Who doesn’t want to own a powerful Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) that towers over every other vehicle on the road? But surprisingly ,the ones who do own an SUV, rarely dare to indulge in  serious off-roading. Can you blame them? SUVs are anything but cheap. It's a bit like buying a high-end chronograph watch that costs a fortune, but you still use a stop-watch on your mobile to time something. So quite like our brains, we use just a small percentage of the actual four-wheel abilities of an SUV, although its reassuring that your machine can beat the pulp out of bad roads.

Toyota Fortuner has established itself as the master of the R20 lakh SUV segment since its launch in 2009. After completing two successful years, this Japanese monster has reinvented itself to remain wheel to wheel with the changing trends and now offers an all new and, may I add, more docile two-wheel-drive version aimed mainly at city slickers. Why pay for the blessed 4x4 when you are never going to use it. Plus chucking the four-wheel-drive gives it a shorter turning radius and makes it lighter by almost 90kgs! Makes sense. What makes more sense is that the automatic Fortuner will cost less than the current 4x4 version.

Though the 2012 Fortuner is powered by the same three-litre D-4D diesel motor with no change in the power output, it now also offers a 4x2 with five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmission. It might have lost some of its off-roading ability, but the two-wheel drive option is sure to scale new heights on Toyota's annual sales chart.

The Fortuner 4x2 manual is more engaging to drive and has just the right combination of on-road and some basic off-road abilities since the driver can squeeze the maximum out of the five-speed transmission. Moreover, the 4x2 manual promises to go a couple of kilometres further than the automatic one.

The 2012 Fortuner has also gone under the scalpel. The exterior design resembles the bigger Land Cruiser with new angular HID headlamps (now with washers), a wide front grille, a well-contoured and beefy bumper and a larger hood scoop. These new stylistic aspects put together, give the new Fortuner a wider and meaner stance. The integrated indicators on the outer rear-view mirrors and new side-steps are welcome additions to the list of features. The rear has also undergone noticeable changes and now sports new clear-lens tail-lights and a re-designed bumper. You get two more colours options – Blue Metallic and Silky Gold.

The new Fortuner gets a new steering wheel, with a bit of faux wood and a newly designed audio control panel.

The meter console gets a fresh profile that is now easier to read too. The faux wood trims are darker and much better in appearance than in the previous model. The dashboard now proudly houses a new music system with a six-inch touch-screen, new DVD player, USB, AUX ports and Bluetooth. An important addition is the reverse camera in the rear that broadcasts on the dashboard screen, making parking much simpler. Another convenient feature is the electrically powered, six-way adjustable driver's seat. Though not much off-roading ability is expected out of an automatic SUV the four-speed transmissions of this Toyota managed to tackle some severe bad road.

Thankfully, the SUV has not lost its good driving dynamics. The convenience of an automatic makes it ideal for city use. The steering feels lighter and the gear ratios are ideal for hassle-free city driving. Though on the highways, the four-speed gearbox does feel lethargic to down-shift, especially if one dives for a quick overtaking manoeuvre. The car is also equipped with cruise control but there are very few roads in the country where that can actually be put to use.

The new Fortuner will officially be unveiled at the Auto Expo 2012 and that's when we get to know the actual price. With more variants, features and styling don't be surprised if you start to notice a lot more Fortuners on the road than before.

Model: Toyota Fortuner 4x2

Engine: 2982-cc, D-4D diesel, Intercooled Turbocharger

Transmission: 5-speed automatic or 5-speed manual

Power: 171PS

Torque: 343NM

Price: R23 lakh approx (TBA)

New features: New automatic headlamps with washer, new shape steering wheel, new music system with six-inch screen and reverse camera