Goldilocks scores a hat trick
The Toyota Land Cruiser Prado gets the latest 2.8 diesel engine with increased power delivery, an extra gear in its gearbox and new buttons on the centre console, reports Cyril Klopper.
We don’t want to stir the (porridge) pot, but the Toyota Prado is bigger and tougher than the Toyota Fortuner, but smaller and softer than the Land Cruiser 200 – so, just the way Goldilocks likes it. Indeed, it fits in neatly between its two stablemates and has few natural enemies. It’s only the Mitsubishi Pajero – the long-wheelbase version, of course – that is a proper challenger for the Prado.
What do we have here?
The fourth-generation Land Cruiser Prado (also known as the ‘150’) is 12 years old. The next generation is expected to arrive a year after the upcoming Land Cruiser 300, but for now it gets one last – or perhaps penultimate – update on its exterior and interior.
The updated Prado comes in the same three trim levels: the TX base model, the VX and the VX-L flagship model; so what’s new?
Inside and out
You can now choose from eight body paint colours of which raven black and attitude black are two new options. For the interior, choose between black leather upholstery with walnut wood inserts in the instrument panel or beige leather upholstery with oak.
There is also a new multimedia system with a 9” touchscreen (compared to the previous 8” version). You can now control smartphone apps including Spotify, SoundCloud and Waze with the touchscreen. For navigation, choose to use GoogleMaps from your phone or the Prado’s own built-in satnav.
The multimedia system of the VX and VX-L models will trumpet The Eagles’ “Hotel California” through 14 speakers, including a deep bass speaker, while the TX model gets a mere six speakers that are adequate for anything by Nickelback.
Under the hood
The most important improvement to the Prado is its GD-6 turbodiesel engine that comes from the latest Hilux (the 4.0 petrol version remains unchanged). This engine now generates 150 kW power and 500 Nm torque thanks to a new ball-bearing turbocharger
with larger turbine and impeller blades. Toyota says the engine is more reliable than before thanks to improved cooling and reduced engine vibrations thanks to a new balancer shaft.
The engine is matched to Toyota’s latest six-speed gearbox (previously five speed) that also made its first appearance in the Hilux.
In terms of 4x4 gadgets, all new Prados get Toyota’s A-TRAC system while the VX and VX-L models boast five drive modes marked on the info screen between the clocks as comfort, sport, sport +, normal and eco. The top models also get terrain modes called mud and sand, loose rock, mogul, rock and dirt, rock, as well as Toyota’s Crawl Control.
The TX base model relies on ordinary coil springs and shock absorbers, while the VX and VX-L models boast a hydraulic suspension system that connects all four wheels so each wheel knows what the other is doing. According to Toyota, this prevents the body from swaying around corners, while allowing the independent suspension to flex when tackling a 4x4 route.
The maximum towing weight for the new Prado is a theoretical 3 t, but in South Africa the maximum towing weight is limited to the vehicle’s gross weight, which is 2 900 kg for the Prado. It is, however, much better than the third-generation Land Cruiser Prado, which could only tow 1,5 tonne.