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Toyota Land Cruiser Prado
The Land Cruiser nameplate is one that instills iconic status whenever mentioned. It is a name synonymous with rugged reliability, hard-working and dependability. In recent years, Toyota has applied the Land Cruiser name to a variety of its most capable machines, like the Prado.
1. What is Prado?
The Land Cruiser Prado has established itself as one of the most accomplished off-roaders on the South African market. While many SUVs are bought for ‘street appeal’, the Prado leverages its Land Cruiser DNA to deliver when the going gets tough. The Land Cruiser badge carries substantial heritage. Whether it is the utility-focused 70-series, poised Prado, or flagship 300-series, owners have come to rely on the robust construction and go-anywhere capability that the Land Cruiser badge signifies.
2. Solid foundations
All Land Cruiser Prado’s make use of a rugged body on frame construction – proven to offer the best strength and wheel articulation – with a double-wishbone front design and multi-link rear layout. TX models use conventional steel springs and dampers while VX and VX-L versions boast Toyota’s Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System.
That aforementioned Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System employs a hydraulic system attached to the sway bars, which effectively link all four wheels thereby reducing body roll and improving wheel articulation. The system thereby offers excellent body-roll control for on-road driving, while having the ability to disengage the sway bars during off road driving for improved wheel articulation and mechanical grip.
3. More power
The latest Land Cruiser Prado now benefits from the brand’s impressive 2.8-litre turbo diesel motor. Prado’s Overlanding and towing credentials benefit from the higher-performance engine that now delivers a maximum of 150kW and 500Nm. Now don’t assume that this extra power is just a software update. In fact, the latest power unit features a raft of upgrades.
The latest generation 2.8 GD-6 engine (as debuted in the updated Hilux) has received a raft of upgrades including a new ball-bearing turbocharger with a larger turbine and impeller, and improved engine rigidity and cooling.
4. Better economy
The Prado has been designed to travel the distance and fuel economy plays an important role in this. Despite the substantially stronger outputs, fuel consumption improves to 7.9 litres. Better fuel economy is now achieved through optimized pistons and piston rings, changes to the cylinder block and head, higher fuel-injection flow rate, and the adoption of high-performance materials for the exhaust manifold and cylinder-head gasket.
Furthermore, the Prado now features an updated six-speed transmission and revised torque converter lock-up mapping which provides smooth yet firm gearshifts. There is also a newly-added paddle-shift function. A low-range transfer case makes off-roading a cinch, while user-selectable differential locks (center and rear) keep the wheels ‘in sync’ when navigating slippery conditions.
5. New technology
The latest Land Cruiser Prado not only features the latest technology under the skin but also in terms of connectivity. A new-generation multimedia system is fitted across the range, which now incorporates a larger 9-inch touchscreen display (previous 8-inch), enhanced voice recognition, and compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Customers are able to utilize mobile-phone-services such as Google Maps, Waze, and Spotify for example.
