Toyota Legender Neo Drive Review: Worth ₹50 Lakh?

Toyota has given the Fortuner and Legender a mild update, by giving both a mild-hybrid system. And that's really all there is to know about both. 

Toyota Legender Neo Drive Review: Cosmetic Changes

The update to the Fortuner and Legender is only skin-deep with the 48-volt mild-hybrid assist. On the outside, it’s the same old design we’ve seen on the Fortuner and Legender since 2021, when the Fortuner got a facelift. The basic design though has been here since 2016! 9 years and Toyota thinks it can get away with giving the Fortuner a mild-hybrid assist. Well, it kinda can because in its segment, the Fortuner has been unbeatable. Like literally, no real threat because everyone wants a Fortuner!

Toyota Legender Neo Drive Review: Interior Improvements

Inside, though, things are a little different. You get new features like a 360-degree camera, wireless charger and multi-terrain system – basically off-road modes like mud, sand, rock, dirt and deep snow. Oh, and the cluster also shows you the battery percentage too. What you also get with the mild-hybrid system is an idle start-stop system, which Toyota proudly claims increases fuel efficiency. By how much? 45-odd kilometres on a full tank. Which, for this behemoth of an SUV, is quite impressive to be honest.

Toyota, though, has taken something away with this update, too. You no longer get ventilated seats with the Neo Drive variants of the Fortuner and Legender. Why take away things when there was already a dearth? 

Toyota Legender Neo Drive Review: Performance Progress

What's better apart from the enhanced fuel efficiency then? That’s the better response you get when you launch the car. No more jerks, it’s much smoother than before and accelerates gradually, making it comfier for everyone in the car. Other than that, it’s very Fortuner-like. It’s big, it’s burly, and everyone, I mean everyone, will get out of your way.

The Fortuner and Legender’s Neo Drive variants are powered by a 2.8-litre diesel engine with 201 bhp and 500 Nm and come with a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The addition of the mild-hybrid system hasn’t changed the power output at all. 

It is still a torque monster, but it feels more refined than before. It’s like that naughty kid in school finally straightened up his tie to look less shabby. That torque is still so much fun in traffic, easily helps you overtake. Regen braking exists with this mild-hybrid system. 

Toyota Legender Neo Drive Review: Mild-hybrid Mapping

So let’s give you a little background on the Fortuner Neo Drive. Its 48-volt mild-hybrid system gets a belt-integrated starter generator, a DC-DC converter and a secondary lithium-ion battery. The DC-DC converter is under the front passenger seat, and the battery is under the second row. The 48-volt starter generator also helps control the vibrations on startup, which were quite prominent in the Fortuner earlier. For your knowledge, the DC-DC converter helps change the 48-volt current to 12 volts to supply electricity to the auxiliary battery. Despite the new mild-hybrid system, the water wading capacity of the Fortuner remains unchanged at 700 mm.

Toyota Legender Neo Drive Review: Price Positioning

What does the Fortuner Neo Drive cost? ₹44.72 lakh, and if you go for the Legender, it costs ₹50.09 lakh. Is it worth the price? Of course, it’s a Fortuner. Deep down, everyone’s wanted one at some point in time – me included! But just giving the Fortuner a mild-hybrid system shouldn’t fly. Toyota needs to properly update the Fortuner and bring it up to the times.