After matriculating from the Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool in Pretoria, Liana Reiners enrolled for a National Diploma in Journalism at what was then known as the Technikon Pretoria.
It was during this time that she was offered a temporary position at WHEELS, South Africa’s only successful motoring annual. The idea was to work as editorial assistant at the publication for one year, in order to complete the compulsory practical side of the journalistic course.
What originated as an opportunity to learn the ropes of journalism and publishing, so to speak, developed into a fully-fledged career in the motoring media and to this day Liana is in the employ of WHEELS. Incidentally, her mentor and publisher of WHEELS is well-known motoring journalist and former television presenter Adri Bezuidenhout.
Although Liana started off as editorial assistant, she currently holds the position of editor of the prestigious publication. This not only involves the writing of features, but also liaising with advertising clients, photographers and freelance contributors, proof reading and subbing of copy, as well as working closely with the printers and distributors of the publication.
Liana was the motoring correspondent for Nexus, the official magazine of the South African Correctional Services for many years. The WHEELS staff were also responsible for the motoring pages of Metro, a Pretoria-based community newspaper which has since been discontinued.
She has experience in the writing of press releases, translating from English to Afrikaans and vice versa, as well as organising events.
While having a patient husband and two lively toddlers at home makes the travel associated with being a motoring journalist difficult, Liana says she wouldn’t change her job for any other. It has given her so many opportunities and she is honoured to be a past jury member of the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists’ Car of the Year competition.
One of the highlights of her career was celebrating the 25th anniversary of WHEELS Motoring Annual in 2006. Her next milestone would be 20 years “service” at the publication and that’s not too far off.
We review Toyota’s Fortuner sport-utility vehicle (SUV) - a name derived from the adverb fortunate - quite apt as one of Toyota’s main objectives was to make it possible for many to own the SUV of their dreams.
A no compromise vehicle
And all indications are that they have succeeded. Although the Fortuner opens up the fun and enjoyment of SUV motoring to a new segment of buyers, it is a no compromise vehicle. It boasts a stylish, modern exterior design together with a stable, comfortable ride and dependable performance both on- and off-road.Sporty and sleek
Filling the market gap between Toyota’s high-end Hilux Double Cab Raider models and top-end luxury SUVs like the Land Cruiser Prado, the Fortuner’s overall appearance is sporty and sleek. This is due to the fact that the design team focused on creating a well- proportioned vehicle with a flowing style.The cab is placed well forward to create a masculine yet easy-on-the-eye look, while rearward sloping pillars and a wraparound rear windscreen provide the illusion of a vehicle that is wider than it actually is.
One of the prime design criteria was that the Fortuner should fully fit the SUV image, not just in exterior appearance but inside the cabin as well. Thus, opening any of the doors exposes a well-designed, stylish and spacious interior with a luxury appeal.
Seats feature car-like comfort
  
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Sliding rear seat means room to stretch legs
One of the main drawbacks of smaller SUVs is that in some cases legroom for rear passengers is at somewhat of a premium. To combat this, the rear seat of the Fortuner offers a slide function, meaning that – if the rearmost seats are not in use – it can be moved way back and passengers can literally stretch their legs.Speaking of legs, Toyota engineers ensured that the performance element of the Fortuner was not neglected. For the South African market two engines are specified. The first, a 4-litre V6 petrol unit with intelligent variable valve timing (VVT-i), produces 175 kW at 5 200 r/min and 343 Nm of torque between 2 400 and 4 800 r/min.
The other is a 3-litre, common-rail, direct-injection, turbocharged diesel powerplant producing 120 kW at 3 400 r/min and 343 Nm of torque at 1 400 to 3 200 r/min.
Five models in the range
Catering for just about every SUV taste, there are a total of five models in the range. All have essentially the same interior specification level but differ in the choice of drivetrain.Buyers wanting full SUV functionality – including extensive off-road use – can choose from either the 4-litre V6 petrol unit with intelligent variable valve timing (VVTi) or the 3-litre, common-rail, direct-injection, turbocharged diesel powerplant. Both are mated to full-time four-wheel drive and a five-speed manual transmission.
A five-speed automatic transmission is also available, but only mated to the 4-litre petrol engine.
You can exclude the 4X4 capability too
For buyers who crave the status and style associated with an SUV but don’t necessarily require 4x4 capability, there are two so-called raised body variants. They are powered by the same 4-litre V6 petrol and 3-litre diesel engine as their four-wheel drive siblings, offer the same practicality and functionality, but are less expensive.And aggressive pricing (ranging from R300 100 to R363 200) with numerous added value elements is basically what the Fortuner is all about. To this end, service intervals on the V6-petrol engine models are 15 000 kilometres, while the 3-litre diesel models have a 10 000-kilometre service interval.
A three-year/90 000 kilometre service plan is included in the price and warranty cover is three years or 100 000 kilometres. For additional peace of mind, free 24-hour roadside assistance is just a phone call away during the warranty period.
Competitively priced replacement parts
Come time for a service, owners will also be pleasantly surprised to find that the replacement parts basket of the Fortuner is very competitively priced. This is largely due to the fact that the high-volume global nature of this product, together with the drive to maximise component manufacturing efficiencies, has been fed through the system to the vehicle owner.Read all about the optional accessories
Incidentally, the Fortuner comes with a whole range of optional accessories, all approved by Toyota Motor Corporation. They all carry a Toyota genuine accessory warranty of 12 months and do not impact on the vehicle warranty in any way.The list includes a bluetooth kit, a child restraint seat, a removable towbar, a range of nudge bars, a bullbar, sidesteps, reverse sensors, a roofrack, bicycle racks, a cargo net, stainless-steel scuff plates and mats for the load area.