Toyota Fortuner VS BMW X3
Toyota Fortuner
Likes
- Capable 4WD
- Rugged build
- Function over fashion
Dislikes
- Feels old
- Lacklustre performance
- Driver-assist tech needs work
BMW X3
Likes
- Dynamics are right up there
- Base model is a terrific formula
- Electrification hasn't imposed compromises
Dislikes
- Panoramic sunroof doesn't open
- Gear selector seems fiddly
- Strictly a five-seater
Summary
Toyota Fortuner
The Toyota Fortuner has been around since 2015 with very few significant changes in the years between then and now.
And that’s telling because the HiLux-based Fortuner has never managed to make the mark in its market segment that Toyota would so dearly like it to.
With a new Fortuner possibly due in the not-too-distant future – with Toyota’s mild-hybrid 48V V-Active system onboard perhaps? – it’s worth revisiting the seven-seat Fortuner to see how the current ageing 4WD wagon stands up against its fresher rivals.
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Read on.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.8L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.6L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
BMW X3
If you’ve ever wondered when cars will stop getting bigger…continue to wonder. Because if you’re BMW, it hasn’t happened yet.
The new, fourth-generation BMW X3 is here now and as well as being bigger in every dimension apart from height, it also ushers in revised versions of existing tech, a standardisation of what was once optional and has brought hybridisation to every model in the new line-up.
Just as the 3 Series was once BMW’s bread-and-butter model, in the SUV age, at least some of that responsibility must fall at the X3’s feet. So it’s an important model and one that BMW must get right. At the same time, the new X3 brings into the spotlight the latest corporate design language and BMW, as much as any carmaker, knows how risky that can be.
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The brand also understands how divisive the latest interface technology can be, but has elected to fit it to the X3 anyway. That’s faith in the product, right there. But will punters be of the same opinion?
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | —L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Toyota Fortuner 7/10
The Toyota Fortuner is a family friendly wagon and a very capable 4WD, but it’s looking and feeling decidedly old, especially when cross-shopped against the current highly competitive 4WD wagon market in which vehicles are increasingly stylish, sophisticated and packed with driver-assist tech (that isn't clunky) and standard features (that are extensive).
The Fortuner is practical and easy to live with as a daily driver, and in GXL spec it makes a lot of sense as a functional not flashy off-road tourer, but it’s far from the best family 4WD wagon around.
Until a next-generation Fortuner possibly arrives, there are plenty of Toyota fans who’d happily settle for a current Fortuner – if they haven’t already.
BMW X37.5/10
If a BMW X3 is for you, then we have no quarrels with that. It’s a better all-round vehicle than the one it replaces and represents better value. And even though BMW mandates a hybrid driveline, there are still some significant choices within that framework.
By all means buy the M50 if you crave the rush of acceleration that almost 300kW can provide. And if efficiency is your altar of choice, then the plug-in 30e makes a lot of sense, too.
But even if you can afford either of those two more expensive variants, whatever you do, don’t dismiss the entry-level 20 model. At least drive it alongside the others and then make a decision based on all the facts, and not the assumption that entry-level equals the car you afford rather than the car you want.
It might be cheaper, but there’s absolutely no doubt that the 20 model is the one that shines and arguably makes the most of the opportunities BMW’s latest tech offers.
Sometimes less really is more.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.
Design
Toyota Fortuner
The GXL is 4795mm long with a 2745mm wheelbase. It is 1855mm wide, 1835mm high and has a listed kerb weight of 2185kg. It has a 11.6m turning circle.
Not a lot has changed in terms of the Fortuner’s looks over the years and while it stubbornly retains that pleasingly non-offensive exterior of most modern SUVs, it does manage to not be totally bland.
The GXL is a body-on-frame 4WD based the HiLux, so it’s no sports car in appearance whether you gaze at it from the front, side, rear or from a bird’s eye view, but it doesn’t look like a block of rotten wood, so unless you’re looks-obsessed, then you should be okay driving this around.
The Fortuner interior is looking dated and the standard dark grey fabric cloth seats, though well-suited to coping with day-to-day messes and spills, don’t do the cabin any favours either, and – you know what? – I don’t mind any of it. Note our test vehicle on this occasion had black leather-accented seats as part of its GXL Option Pack, but I've spent time in cloth-seat Fortuners.
BMW X3
It might be badged an X3, but this is no small vehicle. In fact, it’s bigger than the original BMW X5 (which set the tone for this entire market segment) with a length of 4755mm (4667mm for the first X5) and a width of 1920mm (1872mm). That said, it’s 25mm lower than the outgoing X3 in a move to emphasise its sportiness. Shorter it may be, but it’s also 16mm wider on the front track and 45mm wider on the rear than the outgoing model.
