Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) recently powered the Fortuner and Legender full-size SUVs with a mild hybrid system (it’s called the Neo Drive). I drove the Legender Neo Drive on roads around New Delhi and Gurgaon.
What’s the system?
Toyota’s powerful 2.8-litre turbocharged diesel engine has been paired with a 48-volt electrical system that supplements the traditional 12V system. The system has a belt-integrated starter generator and lithium-ion battery, which provides start assist, low-end acceleration, and quieter operation. It also has a start-stop system (engine automatically shuts down when wheels come to a complete stop, and starts when you release the brake).
Why it’s a good effort?
Fuel efficiency benefits are marginal (my test car returned 12.5 km/litre with start-stop, and 13 km/litre without start-stop), but on its 80-litre tank, you can cover an extra 40 km, which is a substantial distance. The Neo Drive grade also gets features like wireless phone charging and 360-degree camera.
Why it falls short?
Unlike strong hybrids, there is no electric-only driving, acceleration is claimed to be better but the gains are so marginal that most of the time you wouldn’t even notice, improvement areas such as shakiness have been left untouched, the ride quality on bad roads is bouncy due to its ladder-frame chassis, and the cabin looks and feels dated (considering that it costs half a crore rupees). Also, fuel efficiency gains are limited to urban stop-and-go traffic, not on highways, and only when you drive with a soft foot (gently accelerating and braking).
Should you buy it?
The Neo Drive variants are only available as 4×4, and that means the legendary off-road capability of these Toyotas has been retained. But Fortuner or Legender SUVs aren’t usually bought for their off-road capability, or improvements in fuel efficiency, or high-tech features, these are bought for their rugged looks, their size, and their imposing road presence, which has been retained in Neo Drive. This SUV is all about attitude, and there is loads of that in the Legender (as well as in the Fortuner).
(The Legender Neo Drive 48V in these photos is priced Rs 50.09 lakh, and the Fortuner Neo Drive 48V starts at Rs 44.72 lakh, ex-showroom.)
