New Toyota Prado to be sold as a commercial van in the UK

Buyers of the 2024 Toyota LandCruiser Prado ‘250 Series’ in the UK will have the option of a van version – with two seats and blocked-off rear windows – when it arrives in showrooms next year.

The outgoing ‘150 Series’ Prado has long been offered in a ‘Commercial’ variant in Europe, where lower tax rates – and more lenient emissions rules – apply for vehicles classed as commercial vehicles.

Details of the new model – which is unlikely to be sold in Australia, given the current model is not available here – are yet to be confirmed, however the van-specific changes are expected to be similar to the previous version.

Compared to the passenger model, the outgoing LandCruiser Commercial is equipped with body-coloured panels on the rear side windows, steel wheels, and only two seats, with a load barrier and bulkhead behind them.

The Toyota UK website lists the van version of the new Prado – sold there simply as the LandCruiser – but shows the passenger variant of the new off-road SUV in preview images.

Prospective buyers are encouraged to sign up for more details.

If configured like the previous-generation car, the new Prado panel van will compete with the Ineos Grenadier Utility Wagon which can be configured as a two-seat load-carrying van with a cargo barrier and flat floor large enough to fit a European pallet (1200mm x 800mm).

Land Rover also offers a commercial version of the Defender in three and five-door variants – known as the Hard Top – which again offers opaque rear window covers and an interior load barrier.

In Europe this strategy – turning an SUV into a panel van – was used by Suzuki for the Jimny to take advantage of a higher emissions limit (147g/km of CO2 for commercial vehicles, compared to 95g/km for passenger vehicles) and reduce the penalties the Japanese car maker has to pay to the European Union.

The 150 Series Prado Commercial was not offered to Australian buyers, and Drive has contacted Toyota Australia to confirm if there are any plans to offer the new Prado in van form for local buyers.