BMWs latest styling cues also appear in the new car, including the large, split-kidney grille that, for Australian-delivered cars, is also lit around its edges. The short overhangs that characterised the original X5 (and soon characterised this whole BMW genre) remain, and the T-graphic LED tail-lights round out the stylistic touches.
The other thing we noticed (and we’ve seen it on other cars recently) is a panoramic sunroof that doesn’t actually open.
Practicality
Toyota Fortuner
The Fortuner’s cabin has a comfortably familiar feel to it and, thankfully, this interior is all about function not fashion.
It’s a practical space, with standard cloth seats (as mentioned our test vehicle has the Option Pack leather-accented seats, but I’ve spent enough drive time in Fortuners with cloth seats to know how those cope with the mess and dirt of everyday life), carpet floors with rubber mats, and durable plastic surfaces everywhere.
Up front, there’s an 8.0-inch multimedia screen (too small, not clear and bright enough) and that system has USB-connected Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (no wireless anything), and a 4.2-inch colour driver’s display, which is too small, too basic and part of an outdated mix of analogue and not-new-enough digital instrumentation.
There are the usual storage spaces – including a glovebox, a centre console, a tray for your smartphone, pop-out cup-holders on the outboard edges of the dash – and a USB port and a 12V socket for charging purposes.
The Fortuner’s three rows are in a 2-3-2 seat configuration. The 60/40 split-fold second-row seat has a one-touch, tumble feature. The 50/50 third-row seats are able to be stowed away, sort of. When folded to each side they protrude into the load space, reducing the size of what would otherwise be a more useable cargo area.
It’s reasonably comfortable in the second row; I sat behind my driving position and I had adequate head and knee room.
The second row has cup holders in the fold-down armrest, ceiling-mounted controls for the aircon, and two ISOFIX and three top-tether anchor points.
All three rows get aircon – with ceiling-mounted vents – and there are a few storage spaces in the third row, but no cup-holders.Â
In terms of comfort, it’s ordinary back here; the seats are flat and unsupportive – and, for anyone other than children, the space is tight.Â
Boot space is listed as 200 litres with the third-row seats in use, and in that area there are cargo hooks and a 12V socket.
Stow away the third-row and cargo space increases to 716 litres. But the seats still jut into the cargo area, greatly reducing your actual useable load space, and they also obscure a lot of driver vision to the rear.
With the second and third rows out of the way you have a listed 1080L of cargo area.
BMW X3
Cabin space is plentiful in the X3 with loads of room in the front, possibly thanks to the dashboard that is pulled back from you with only the twin screens and steering column offering themselves up to the driver. Even the air-vents are somewhat hidden. There’s good vision out and the seats themselves are lovely. The step into the cabin feels to be at just the right height, too; not too high, not too low.
Rear seating is good, too, although the X3 will always be better as a four seater than five thanks to the shape of the rear bench, but the glass roof opens the space up and there’s plenty of charging points and storage nooks. The sun blinds on the rear-side windows of the more expensive versions should be standard kit on every car sold in Australia.
We’ll take exception to the new gear-selector which doesn’t have a defined Park position and instead relies on applying the park-brake to engage Park. But the ambient light and contrasting cabin colours are a bit of a breath of fresh air.
There are levers in the cargo area to quickly fold the rear seats (60:40) at which point luggage space jumps from 570 litres in the mild hybrid cars to 1700 litres. The battery-pack of the 30e model means that luggage space starts at 460 litres and can be expanded to 1600 litres.
The latest version of BMW’s sometimes controversial iDrive operating system is simpler and easier to use than before and supported by a new operating system, but there’s still some familiarisation necessary. One improvement has been the addition of QuickSelect which works somewhat like the old favourites button system and gets around the need to drill into menus to access the functions you want.
A head-up display is a terrific addition, although where some displays are more tolerant of polarised sunglasses, the HUD in the BMW didn’t like mine and went dark at the most inconvenient angles.
None of the X3 variants feature a spare tyre of any sort. The 19-inch tyres on the base grade are run-flats, while everything else gets a repair kit for roadside emergencies.
If you want to tow, the good news is that all X3 variants can do so. But you will need to purchase the $2200 towing package which enables the X3 to haul a trailer weighing up to 2000kg with a maximum tow-ball down-weight of 200kg.
Price and features
Toyota Fortuner
Our test vehicle is the GXL, the mid-spec variant in a line-up topped and tailed by the base-spec GX and the top-shelf Crusade.
