PICK YOUR JUNGLE
VALUE
The list price of $73,600 becomes $80,000 on the road. Standard are sensor key with pushbutton start, chilled centre console, heated and cooled front seats, leather upholstery, LED headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels with a full-size matching spare, three-zone airconditioning and tinted glass on all but the front doors. If you opt for the original version with the spare tyre on the tailgate you get twin fuel tanks (87L and 63L). Opt for the “flat back” and there’s one 87L tank because the spare tyre is stored where the auxiliary tank used to be. Pay the same prie for either version. Moving the spare tyre under the car makes the tailgate lighter and easier to use but it still opens out like a door, not up like a hatch. The sales split between the versions is 50-50. Warranty of three years/100,000km is less coverage than most other Top 10 brands but routine servicing cost for the first three years (intervals are 10,000km or six months) is best in class at $240 a visit. After that, prices increase and fluctuate significantly.
COMFORT
The Prado had a recent refresh with a new headlight design but inside the changes amount to a new, larger central touchscreen and upgraded instrument cluster. Built-in navigation and digital radio are standard with the car’s premium audio but Apple Car Play and Android Auto are not available. The front seats have heating and cooling and there’s ample adjustment in the second row to fit all shapes and sizes. The chilled centre console is cold enough to double as a fridge while the massive door pockets and glovebox make it easy to stash drink bottles and odds and ends.
SAFETY
Autonomous emergency braking is now standard on automatic versions and seven airbags protect occupants should the worst happen. Head-protecting curtain airbags extend all the way to third-row seats. Outward vision is pretty good thanks to the large glass area. A high resolution 360-degree camera takes some of the anxiety out of parking such a big vehicle. The LED headlights are brilliant on low or high-beam, great for dark country roads.
DRIVING
The 2.8-litre turbo diesel is no ball of fire but it’s economical for a 2.4-tonne four-wheel drive. On our 2000km road trip the Prado returned 8L-10L/100km. The six-speed auto is a smooth operator and the engine is surprisingly quiet and refined for a diesel. The brakes have a precise pedal feel and the Prado feels planted on the road most of the time. The only exception is on a wet road. Proceed through roundabouts and sharp turns with caution when it’s raining. The all-terrain tyres are better in dry weather.
ALTERNATIVES
Toyota Fortuner, $44,590-$56,990 Shares the 2.8-litre turbo diesel and much of its
hardware with the Prado (and HiLux) but it’s noticeably smaller and lacks the Prado’s lengthy equipment list. Mitsubishi Pajero, $49,990-$65,990
The closet rival in size but it has a car-like body rather than the Prado’s heavy duty body-onframe design. It handles bends better but the Prado is more rugged off-road. Ford Everest, $54,190-$73,990
Has just had a facelift, gaining more standard safety kit and the option of a twin turbo 2.0-litre diesel matched to a 10-speed auto. It’s closer in size to the Toyota Fortuner.
VERDICT
The Toyota Prado remains one of the benchmarks for serious off-roaders but recent updates have tamed it for the urban jungle.