2020 Toyota Fortuner: Safety explained

What sets Toyota apart from its rivals is the advanced safety systems that come as standard equipment across the brand's entire lineup. Toyota cars not only keep drivers and passengers safe during a collision but also carry the potential to help them avoid accidents altogether. In today’s story, we are putting a spotlight on the safety features of the 2020 Toyota Fortuner that made its debut in Thailand back in June and has also received a perfect 5-star safety rating from the ASEAN NCAP (New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian Countries). 

Also read: 2020 Toyota Fortuner: Five things that are new

For 2020, the Japanese automaker added the Toyota Safety Sense suite in the Fortuner specs sheet along with the other advanced bits. In the local market, the new Fortuner with TSS is still awaited, but we expect its arrival soon as its ute sibling, the 2020 Toyota Hilux loaded with TSS, has touched the Malaysian shores last month. So, here we have listed the safety features available in New Fortuner and ongoing Fortuner to highlight the difference.

Ongoing Toyota Fortuner	New Toyota Fortuner
7 SRS Airbags	7 SRS Airbags
Vehicle Stability Control	Vehicle Stability Control
Hill-Start Assist Control	Hill-Start Assist Control
Downhill Assist Control	Downhill Assist Control
ABA with BA	ABS with EBD and BA
Active Traction Control	Tractional Control System
Blindspot monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert	Panoramic View Monitor with 3D View
Emergency Stop Signal	Trailer Sway Control
Parking Sensors (Front and Rear)	Parking Sensors (6 positions)
ELR Seatbelts	ELR Seatbelts
	Auto Limited Slip Differential
	TSS - Pre-Collision System Lane Departure Warning with Steering Assist Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
	Front and rear disc brakes
	Theft Deterrent System and Immobilizer
	New tyre turning angle on the MID

Starting with the most significant addition, the Toyota Safety Sense, which addresses the three common accidents that motorists face - frontal collisions, unintended lane departure, and nighttime accidents. It includes six active safety and driver assistance systems, however, the 2020 Toyota Fortuner gets only three out of those. 

The pre-collision system automatically alerts the driver with a buzzer and applies the brakes in case of an increased risk of a frontal collision. The lane departure alert detects lane markings on straight roads, road edges, and alerts the driver to check the road, and go back to the centre of the lane. The last on the list is the dynamic radar cruise control, which is most suited for highway driving and lets the driver drive at a preset speed. It uses a vehicle-to-vehicle distance control system that automatically adjusts the SUV’s speed to maintain a safe distance.

Other features that sit a notch above the basic safety bits are:

Blindspot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert: These are for an extra precaution. An indicator appears on the side-view mirror when there is an object in the blind spot, while the rear cross-traffic alert notifies the driver about people or vehicles passing behind the SUV.

Vehicle stability control: It prevents the SUV from spinning and provides optimal stability in case of varying roads and weather conditions by applying brakes individually to each wheel to prevent oversteer or understeer.

Traction control: This system provides more traction when accelerating on slippery surfaces by applying brakes to the wheels individually and reduces engine power to lessen wheel spin.

Hill-start assist control: This stops the vehicle from rolling back on a steep slope. When the driver lifts his/her foot off the brake pedal, the pressure is maintained just before the accelerator is pressed.

Trailer sway control: It works in two steps, first, it detects any swaying caused by high side winds or erratic steering, and then automatically applies brake pressure to the individual wheels. It also brings the trailer under control; it alerts/communicates with the vehicles behind the trailer through the brake lights. 

Panoramic view monitor with a 3D view: Another new feature available in the Toyota Fortuner is the Panoramic View Monitor, which allows the driver to see a three-dimensional view of the front, sides, and behind the SUV. It includes 4 cameras installed on the front grille, under both side mirrors, and on the tailgate.

Theft-deterrent system and immobilizer: This feature is designed to prevent vehicle theft when it is left unattended. The way it works, when the driver inserts the key into the ignition switch, the key transmits an electric code to the vehicle. The code is located in a transponder chip inside the key and the only way to start the vehicle is by matching the code key with the code in the vehicle’s immobilizer.

2020 Toyota Fortuner ASEAN NCAP rating

In the ASEAN NCAP crash test, the 2020 Toyota Fortuner received a five-star rating with a total score of 87.46 points. Category-wise points are:

• Adult Occupant Protection - 34.03 out of 36
• Child Occupant Protection - 43.38 out of 49
• Safety Assist Technologies - 13 out of 18

Summing up

After going through the Toyota Fortuner safety features in detail, it is quite justifiable to say that it is one of the safest midsize SUVs available in the automotive industry. In the local market, it is currently available in three trims - 2.4 AT, 2.4 VRZ AT, and 2.7 SRZ AT with a starting price of RM 162,178.

Also read: 2021 Toyota Fortuner, Hilux new accessories released in Thailand