The GXL has a starting price of $58,895 plus on-road costs.
Standard features onboard this seven-seat 4WD wagon include a 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), a six-speaker sound system, digital radio, manually adjustable seats and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Exterior paint choices include Glacier White (no extra cost) or premium paints Frosted White, Graphite, Stunning Silver, Eclipse Black, Feverish Red, Phantom Brown, and Saturn Blue, which all cost $675 extra.
Our test vehicle has the Option Pack, which includes black leather-accented seats and eight-way power-adjustable front seats.
BMW X3
The new X3 range kicks off with three distinct models. There’s the entry-level 20 xDrive at $86,100, the 30e xDrive at $104,100 and the big-hitting M50 xDrive at $128,900, all before on-road costs.
Both the 20 xDrive and the M50 xDrive feature a 48-volt mild hybrid driveline, while the 30e xDrive goes all the way with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) layout. All variants also feature BMW’s permanent all-wheel-drive system.
BMW claims greater standard equipment than ever before, and even the entry-level 20 xDrive has plenty of kit including 19-inch alloy wheels, tri-zone climate-control, the virtual cockpit screens with a curved central info screen, a six-speaker, 100-Watt stereo, acoustic glass, auto headlights, an auto tailgate, keyless entry and start, digital radio, powered and heated front seats, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and wireless phone charging.
The PHEV model adds 20-inch alloys, the M Sport package including blue brake calipers, and a leather steering wheel, as well as the Comfort Package which adds heated seats for the second row of outer seats, a roller sun-blind for each rear-side window, ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, tinted glass and a luggage net. The 30e also gets parking assistant, a panoramic sunroof (a non-opening one), and a surround camera system.
Move up to the M50 variant, and you’re in for no-cost metallic paint, 21-inch alloys, a 15-speaker stereo, quad exhaust tips, M-specific details such as the mirror caps and aero add-ons. You also get a range of kit as standard that comes as an extra-cost option on the other two variants. Those include the enhancement pack that includes an alarm system, surround sound, M Sport Pro Package (various trim highlights, red brake calipers, M seat belts) and the Comfort Package that is also standard on the 30e.
The value headline is that, compared with the previous model, some variants of the new car are actually cheaper on an apples-with-apples basis. The base model car in its previous form was, by the time you added the now-standard M Sport package, dearer at $88,100, and the previous 30e optioned to include the standard kit the new car has, (heated rear seat, acoustic glass, roller blinds and more) was also (much) more expensive at $111,800. And although the M50 model in its previous guise was slightly cheaper at $126,800, it lacked the hybrid driveline, metallic paint and M Sport Pro package the new car has as standard.
Under the bonnet
Toyota Fortuner
Every Fortuner in the line-up has a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine – producing 150kW and 500Nm – and that’s matched to a six-speed automatic transmission.
In terms of performance, the Fortuner is not going to set any hearts a-flutter: it’s sluggish off the mark, it takes a heavy right boot to make it feel like anything other than lacklustre on the move, and the six-speed auto downshifts quite harshly at times, especially when going up or down long, gradual inclines on the highway.
However, the 4WD set-up is effective, with adequate low-range gearing, a quietly efficient (but a tad clunky) off-road traction control system, and a rear diff lock.
BMW X3
Hybrid tech across the board is the key phrase here, with the base-model 20 xDrive fitted with a mild hybrid electric motor and battery pack that works in conjunction with the 2.0-litre, turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine. Power is 140kW and torque 310Nm. Like most mild hybrids, the electric motor offers power regeneration during braking, a mellow (by EV standards) kick in the pants during take-off and acceleration and also acts as the car’s starter motor.
The performance flagship, the M50 xDrive taps into the same technical philosophy with a mild hybrid augmenting the turbocharged six-cylinder inline petrol engine. In this case, however, peak power is a hefty 293kW and torque maxes out at 580Nm.
The most technically adventurous X3 is the 30e xDrive which uses plug-in hybrid tech to offer a claimed 91km of electric driving, about twice that offered by the original X3 PHEV it replaces. When the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol as fitted to the 20 xDrive, and the electric motor are humming along together, there’s 220kW of power and 450Nm for the taking. The PHEV X3 can run in purely electric mode at up to a claimed 140km/h.
All variants use BMW’s familiar eight-speed automatic transmission and in each case, drive is sent to all four wheels on a permanent basis. Interestingly, the 30e and M50 versions package their electric motor as part of the engine-transmission combination. The 20, meanwhile, places its electric motor externally, as part of the drive-belt rotating assembly.
