The Toyota Fortuner GR-Sport – billed as the sportiest (and flagship) iteration of the Prospecton-based firm’s adventure SUV – comes to market with more power, racy looks and handling enhancements. We attended its local launch in the Western Cape.
What’s on Offer?
Debuting a year after the arrival of its 48V mild-hybrid siblings, the 2.8 GD-6 4×4 GR-Sport represents the high-water mark for the 2nd-gen Toyota Fortuner, which debuted in 2016. The model, which received a minor update as recently as 2023, will be replaced in the not too distant future, probably in 2026.
The GR-Sport (GR-S) trim grade has been criticised for being a “badging exercise” or, as some social media commenters have labelled it: “a sticker pack”. Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) took note of that and implemented power/torque increases and suspension enhancements in its GR-S products.
The 1st product to receive such treatment was 2023/24 Ultimate Double Cab finalist, the Hilux GR-Sport III, which combines extroverted wide-body looks with punchier performance. Now it’s the turn of the body-on-frame 7-seat Fortuner adventure SUV to get the same “glow- and step up” treatment.
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As a reminder, GR is the abbreviation for Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s motorsport division; the hierarchy of road cars inspired- or fettled by the GR division is reasonably straightforward: GR denotes performance models, such as the GR Yaris and –Corolla hot hatches, plus the GR86 and GR Supra sportscars, while GR-Sport is applied to variants that have cosmetic enhancements (Corolla Cross GR-S, Land Cruiser 300 GR-S) and, more recently, technical enhancements (Hilux GR-S and the Fortuner GR-S newcomer).
TSAM has kept it simple, with 1 variant available in either an Attitude Black or Platinum Pearl White finish. Standard derivatives are offered in 6 hues, but the limited colour choice doesn’t matter: black and white finishes arguably show off the GR-Sport’s cosmetic upgrades a bit better than the standard palette.
Now, here are more details about the Fortuner GR-Sport’s accoutrements… You can distinguish the newcomer by its subtle badging on the front, rear and flanks. Look closer and you’ll see the front bumper- and grille treatment is a touch more aggressive. There are new front foglamp surrounds too.
At the rear, there’s a diffuser, which looks the part, but we suspect its design may limit the potential of fitting a towbar. The striking black 18-inch GR alloy wheels are wrapped in Dunlop all-terrain rubber.
The biggest news, which will please the aforementioned armchair critics, is that Toyota has spiced up the powertrain. The 2.8-litre GD-6 turbodiesel motor produces 165 kW and 550 Nm, which is 15 kW and 50 Nm more than the standard 2.8GD-6. Toyota says this is the most potent series-produced Fortuner and, like the rest of the range, the GR-Sport uses a 6-speed automatic transmission that drives all 4 wheels.
There are suspension enhancements too, with TSAM claiming that the Fortuner GR-Sport’s uprated monotube shock absorber setup enhances ride comfort and makes handling more precise. Well, okay, but those are Toyota’s words, not ours! “Precise handling” has never been the Fortuner’s party piece…
The sporty theme continues inside, with no fewer than 5 GR Sport badges dotted around the cabin. The steering wheel, handbrake lever and seat upholstery (plus trim) feature red stitching. Also, the seats have been upgraded to sportier and more supportive GR items, replete with perforated leather and suede.
Being a flagship, the standard specification list is lengthy, with most comfort, convenience and assisted-driving boxes ticked. There are 7 airbags, front/rear parking sensors, stability control, rear cross-traffic alert, a blind-spot monitor, adaptive cruise control and auto emergency braking, to name a few features.
For the audiophiles, a JBL sound system is standard, along with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity and, while there’s just a single USB port at the front of the cabin, rear passengers get twin USB-C ports for rapid charging. All in all, it’s a fair loadout.
