unplated Hiluxes and again 225 mm under the diff. Is there an error here or is there already a new model coming out in 2016 with 279 mm clearance? It would take a strange shaped diff or very very large diameter wheels to lift the vehicle another 55 mm. I'm not having a shot at you. I'm just really intrigued to see what is going on here mate. As for the back seats it took me 2 weeks before I got rid of the things. They are easy to get out. And thanks for a great site. Very well set up.
Cheers.

[Shaun]

My dear wife took one good look through a Fortuner on the weekend ... and its crossed off the list...interior colour, (who came up with that brown colour!)...the middle row seat space too narrow, fold up rear seats...not good.....she was seriously not impressed...and she is easily pleased...honestly...if you sit in the middle of the middle row of seats, you have the weirdest seat belt arrangement....belt comes out of roof, down to a small clip at your left hip, and across your lap to a buckle that even the thinnest of adults would virtually be sitting on...sorry, but the Fortuner did not pass the SWMBO test...(mind you, she has been spoilt by driving a Prado for the past five years)...I think the Fortuner will have a market, but I don't think it will truly compete with the Prado, IMHO

Hi 4b4me,

Ah well, not for everyone I guess. And again, I think these are things that you as an owner have to be happy with. I think it remains to be seen as to whether the Fortuner will do well against the Prado. I think the very thing that got the Prado up to its strength today was in the fact that it was more affordable and the more budget choice than the Land Cruiser in the old days. The Fortuner may very well be playing the Prado at its own game. I reckon after a few years the Fortuner may give it a run for its money in sales. But all speculation for now, I am going to sit back with a pale ale and see what happens

Anyway, please don't make yourself a stranger even though you have decided against it!

[Shaun]

Shaun, where did you get the ground clearance figures from mate? Every motoring writer in the country has claimed 279mm for the Fortuner, and allowing for your misprint you are claiming 279 as well. My 6 week old fortuner GX manual has 225 mm under the diff and I have measured a few other new unplated ones in car yards and they are 225 mm as well. Also checked 4 new unplated Hiluxes and again 225 mm under the diff. Is there an error here or is there already a new model coming out in 2016 with 279 mm clearance? It would take a strange shaped diff or very very large diameter wheels to lift the vehicle another 55 mm. I'm not having a shot at you. I'm just really intrigued to see what is going on here mate. As for the back seats it took me 2 weeks before I got rid of the things. They are easy to get out. And thanks for a great site. Very well set up.
Cheers.

Hi Davidd,

All good mate, we need this kind of thing to keep the forum true to what it should be. I am going to say I am guilty of using the manufacturers spec on this one. I think they may be doing a bit "interpretation" of the standards and the best version I could find was here:

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/n...sr324/s73.html

Now they say that the ground clearance should be measured halfway between the axles and then the lowest point from there. I see your point about measuring the lowest point of the car that is not meant to be in contact with the ground and that does seem to be the way the rest of google does it as well. This would normally be related to break over angle. I think they may argue with reference to these standards and on a road that would be perfectly fine but a real world rut/rock/stump etc I think the 225 is your best bet for an accurate representation of ability.

I also think that smoke and mirrors are sometimes used in these cases and we wont talk about another very respectable german car manufacturer about their little emissions debacle either

Yeah, I would probably get rid of the seats as well. I think as a family wagon maybe worth keeping but my waeco is not going to fit very well in there...

[davidd]

Mate when you stand at the rear of the vehicle with those seats out it's like looking into the mouth of a cave. Yeh, I've got a waeco 60 liitre I've been using for years It runs offf a huge deep cycle battery which used to hook up to a redarc. But now I can put both the battery and fridge in the back and plug the battery into the 12v plug in the back. real easy. And plenty of storage room left. Makes it easier to load up the camper trailer. That ground clearance thing is a con. Up till now it has always been the hight of the diff basically. Always has been on every other 4wd I have owned or driven, certainly all other toyotas as far as I know and always quoted as such. All the other manufacturers seem to be doing it the old way as well. Very misleading. Thanks for clearing that up. This is a great forum already. All we need are a couple of good techies and a couple of Toyota mechanics to round it out.
Cheers.

[Shaun]

Glad its fitting well. I was thinking when I get mine I may put the battery out front and run a separate feed to the back to allow it to take up less space but I have always been a bit hesitant to pull off the panels in a new car...

Well hopefully as the user base grows we will have a few more different types on here. My first time running a forum so I don't always get it right but Im learning!

[tempestv8]

A little late but better to update this existing thread.

The ground clearance number was incorrect, and the 3rd row seats are not meant to be removed:

https://practicalmotoring.com.au/car...ot-removeable/