The Toyota Fortuner remains a popular seller in Toyota's lineup, commanding over 40% of sales in the segment. The Japanese brand has finally given the stalwart the GR-S treatment, and although we would have loved to have seen a Fortuner with full performance GR engineering, that will have to wait. In case you are wondering what we were on about, there are different levels to the GR pyramid. GR-S sits below GR as purely aesthetic and suspension works, whereas GR gets the whole gamut of engine and suspension tweaking.
Related: Toyota Fortuner GR-Sport (2025) First Drive Review
Which leads us to our test vehicle. The Toyota Fortuner GR-S is a stylised and aggressive-looking derivative of the ever-popular family seven-seater set to dominate suburbia and school parking lots.
Toyota Fortuner GR-S pricing versus Ford Everest Sport
Styling
The Fortuner GR-S wears GR badging but is essentially a styling package. From the outside, it gets an aggressive new front bumper with stylised fog lamp bezels and gloss black LED surrounds, as well as a sporty, black lower grille with a GR badge and hidden further below decks, a black skid plate. Around the back, the body-coloured Fortuner lettering is offset by the new, black lower diffuser, while down the side, a set of 18-inch GR alloy wheels, shod in all-terrain tyres, fill the wheel arches. Regarding colour options, you can have the Fortuner GR-Sport in either Attitude Black or Platinum White Pearl with its relevant red trimmings. The Fortuner is quite an old product, due for replacement in 2026, but the GR-S injects some aesthetic life into the model.
Interior
The interior is home to a new set of sporty leather and suede combination seats emblazoned with the GR logo and contrasting red stitching. The GR treatment is carried out on the dashboard and door cards, finishing the trim pieces with a smoked silver and matte carbon effect. The combination digital/analogue gauge cluster gets a GR logo, while aluminium sport pedals can be found in the footwell. Further accents include a GR-branded start button, a GR logo insert in the steering wheel, and a GR Sport key fob. It's all wrapped up with a GR Sport plaque on the centre console.
The Drive
The Fortuner may be a large vehicle, but it handles like a much smaller vehicle in this GR-S guise. Unfortunately, the Fortuner is showing its age, as this generation hasn't experienced much development over the last seven years. The GR-S specification does address the willowy nature of the Fortuner in general. Still, it doesn't feel that Toyota has done enough to warrant the R90 0000 premium over a standard model. It's as comfortable as ever, and the 15kW / 50Nm bump in power is welcome.
Performance
Nestled under the bonnet of the Fortuner GR-S is the now-famous 2.8 GD-6 common rail diesel engine that produces 165kW and 550Nm. This is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels. With paddle shifters, drivers can propel the GR-S from 0-100km/h in just 9.0 seconds and reach a limited top speed of 180km/h. Even though the Fortuner is capable of a reasonably sporty drive, it is meant for comfortable cruising. Toyota also upgraded the shock absorbers, allowing for a slightly more rigid ride and aiding in a sporty feel and drive.
Space and Comfort
As mentioned earlier, the Fortuner is getting rather long in the tooth and is due for a complete overhaul. Nothing much has changed interior-wise; it's still the same seven-seat layout with plenty of legroom in the second row. Driver and passenger have electrically operated seats with second row passengers having access to the USB charging ports, automatic climate control and all the entertainment they can get from the 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which plays tunes through the JBL sound system.
Safety
The Fortuner is equipped with Toyota's Safety Sense, which incorporates active safety technologies and driver-assistance features to prevent or mitigate collisions. It's standard on many new Toyota models and includes features like a Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Alert, Automatic High Beams, and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control. These features help drivers avoid accidents, especially frontal collisions, lane departures, and nighttime accidents.
It also boasts seven airbags, front and rear parking sensors, stability control, and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert. Additional features include Active Traction Control (A-TRC) for off-road stability and Downhill Assist Control (DAC).
Fuel Consumption
Toyota claims that the GR-S should return 8.4L/ 100km, and on our combined cycle testing in and around Johannesburg, we hovered around 9.2 L/100km.
Price
| Toyota Fortuner 2.8GD-6 4x4 | R 907 700 |
| Toyota Fortuner 2.8GD-6 4x4 GR-Sport | R 999 000 |
Toyota offers a 3-year / 100 000 km warranty and a 9-year / 90 000 km service plan.
* Pricing correct at time of publication
The Verdict
The general reaction from folks on the street can best sum up the Fortuner GR-S. They all agree it looks fantastic, but when they hear the price, they reply with a "No Way!... I'll stick with the normal one!". Toyota introduced the GR-S derivative too late in the current generation's life cycle, and with a brand new Fortuner on the horizon, this one will be a hard sell. If you want a Fortuner with something extra, then the GR-S is for you, but maybe wait until this one goes on sale.