The M50 model has an M button that unleashes the full performance with one touch, and features an electronically locking rear differential in the interests of high-speed turn-in.
Adaptive suspension that varies the degree of damping is also part of the package on each X3 variant.
Efficiency
Toyota Fortuner
The Fortuner has official fuel consumption of 7.6L/100km.
On this test I recorded 9.6L/100km.
Going by my on-test fuel figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 833km from this Fortuner’s full 80-litre tank.
BMW X3
As you might expect, the PHEV 30e model is the efficiency superstar of the X3 line-up with an official combined test figure of just 1.6 litres per 100km and 38 grams of CO2 per kilometre. The four-cylinder 20 xDrive is not bad for its size at 7.5L/100km (and 171g), yet the bruising six-cylinder M50 version with all that performance is not too far behind with an official figure of 8.2L/100km (187g).
The 30e PHEV features a selectable battery-saving mode as well as the option of forcing EV-only running. It features a 19.7kWh battery and BMW claims it can charge using a three-phase, 11kW socket from empty to full in two hours, 15 minutes. It does not make use of fast-chargers.
Exactly how far you’ll travel in the PHEV model will depend hugely on how and where you drive. On long, open road journeys, fuel consumption won’t be much different to the others, but with just a 50-litre fuel tank, it’s range won’t be stellar. But in urban running where the batteries are being recharged for free as you brake, the difference will be significant. Meanwhile, with a 65-litre fuel tank in the mild hybrid grades, the theoretical range (based on the official fuel number) is 865km and 765km for the 20 and M50 respectively.
While BMW recommends premium fuel for maximum efficiency, it also says that each X3 variant will not be harmed by the use of standard ULP if that’s all you can get hold of.
Driving
Toyota Fortuner
On-road, the Fortuner offers up a pretty standard driving experience for a ute-based wagon. It’s on the HiLux ladder-frame chassis, and it has a firm ride, bordering on harsh. Having said that, you do get used to it soon enough and the Fortuner's coil-spring suspension set-up takes most of the sting out of surface irregularities, except for the more severe dips and bumps.
The Fortuner’s driving position offers plenty of visibility – although the A-pillars are bulky and the third-row seats block vision to the rear when they’re folded up to the sides of the cabin.
This 4WD wagon is generally quiet, although there’s noticeable wind-rush noise around the wing mirrors and engine noise builds to a diesel shriek when you use a heavy right boot as is regularly required.
Steering – reach- and rake-adjustable – is adequately light and sharp, and the Fortuner, with its 11.6m turning circle, is reasonably nimble in suburban areas.
Acceleration, from a standing-start or for overtaking, is laggy but available power and torque come in handy during general driving, making the Fortuner more agreeable all-round than previous versions.
The six-speed auto is generally right for the job, but it downshifts harshly, especially when going up or down long, gradually sloping highway stretches. That happens enough for it to be on the wrong side of annoying.
Some aspects of the Fortuner’s driver-assist tech is annoying: active cruise control is too abrupt and pre-emptive, consistently miscalculating the space between the Fortuner and the vehicle in front as accurately as most of its rivals. This clunky application of tech to real-world scenarios works against the Fortuner.Â
While driving a lightly corrugated and rutted dirt track o the way to our set-piece off-road tests, the Fortuner’s ladder-frame chassis yielded a stiff, firm ride, bashing and bouncing over any and all surface imperfections. Airing down the Yokohama Geolandar ATs (265/65R17) from 38 psi (pounds per square inch) to 26 psi takes some sting out of the ride.
The Fortuner is a very capable 4WD with standard off-road measurements, including ground clearance (216mm), approach angle (29 degrees), departure angle (25 degrees) and rampover angle (23.5 degrees). It has a listed wading depth of 700mm.
The Fortuner’s switchable part-time 4WD system has two-wheel drive (H2), and high- (H4) and low-range (L4) four-wheel drive. There’s ample low-end torque on offer – on tap across a broad rev range – for controlled low-speed 4WDing and the unfussed turbo-diesel engine keeps the Fortuner ticking along, without any hassle.Â
Engine braking is good, keeping the Fortuner to a sustained and composed momentum on downhill runs.
The off-road traction control system is an effective set-up, limiting wheel-spin and sending much-needed torque to the tyres with some useable traction, with the aim to keep the vehicle moving along at a safe, controlled pace.
Besides that, the driver always has the option of engaging the rear diff lock for more traction action.
Wheel travel is decent for a wagon like this and if you can get the full suspension flex, and drop any mid-air tyres to the dirt for more traction, chances are you’ll be able to get moving along safely soon enough.
