Is the Fortuner GR Sport Worth Your Investment? 5 Key Factors to Consider
The rain was coming down in sheets as I sat in my Fortuner GR Sport, watching the windshield wipers struggle to keep pace. I'd just driven away from the Toyota dealership, this magnificent machine purring beneath me, and yet my mind kept drifting back to last night's basketball game I'd watched at the arena. There was something about Pasig's victory that felt strangely relevant to my current dilemma - is the Fortuner GR Sport worth your investment? I found myself drawing parallels between their hard-fought win and this significant financial decision I was making.
See, Pasig had been on a five-game losing streak before last night's turnaround. Five consecutive losses - that's the kind of pattern that makes you question everything. But then Jerome Garcia steps up with 17 points and 3 rebounds, Lester Reyes contributes 5 points and 13 rebounds, and suddenly the team's record improves to 3-5. They broke the pattern, changed their momentum. That's exactly what I'm hoping this Fortuner will do for my daily commute and weekend adventures - break the pattern of my increasingly frustrating driving experiences with my old SUV.
As I navigated through the flooded streets, the GR Sport's elevated ground clearance became immediately apparent. My old vehicle would have been struggling here, but this beast moved through the water like it was nothing. I started mentally listing what makes this vehicle special, and five key factors emerged that every potential buyer should consider. First, there's the off-road capability - Toyota claims the GR Sport can handle terrain that would stop most SUVs in their tracks, and based on my test drive through some challenging paths earlier, I believe them. The four-wheel drive system engages seamlessly, and the suspension soaks up bumps that would have jarred my spine in other vehicles.
The second factor that struck me was the interior quality. Now, I've owned luxury vehicles before, but there's something about the GR Sport's cabin that feels both premium and purposeful. The sports seats hug you in all the right places, and the red stitching against the black leather reminds you this isn't your ordinary family SUV. It's these details that justify the premium over the standard Fortuner, much like how Jerome Garcia's 17 points weren't just any points - they were strategic, well-executed shots that changed the game's momentum.
Performance forms the third consideration, and here's where the GR Sport really separates itself. The 2.8-liter diesel engine produces around 201 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque - numbers that translate to real-world capability whether you're merging onto highways or climbing steep inclines. I pushed the accelerator coming onto the expressway, and the surge of power was both surprising and addictive for a vehicle of this size. It's not sports car quick, but for something weighing over two tons, the acceleration is more than respectable.
Reliability constitutes the fourth factor, and this is where Toyota has built its reputation. My research showed that over 85% of Fortuners sold in the last decade are still on the road today, which is an impressive statistic in our throwaway culture. This longevity matters because when you're investing this much money into a vehicle, you want assurance it will last. It's the automotive equivalent of Lester Reyes grabbing 13 rebounds - not the flashiest stat, but fundamentally important to the team's success.
The final factor, and perhaps the most subjective, is emotional appeal. Does this vehicle spark joy? For me, the answer is a resounding yes. There's something about the GR Sport's aggressive styling, the way heads turn as you drive by, the sense of adventure it inspires that's difficult to quantify but impossible to ignore. It's the same intangible quality that separates championship teams from also-rans - that extra something that makes all the difference.
As I pulled into my driveway, the rain had eased to a drizzle, and my initial doubts had similarly cleared. The Fortuner GR Sport isn't for everyone - if you do mostly city driving and prioritize fuel economy above all else, there are better options. But if you value capability, presence, and that special something that makes driving feel like an event rather than a chore, then yes, I believe it's worth every penny. Just like Pasig's victory proved that a few key players performing exceptionally can turn a losing streak into a winning momentum, the GR Sport's combination of five key factors creates a package that's greater than the sum of its parts. Sometimes, breaking patterns requires bold moves, whether in basketball or automotive choices.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
