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The first new Toyota Prado in nearly 15 years has finally been unveiled with a boxy new look and four-cylinder diesel power in Australia, or petrol-hybrid power overseas.
The 2024 Toyota LandCruiser 250 Series (Prado) has been unveiled in the US and Japan – after years of speculation, reports and teasers – ahead of an Australian arrival expected next year.
And in a shock decision, it appears the nearly-35-year-old Prado name will be scrapped globally for the new model – and it will be known as the LandCruiser 250 Series, below the full-size 300 Series.
The new ‘Prado’ is longer and wider than its 14-year-old predecessor, and has adopted boxy, Land Rover Defender-esque styling from its Lexus GX luxury twin coming to Australia for the first time next year.
There will a choice of a familiar 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder with more power than before, and a 48-volt mild-hybrid system – or for the first time in the history of the LandCruiser badge, a full hybrid, combining a 2.4-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine with electric motors.
But it is unclear if the turbo-petrol engine – available in hybrid and non-hybrid forms – will be available in Australia at all
The long-rumoured option of twin-turbo V6 power – with petrol or diesel fuel – has not come to fruition, seemingly to build a gap between the Prado and its more expensive Toyota and Lexus 4WD siblings.
First Australian showroom arrivals for the new vehicle are expected in next year – though, unusually, Toyota Australia has not published a press release confirming local arrival timing.
As exclusively reported by Drive two months ago, there will be two appearances for the Toyota Prado: a blacked-out front end with circular headlights inspired by the LandCruiser 70 Series, and a mix of black and body colour with slim rectangular headlights.
Both will be matched with matte black plastic highlights and ‘TOYOTA’ script across the mesh front grille.
The boxy makeover given to the LandCruiser 250 Series is shared with its Lexus GX twin, which company insiders say was built to challenge the Land Rover Defender luxury 4WD.
It has brought an increase in size, with a body that is 100mm longer (now 4925mm), 95mm wider (now 1980mm), 20mm taller (now 1870mm) and 60mm longer between the wheels (2850mm).
The wheelbase now matches the full-size LandCruiser 300 Series – for improved interior space – and the 250 Series is only 55mm shorter in overall length, no narrower and 80mm lower than its larger sibling.
The new ‘Prado’ and Lexus GX share their body shell, proportions and doors – but are differentiated through unique front and rear fascias, lights and wheel designs.
Toyota says the headlights and ‘TOYOTA’ grille script on US models are a nod to classic LandCruiser models – including the 60 Series of the 1970s – while the tail-lights draw from the Toyota Compact Cruiser electric 4WD concept unveiled in 2021.
All models shown to date have flat, top-hinged tailgates with under-slung spare wheels; there is no mention of a side-hinged tailgate with a mounted spare tyre.
Inside, the LandCruiser 250 Series brings the Prado lineage in step with the latest cars and SUVs in Toyota showrooms.
Top-of-the-range models drop the dated 9.0-inch touchscreen and 4.2-inch driver display (with analogue dials) for a widescreen 12.3-inch instrument display, and a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen.
The touchscreen runs Toyota’s latest software, with wireless Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, satellite navigation, over-the-air updates, and smartphone-connected services.
The seats are trimmed in leather on top models, with heating and power adjustment. Available interior features include multi-zone climate control, wireless phone charging.
Toyota’s full suite of advanced safety technology is available, expected to include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
Under the bonnet the LandCruiser 250 Series is due to offer a choice of one engine in Australia – a familiar 2.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine.
The outputs of 150kW and 500Nm carry over from the old model, however the engine gains 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance in Australia, allowing the car to coast with the engine off under low load, or save a small amount of fuel under acceleration.
There remains no direct rival for the 184kW and 600Nm of the latest Ford Everest 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6, or the 227kW/700Nm of the 3.3-litre twin-turbo diesel V6 in the LandCruiser 300 Series – which is now a similar size to the 250 Series thanks to its growth spurt.
It is now matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission – up from six speeds – with full-time four-wheel drive.
A regular version of the engine with the same outputs but no mild-hybrid system will be sold in Western and Eastern Europe, Japan and the Middle East.
The headline addition is a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine from Lexus luxury SUVs, matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time 4WD.
It will be available without hybrid assistance, for outputs of 207kW and 430Nm, in the Middle East and Eastern Europe – while a full hybrid version (not mild-hybrid) will be available in North America and China with 243kW and 630Nm.
However it appears to be off-limits to Australian buyers – despite being one of the most powerful Toyota LandCruisers ever built.
If it is sold in Australia, it will be the first turbocharged petrol Toyota four-wheel-drive ever sold in Australia – and the first petrol Prado since the 4.0-litre non-turbo V6 was axed in 2017.
Towing capacity is up to 2722kg braked with the hybrid. A figure for the diesel is yet to be announced.
In overseas markets there is expected to be a base 2.7-litre non-turbo four-cylinder petrol engine with approximately 120kW and 246Nm, but it will not come to Australia – while the 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 in the Lexus GX will remain exclusive to that vehicle.
Under the skin the LandCruiser 250 Series sits on Toyota’s latest body-on-frame chassis shared with the Lexus GX, Lexus LX and Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series – as well as the Australian-bound Toyota Tundra full-size pick-up in the US, and the smaller Tacoma pick-up not sold here.
There remains double-wishbone independent front and four-link, rigid-axle, coil-spring rear suspension is standard. There is no mention of the air springs fitted in the rear of today’s Prado Kakadu.
Full-time four-wheel drive continues to be standard with high and low-range modes, and locking rear and centre differentials.
There is no mention of Electronic-Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (E-KDSS) – the next generation of the regular KDSS system – for improved wheel articulation, which is available in the Lexus GX and full-size LandCruiser 300 Series.
Other features available include Multi-Terrain Select off-road modes, Crawl Control low-speed cruise control for off-road trails, hill-descent control, and an off-road camera.
The 2024 Toyota LandCruiser 250 Series expected to reach Australia next year, but timing is yet to be announced.
Local details are due closer to launch, however prices are expected to increase over the current range, priced from $62,830 to $87,468 plus on-road costs – with a 2.8-litre diesel engine in all models.
Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.
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