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LTD or Q? 5 Reasons why the Toyota Fortuner LTD's worth it—And 5 reasons why it isn't

Should you shell out for the LTD or settle with the Q? Is more expensive better, or are you better off saving money?

Earl Lee
Toyota Fortuner LTD vs Q

The Toyota Fortuner’s been on the market for quite a while now, and if it has taken you this long to decide whether or not the LTD is worth it, then you might need a bit of help. Luckily, we got your back, and we’ll tell you five reasons why it is and five reasons why it might be better to get the Q Variant of the Fortuner instead. 

Toyota Fortuner LTD
Toyota Fortuner LTD
Toyota Fortuner LTD

Setting itself apart from the rest of the lineup, the LTD variant of the Fortuner features an exterior that has a more modern design compared to the Q that still has hints of the pre-facelift in it. It’s a little more prestige when you see someone pull up in an LTD. While we cannot deny that the Q looks good in its own right, the LTD just looks better. With the black roof that gives it a sleeker appearance to its variant-specific wheels, close up, the differences and upgrades are apparent. 

Toyota Fortuner LTD and Q

Others will argue that the LTD isn’t worth it based on the exterior alone. The Fortuner is good enough as it is even with just the Q variant. It already has LED lights in the 4x2 trim, albeit not the split-type as found in the LTD, but it still gets the job done. From a distance, you might not be able to tell the difference It’s still the same Fortuner experience, mostly, but a different bumper doesn’t take away from the nameplate’s worth as an SUV. 

Toyota Fortuner LTD and Q Engine

If the last generation’s top-of-the-line variant didn’t scare you enough with over 400 Nm of torque, then maybe this one will—either that or it will impress you, and hopefully, it is the latter. Compared to the last generation, the 2.8-liter produces a ton more torque and a bigger serving of power. It’s a worthwhile upgrade considering that most models in the market now feature torque figures reaching into the 500s. It’s a good thing that The Fortuner’s right on the dot in that regard. 

Rave all you want about the LTD, but the Q has the same engine beating to the same tune as the LTD. There’s no difference between the two so long as you get the 2.8-liter from the Fortuner lineup. 

Toyota Fortuner LTD Head Unit

JBL put their expertise to good use in the Fortuner LTD this time around, and it’s a feature that is exclusive to the LTD variants only. With nine speakers to play with, the LTD is one of only a few variants in its segment that has a name-brand audio company on its speakers. Meanwhile, the Q only gets six speakers in its cabin. On top of that, you also have Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Wireless Charging to boot. 

Toyota Fortuner LTD Interior

We had hoped that Toyota would have given customers the option to change the color of their seats. Not everyone likes black and red so that might be a sore spot for people looking to buy the LTD. If you do like black and red, however, then the LTD is perfect. You actually have to go to the Q variant in order to get a monotone interior, which is a bit of a bummer if you’re not into color for the cabin. 

Toyota Fortuner Safety Sense

Safety sense is new for the Fortuner for this generation, and it’s a game-changer in the segment. The package includes a pre-collision system, lane departure alert, and adaptive cruise control, which all work in tandem with the existing safety features like blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, and ABS with EBD, as well as seven airbags among other things. 

Here’s the thing, the Q variant is also equipped with Safety Sense, and the main difference between the two is the number of airbags. While the LTD has seven, the Q has only three. 

Toyota Fortuner LTD Rear Backup Camera

Today, 360-degree cameras or panoramic view cameras are all the rage. The Fortuner has a lot going for it and the inclusion of a 360-degree camera makes it feel smaller than it actually is. 

Yep! You read that right. Even if it is a notch below the LTD in the lineup, the Q also features a panoramic monitor. 

Toyota Fortuner LTD Driving

After everything that’s been said, we need to go over the prices of both the Q and the LTD. If you want the 4x4 variant of the Fortuner LTD, you need to pony up at least P2,440,000 and add P10,000 if you like white. The 4x2 variant is less expensive at P2,280,000, however (plus P10,000 for the white, again). 

Meanwhile, the Fortuner Q comes at just P2,018,000 and tops out at P2,033,000 for the special colors which include Sparkling Black Pearl Crystal Shine and White Pearl Crystal Shine. It’s a fair comparison to pit the 4x2 variants against each other as only P262,000 separates the two in their standard colors, but that’s big considering that there are plenty of features that the two variant families share with each other. 

So P262,000 gets you a bunch of aesthetic and functional upgrades, but the core of the Fortuner remains largely the same. The interiors are no different from each other save for a splash of maroon for the LTD. Though, is that really worth it? You can’t even argue that safety sense added a lot to the price tag since the feature is standard for the Q. There are more airbags and there is a better sound system, but is that really worth over two hundred thousand pesos more? 

That depends on you. While we’re not trying to lambast the Fortuner LTD, we feel that the Q deserves some time in the limelight as it was seemingly overshadowed by its more embellished brother. Both trim levels will behave largely the same, but you decide whether the prestige of driving an LTD outweighs the value for money that the Q brings to the table. 

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