Toyota SUV axed in Australia! 

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Photo of Andrew Chesterton
Andrew Chesterton

Contributing Journalist

2 min read

A family friendly Toyota SUV has been axed in Australia, just as an update to the ageing model looms.

Toyota will remove the Fortuner from sale by the middle of next year, with the brand citing small sales and shifting consumer preferences for culling the HiLux-based seven-seat SUV.

The brand's VP of Sales and Marketing, Sean Hanley, announced the move when uveiling the new-generation HiLux, saying the new ute would not spawn a Fortuner sibling.

Read More About Toyota Fortuner

"With the launch of the new-model HiLux, I would also like to announce that Toyota will be discontinuing the Fortuner SUV that shares the same platform as the current-generation HiLux from about mid-next-year," he says.

"Of course, Fortuner has been a great product for us over the years and found a relatively small but enthusiastic customer base. But with production ending next year and customer preferences shifting in Australia, we made the decision to discontinue the Fortuner."

It's a rare failure for Toyota in Australia, with the Fortuner attracting just 2928 customers over the first 10 months of 2025. For context, the Ford Ranger-based Everest has sold 21,915 units over the same period.

Interestingly, Fortuner sales are actually up 18.2 per cent so far in 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, but clearly they're not up enough to save it in Australia.

The news comes as international reports gather steam that a new Fortuner will be offered in overseas markets, with media in the Phillipines anticipating a reveal in 2026.

Photo of Andrew Chesterton
Andrew Chesterton

Contributing Journalist

Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold. But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul. And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard. When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House. But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others. More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will. Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
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