We are not big fans of SUVs, owing to the big space they occupy, especially on crowded roads. However, after taming the 11 obstacles at Toyota’s Fortuner Experiential Drive Camp, we realised that having an SUV is as good as having fun, as feeling protected.
The drive was organised recently by Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) to test the new Fortuner in a place where it would feel at home.
Track-thumping
A rugged 2-km track has been specially laid out, posing challenges at different levels, and is made up of all kinds of off-road obstacles, such as steep inclines, descents, slush, deep water, and some articulation. Such a rigid track would test the limits of one’s driving skills, and also the car’s endurance. Step on the gas, and here is what we do at each obstacle:
*Acceleration Zone: With both hands stiff on the steering, pushing the accelerator to the core, and braking it instantly with 50-60 kmph. The objective of the acceleration zone is to test the power of the new Fortuner when put on a non-tarmac road. One has to stop the car in a straight line, which the Fortuner does effortlessly, aided by its ABS system.
*Deep Ditch: You don’t realise that it is 10-12 feetdeep, until you slowly go deeper. The objective of the deep ditch is not only to test one’s patience, the approach and departure angle. This is a very important feature, since it simulates going into a ditch or a pothole. When you drive down the ditch, the car’s bumper remains safe, thanks to its high ground clearance.
*Big Mound: This feature is not for the faint-hearted. This is an experience of real extreme, adventure driving. One of the most scariest moment is when you slightly inch up 15-ft high and stop, our heart stopped for a while, as all we see is the sky. We are forced to stop the SUV for close to 10 seconds. There are two major aspects to highlight; the Hill Start Assist and the Down Hill Assist Control. When you are stuck on an inclination climbing up, in bad traffic — bumper-to-bumper kind of situation, you don’t want the car to roll back.
It can take a while for you to pull your leg from the brake to the accelerator. In the meantime, the car usually goes back, which surprisingly doesn’t happen in this SUV. Even at a high incline, the car will not roll back, so you don’t have to panic.
Most of the time, lots of people don’t know how to use the car when coming downhill. The car is so intelligent, that it takes care of the entire thing, braking, acceleration, etc. So you don’t need to touch the accelerator or the brake. Only thing you need to do is hold the wheel and steer the car. The maximum speed at with which it comes down is 5 kmph.
*Chicken Holes/Rumblers: These potholes offer a feel infamous Bengaluru roads. Generally, when you are in an SUV, you are thrown all over the place. In fact, the previous Fortuner was bumpy. But the new Fortuner’s suspension is very stiff.
*Water Wading: In case you take the 4WD for an adventure sport, there could be situations where you might need to cross a river. The Fortuner’s water wading capacity is about 27 inches (around 700 mm). That is the actual depth at which the Fortuner can go into the water, wade and come out of the situation. The air-filter intake is at that position, and once the water enters the air filter, the engine will stop. We are talking about the OE (original equipment) that comes in a car. There are people who use enhancements, and wade into the water much deeper.
From a layman’s perspective, today, there is a lot of rain and flooding happening. In Mumbai, when it rains, roads are clogged with water, and people get stuck in the middle of the roads. Most of the customers are not willing to take their car out. Even in that kind of a situation, the comfort that this car provides you to take it out is high. This obstacle is to highlight how much wading depth it can take.
*Articulation: This refers to the wheel articulation, and at the same time, we can experience active traction control. Active traction control is to supply power to the wheels which are on the ground. It is called the axle twister effect. When the car is travelling diagonally, only two wheels will be on the ground, and two wheels will be in the air. The power supply to the wheels which are in the air, is disconnected, and it is given to the wheels that are on the ground, which helps the car in coming out of the situation.
Thus, it will not get stuck. In layman’s language, the 4WD system helps one boldly go where one has never gone before. You don’t need a road, and wherever you go, the roads will be created by the 4WD system. Also, with this particular obstacle, you can check how strong the chassis is. The roads are never level, and there is a lot of torsional rigidity that the new chassis gives. It is built upon one of the most proven cars from Toyota, which is the Hilux. Torsional rigidity and wheel articulation are also shown here. Even when you buy these cars, until you know what their capabilities are, you may not try doing it.
*Side Inclination/Slush: We take on a ramp with the side 40-degree angle inclination, just to check how much it can stand without getting toppled. One is driving on a blind zone, and one can hardly see. You have to believe in yourself, and give it a try.
The Sigma 4 signifies that the Fortuner is a true SUV. Active Traction Control is an important feature in the car. In case there is a slippage in the wheel, it will pull the power off that wheel, and give full traction to the wheel that has good traction control. That is normal traction control. In case of active traction control, in case you are driving on a tarmac and suddenly, you get into a sandy or a slippery road, this active traction control will adapt to that situation. You don’t need to manually go and change the settings, it is automatically set. This is a very important feature, as you can concentrate more on your driving than sitting and fiddling around with the settings in the car.