DEEP IN THE Rooiberg at the foot of Mount Horeb, lies the picturesque town of Clarens. Regarded as the ‘Jewel of the Free State’, its tree-lined streets offer a majestic display of colour, with blossoms in spring time set against the backdrop of the escarpments towering behind. It’s the perfect hang-out for artists, photographers and nature lovers.

FOTUNER IMAGE GALLERY HERE

Or it used to be, until half of Sandton discovered it. Now, as you enter the village, a garish Protea Hotel dominates the skyline and Summercon-style townhouses are strewn across the hillside, spoiling the simple charm of the original sandstone and corrugated-iron roofed houses. The village centre has gone all commercial too, and visitors are faced by a barrage of kitsch pubs and uninviting restaurants; hardly the way to end our three-hour drive to escape the smog of Johannesburg.

It reminds of that old adage: if you’ve got a winning recipe, why change it? The same rings true for the Toyota Fortuner I’m driving. It’s the 2011 update, the second rework in as many years of a vehicle that is testimony to the strength of the Toyota brand in South Africa. Selling on average 700 units a month, the Fortuner utterly dominates its segment.

This is despite initial instability concerns and electronic maladies (on the 4.0 derivative) which clouded the reputation of the 2006 launch version. With the first facelift, seen by many as a knee-jerk reaction to address these issues, Toyota SA increased the alloy wheel size from 16- to 17-inch, opting for 265/65 R17 Bridgestone Dueler tyres instead of the softer-walled General Grabbers.

Growing sales showed many were satisfied that the Fortuner had been fixed, silencing online soapbox debates initiated by disgruntled owners who made little mention of their own negligence. One wonders how much of the ‘instability problem’ could be attributed to aspects like tyre pressure, prevailing road conditions and overloading by owners.

While most would struggle to identify all the visual tweaks associated with the first facelift, the second facelift we’re piloting is easy to spot. Sadly it’s rather ugly, evidenced by many gawking grimaces and traffic light double-takes as we’re exiting Egoli. Seems no-one told Toyota that facelifts are supposed to improve looks. Like Clarens, this once attractive option has been blinged out with vulgar exterior chrome and tacky interior plastics that sully its original appeal.

Seems it’s time to get some fresh air, so we ride out of town, headed for the sandstone formations and steep cliffs of the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. Here, vast golden plains link the snow-covered peaks that turn rich and golden as the sun ebbs below the horizon. It’s beautiful, if icy cold, at this time of year.

As snapper Marc Bow captures the newcomer in the last light, I peruse the exterior design once again to see if the new lines have grown on me since leaving Johannesburg. They haven’t. Toyota’s penmen have aped their Prado and 200 Series Land Cruiser, starting with a front bumper and chiselling deeper creases into the bonnet. The near vertical nose is dominated by a large chrome slatted grille which reminds me of an ornate tissue box, as does the chrome jewellery that finishes the wider boot trim strip. The new alloys aren’t bad and quite similar to those on the new Prado, while the wheelarches appear bolder and the rear taillights have been improved. So it’s not all bad.