The all-new Toyota LandCruiser Prado family SUV has made its world debut, bringing with it significant mechanical upgrades, enhanced performance, and styling changes ahead of its arrival in Australian showrooms next year.
That new styling reveals an SUV sporting a new boxy look with a front end based around a rectangular grille and tri-beam headlights, with a low-set front cowl to improve forward visibility.
There’s a low beltline that improves visibility and at the rear, the Prado features a vertically oriented tailgate and simple tail-light set-up. Silver lower bumpers are at both the front and rear of the vehicle.
Measuring 4,920mm long, 1,988mm wide and 1,860mm tall, the all-new Prado is 95mm longer and wider, and 10mm taller than before. Its 2,850mm wheelbase is 60mm longer than its predecessor, and now matches the length of the LandCruiser 300 Series.
The Prado shares its underpinnings with the 300 Series, riding on the TNGA-F ladder-frame chassis which Toyota says is 50 per cent more rigid than the current-generation Prado. The platform allows for improved suspension performance with greater wheel articulation for off-roading and improved handling and ride comfort on-road.
Wheel articulation is improved further with Toyota’s stabiliser-bar control system which allows the front stabiliser bar to be disconnected for better wheel articulation, while there’s also enhanced functionality for the multi-terrain select and multi-terrain monitor systems.
Toyota says that electric power steering provides a crisper steering feel and enhanced low-speed manoeuvrability on-road, maximises control when off-roading, and allows compatibility with active safety systems such as lane trace assist.
In Australia, the all-new Prado will be offered with the 1GD-FTV 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine with 48-volt technology to help improve fuel consumption in urban settings.
Producing 150kW of power and 500Nm of torque, the 1GD engine drives all four wheels via a new Direct Shift-8AT eight-speed automatic transmission.
Inside, the Prado has dual digital screens for the instrument cluster and multimedia system, and an intuitive layout for the switches that group basic functions together.
The Prado will be available with either five- or seven-seat layouts depending on the variant and will be offered with a full suite of Toyota Safety Sense active safety technologies.
Further details on the all-new LandCruiser Prado including local specification will be made available closer to the vehicle’s Australian launch in 2024.
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (August 2023)
29 August 2023
