Toyota Fortuner Mild Hybrid Debuts In South Africa

Toyota South Africa has launched a mild hybrid version of the Fortuner SUV. It is similar to the Hilux mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV) that was unveiled globally last year. It gets the same 2.8-litre diesel engine but now gets a 48V mild hybrid assist.

The hybrid powertrain produces 201 bhp and 500 Nm of torque and is only mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox. Toyota says the 48V battery provides a boost of 16 bhp and 65 Nm through the motor to help the engine with improved acceleration and efficiency. Speaking of which, Toyota claims the hybrid system improves fuel efficiency by five per cent, compared to the standard Fortuner with the 2.8-litre diesel engine. 

The Fortuner hybrid is available with rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. Other changes in the South African model, over the Indian model, include a 360-degree camera, Toyota Safety Sense ADAS suite and a different alloy wheel design. 

At the moment, there is no information on whether the Fortuner MHEV will make its way to India. In South Africa, the Fortuner MHEV retails between ZAR 834,800 (roughly ₹36.44 lakh) and ZAR 972,300 (roughly ₹42.44 lakh). In comparison, the Fortuner in India retails between ₹33.43 lakh and ₹51.44 lakh (ex-showroom, India).