That being said, the lack of a wireless charging pad and the low-resolution of the reverse-view camera display blot an otherwise clean copybook. Having such a low-quality camera in a vehicle at this price point in 2025 is such an anomaly and, when you compare the Fortuner GR-Sport to its chief rival, the Ford Everest Wildtrak, the Blue Oval adventure SUV’s cabin is a vastly more modern place to be.
What is it like to drive?
Our launch route in the Western Cape took us from George down the N2 towards Cape Town, before turning off after Mossel Bay and getting onto the R327 – it’s a spectacular route that eventually links up to the famous Route 62, which then takes you to Barrydale.
From there, we travelled up (and down) the stunning Tradouw Pass and on to our overnight stop in Hermanus, where we witnessed the Toyota Fortuner Challenge. In the ‘Fortuner Challenge, finalist entrants were paired with Toyota-backed athletes; the 2-person teams competed in some physical as well as mental competitions, and the eventual winner went home with a brand-new Fortuner.
But back to the Fortuner GR-Sport. On the open road, it felt a touch more eager and responsive in its power delivery than its standard siblings. Whereas the 2.8D-6 VX variant, for example, produces 150 kW at 3000 rpm and 500 Nm from 1 600 to 2 800 rpm, the 2.8GD-6 GR-S produces 165 kW and 550 nm at the same revs respectively. Suffice it to say open-road overtakes require little effort! If you activate the Sport drive mode, the throttle responses sharpen and the auto ‘box hangs onto ratios a bit longer.
Speaking of the transmission, the 6-speed automatic has an old-school feel, but this is not a drawback. Sure, the up/down changes aren’t imperceptible, but when you’re playing in this segment, it’s preferable to have a powertrain that’s tried-and-tested (read: reliable). There are gearshift paddles on the steering wheel, but ignore them – Toyota’s calibration of the auto ‘box is near perfect for the average consumer.
We assumed the extra performance (compared with standard 2.8GD-6 Fortuners) offered by the GR-Sport would result in a relatively high fuel consumption, but that was not the case. After a day of driving in a normal (unrushed, but not pedestrian) manner, we saw an indicated figure of 9.5 L/100 km, which was a touch higher than TSAM’s claim for the GR-S (8.4 L/100km), but fair for a vehicle of this type.
Based on our launch-route experience alone, we cannot say whether the suspension enhancements are worthwhile – we’d have to drive a GR-Sport and a standard Fortuner back to back on the same route before passing a verdict. But, the handling was reassuringly predictable: seeing as the 7-seat body-on-frame SUV is softly sprung, it can lean quite a bit in the corners, but makes up for it when the tar ends.
Yep, the Fortuner does “what it says on the tin” – it’s a go-anywhere family SUV that will cruise up and down South Africa’s national highways day in and day out, but its real strength lies on gravel. Thanks to the all-terrain tyres, we found no need to engage 4-wheel drive –there was plenty of grip and stability.
How much does the Toyota Fortuner GR-Sport cost in SA?
Did you know that back in March 2016, when this 2nd-gen Fortuner was launched, the flagship 2.8GD-6 variant’s asking price was R589 400? Nine years on, the new range-topper costs oh-so-close to R1 million. Included in the list price is a 3-year/100 000 km warranty and 9-services/90 000 km service plan.
| Toyota Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 4×4 GR Sport | R999 000 |
Summary
Sure, there will be detractors who complain about the Fortuner’s advanced age. But, with almost 50% market share in the ladder-frame SUV segment, Toyota has little reason to change a winning formula – it’s just common sense. To illustrate my point, the Toyota’s closest rival – the Ford Everest –has just 14% of the segment, while rivals such as the Isuzu MU-X and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport fight over what’s left.
With thoroughly evolved (or perhaps all-new) Hilux and Fortuner models expected to debut in 2026 (we may see what the former will look like late in 2025), the Toyota Fortuner GR-Sport is poised to be a sales success, thanks to its distinctive appearance and that small, but not insignificant, hike in power/torque. The only question mark is that R1-million price tag, but then, all Everest variants (bar one) cost 7 figures.
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