Toyota recently introduced a mild-hybrid variant of the Fortuner in South Africa which shares its mild-hybrid technology with the Hilux MHEV that was revealed last year. After South Africa, the SUV is also expected to go on sale in other markets very soon.

Toyota Fortuner MHEV – More Power with Increased Efficiency

Design-wise, the South African-spec Fortuner MHEV is powered by the 2.8-litre diesel engine, paired with a 48V mild-hybrid system. This hybrid setup provides an additional 16 hp and 42 Nm with the total output now bumped up to 201 hp and 500 Nm. The motor is mated with a 6-speed automatic gearbox as standard and has both 2WD and 4WD on offer. Toyota also claims that the Fortuner MHEV now gets a better throttle response and smoother engine restart, all thanks to its new idle start-stop feature.

The brand further states that the Mild-hybrid Fortuner MHEV is 5 per cent more fuel-efficient than the standard Fortuner 2.8 diesel. Apart from the MHEV, the SUV now also gets the Toyota Safety Sense ADAS suite and a 360-degree camera along with a few minor interior style tweaks.

The Fortuner MHEV and the Hilux MHEV are being rolled out globally in a planned manner although India is continuing with the regular Fortuner and Hilux for now. Toyota currently sells petrol, petrol-hybrid, petro-CNG and diesel-powered models in our market and it remains to be seen if the brand plans to bring its diesel mild-hybrid model here. Apart from that, Toyota also plans to introduce its first mass-market EV in India, which is essentially a cousin of the upcoming Maruti eVX SUV, which will arrive in early 2025, due to a delay in the Start of Production.