So, the mechanicals are fine – its 4WD set-up is very effective – but the Fortuner doesn’t have a whole lot of ground clearance (a claimed 216mm, standard for a contemporary 4WD wagon) and the side steps are prone to hitting on the edges of steep and deep ruts, but those factors are easily overcome through considered driving and tyres that are better suited to off-roading.Â
The standard Yokohama Geolandar AT tyres are somewhat of a flaw in the Fortuner’s off-roading set-up. Sure, they’re technically all-terrains, but I reckon a better bet for you – if you’re planning to drive anything beyond formed trails – is to invest in a set of more aggressive all-terrains with greater sidewall bite.Â
If you’re planning to use your Fortuner to tow anything, keep in mind that it has a 750kg unbraked towing capacity and 3100kg braked towing capacity. Remember: to be on the safe side, avoid going loading up to anywhere near those capacity figures.
Payload is 615kg (easily reached when you factor in people, pets, camping gear and more), gross vehicle is (GVM) is 2800kg, and gross combined mass (GCM) is 5900kg.
BMW X3
Big heavy SUVS like this one haven’t always been too dainty on their feet. The extra bulk and height mean suspension has to be firmer, the big wheels and subsequent loss of tyre sidewall depth plays against ride quality and before you know it, the compromises have piled up and the driving experience has gone to hell.
This time, however, BMW’s claim that the X3 was designed from the start as an SUV and not converted from a sedan platform seems to hold water. There’s an overall greater sense of cohesion in the way the car steers and flows through corners and faster bends. The steering feel and feedback are a big part of that, too, and the whole seems at least as great as its parts.
The M50 is, predictably, a rocket with loads of accessible acceleration and a great noise while you’re enjoying it. That said, the 21-inch wheels and tyres don’t do anything for ride quality, but it remains an entertaining performance car in a familiar, ICE kind of way.
The plug-in is also perky with its 220kW on tap, but it’s less old-school and more techy. And while you can’t pick the point at which ICE hands over to electric and vice-versa, sensitive drivers will absolutely know that there’s a big dollop of electrical assistance when your right foot starts asking the tough questions. It definitely feels more overtly hybrid, though that shouldn’t be any kind of surprise, purely because that’s precisely the case.
Which brings us to the 20 entry-level grade. And while it’s going to be a controversial statement, this emerges as the most cohesive, rounded variant of the new X3. There’s something in the way the fizzy, bubbly (but very smooth) 2.0-litre four-cylinder provides more than enough urge, but never threatens to dominate the dynamics.
With less weight over the front wheels than the M50, and less weight overall than the PHEV, the 20 corners flatter, steers more intuitively and is simply more fun more of the time. Even on the optional 20-inch tyres, it rides better than the others, too, and might even be better again with the standard 19s other than the fact that those are run flats and we didn’t get try them.
Safety
Toyota Fortuner
The Toyota Fortuner GXL has the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing in 2019. Note the ANCAP safety rating for the Fortuner is based on crash tests of the Toyota Hilux.
Standard safety gear includes seven airbags and driver-assist tech, including AEB with pedestrian (night and day) and cyclist detection (day only), active cruise control, lane departure alert, road sign assist and more.
BMW X3
The X3 – not too surprisingly – runs to all the latest driver assistance programs starting with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) that can identify pedestrians and cyclists. There’s also front collision warning, lane departure warning, parking assistant and a surround camera system. There’s also lane-keeping assistance which is calibrated perfectly and should be the standard for this type of otherwise intrusive technology.
You’ll also find front and rear cross-traffic warning, adaptive cruise control and tyre pressure monitoring.
The X3 hasn’t been ANCAP tested and there’s no real likelihood of that happening in the future.
Ownership
Toyota Fortuner
A five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty covers the Fortuner, which is par for the course these days.
If you stick to the relatively short servicing schedule – six months or 10,000km with at authorised dealerships – Toyota says it will cover the engine and driveline for up to seven years. All warranty elements are subject to terms and conditions, so make sure you’re fully aware of those.
Capped-price servicing applies and, for our test vehicle, it was $290 per appointment for the first five, then $377.38, $813.93, $572.55, $478.93 and $377.38.
BMW X3
BMW’s warranty on the X3 is the company’s usual five-year/unlimited kilometre deal. But in this case, there’s also a six-year/100,000km warranty on the high-voltage battery.
Also typical for BMW is the service interval which is not a set time or distance and instead is determined by how the car has been used. It’s called condition-based servicing and it’s nothing new at BMW.
There’s also capped-price servicing available. For the X3, the five-year/80,000km service package is $2475.