Overview
THE latest generation Toyota LandCruiser Prado certainly isn’t the cheapest entrant in the segment. Starting at $72,500 and rising to $99,990 for the flagship Kakadu variant on test, it’s an exxy vehicle that has big shoes to fill, and a lot of competition to boot.
As is now well known, the 250-series ‘Prado features Toyota’s carryover 1GD-series turbocharged 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel, offering 150kW of power and 500Nm of torque to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.
It features 48-volt mild hybrid assistance (dubbed V-Active 48V Technology), requires AdBlue exhaust fluid, and is offered with switchable idle-stop technology to save fuel at the ‘lights.
Braked towing capacity has been increased by almost 17 per cent to 3500kg, bringing the model in line with segment competitors. This is complemented by a new tow/haul driving mode that holds lower gears longer, gives better engine response during towing and provides engine braking to help slow the vehicle.
Off-roading ability is said to be enhanced by the permanent 4WD driveline, low-range gearing, centre differential, downhill assist control and multi-mode traction control, with a combined 110-litre fuel capacity.
Significant improvements have been made in connectivity including a new 12.3-inch touch screen paired with a 7.0-inch colour multi-information display, a panoramic view monitor, 10-speaker audio system with DAB+ digital radio and four USB-C charging ports.
Every grade is equipped with cloud-based navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto plus compatibility with Toyota Connected Services through the myToyota Connect smartphone app.
All variants in the new range are fitted with Toyota’s latest active safety technologies, including a pre-collision system, all-speed adaptive cruise control and lane trace assist (to name but a few).
Toyota offers a five-year/ unlimited-kilometre warranty on its Prado line-up. Service intervals are set at six months or 10,000km (whichever comes first), while capped-price servicing and roadside assistance packages are available.
Driving Impressions
The LandCruiser Prado is something of a default option for buyers who like to get away on the weekends, do a bit of four-wheel driving, or maybe tow the boat or caravan. And it’s especially a popular option for the grey nomads who crisscross the country.
In all those cases, for very good reason…
The Prado is not only the capable and dependable vehicle it has been for generations, it’s also something of a jack-of-all-trades SUV – one that handles around-town duties as effortlessly as it does the open road – which is something we can’t say of every competitor in the category.
Our week of mixed country and urban running showed the Prado as a confident and comfortable entrant with car-like weighting of its primary controls, appropriate levels of feedback and response, and a level of connectivity and technology that is certainly adequate enough for busy mums and dads on the go.
It’s also a vehicle that’s equally at home on rugged unsealed tracks, the suspension remarkably well-tuned to cope with the worst of what Australian roads can throw at, while at the same time offering wheel articulation, ground clearance, and water wading measurements that will see the Prado get further from the beaten path than most.
The 250-series LandCruiser Prado is also an admirable tow vehicle, offering not only the power and stability a hauling partner should, but also effective braking and transmission response for control in corners and through undulating terrain.
But as is no doubt evident in reviews elsewhere on these pages (and others), the latest Prado is not without its shortcomings. For long-distance travelers in particular, we reckon Toyota might need to rethink a couple of issues we see as less than ideal.
While the Prado’s boxy shape certainly has its packaging benefits (excellent ingress and egress, very good visibility, maximised passenger accommodation), it also generates quite a lot of wind noise. The bluff windscreen and protruding mirrors create significant rustle about the front-side windows at highway speeds, detracting from what is an otherwise quiet ride.
The clumsy ‘solution’ to accommodating the Prado’s 48-volt battery withing the cargo bay is another shortcoming we simply can’t get past. The plastic storage box reduces the practicality and flexibility of the cargo area, while also creating a very high cargo ‘floor’ that is difficult to utilise, particularly when loading or unloading heavier items.
We also reckon larger and taller buyers might find the front seat area a little narrow. The wide centre console eats into knee space, meaning you spend most of the time with your knees resting on the console and door cards, without the room required to stretch out.
Conversely, rear seat passengers seem to have things a little bit better. The second row is supportive with excellent contouring of the outboard seats and plenty of knee, leg, and headroom. We also appreciated the overhead vents and secondary climate controls up back, a far better option in our opinion to console-mounted rear seat vents.
Further forward, we really appreciated the layout of the infotainment screen and the concise nature of the information displayed.
Both the infotainment and instrumentation screens have nailed the brief when it comes to offering information at a glance, the ability to customise the driver’s display another nifty feature that adapts the read-out to best suit your preference (analogue or digital gauges, et al).
The infotainment touch screen responds quickly to touch, while the horizontal shelf beneath the screen is conveniently placed to rest you thumb while navigating the touchscreen. There are hard buttons for commonly used controls, like the HVAC driver modes and some ADAS settings, the steering wheel buttons likewise logical in their layout and function.
The turbocharged 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engine common to a variety of Toyota models is quite a refined unit in the Prado setting. There’s little vibration or clatter to speak of, the unit delivering excellent throttle response in step with Toyota’s 48-volt mild hybrid system and well calibrated Direct Shift - 8AT (eight-speed) automatic transmission.
Combining highway, urban, and (limited) towing, we average 9.0 litres per 100km on test, a figure we feel is acceptable given the Prado’s proportions, kerb weight (2595kg), and breadth of capabilities.
There are certainly a lot of options to consider when shopping the ‘Prado segment’ (SUV Large under $80K) with ute-based rivals like the Ford Everest, Isuzu MU-X and stablemate Toyota Fortuner, and others including the GWM Tank 500, Jeep Wrangler, and LDV D90 all with their own set of pros and cons.
But with the exception of the quibbles we’ve noted in this review, it’s obvious the LandCruiser Prado is a very well sorted contender that is tuned to handle everything Aussie buyers expect from it, while handling confidently the many and varied roads we drive on.
From that standpoint, it is very easy to see just why the LandCruiser Prado sells as well as it does.
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