Toyota has revealed the new LandCruiser Prado SUV, bringing significant mechanical upgrades, enhanced performance, and rugged styling changes ahead of its arrival in Australian showrooms mid next year.
The new-generation Prado adopts a fresh design direction that fuses traditional and contemporary styling cues. The front end is based around a rectangular grille and tri-beam headlights, with a low-set front cowl to improve forward visibility.
Muscular wheel arches and strong horizontal lines provide a sense of strength, with a low beltline that further improves visibility for occupants. At the rear, the Prado features a vertically oriented tailgate and simple tail-light signature to complement the front end.
Silver lower bumpers at both the front and rear of the vehicle feature, with the 2024 Prado now 95mm longer and wider, and 10mm taller than before. Its 2,850mm wheelbase is 60mm longer, and matches the length of the LandCruiser 300 Series.
The Prado now shares its underpinnings with the 300 Series, riding on the rugged and sophisticated TNGA-F ladder-frame chassis, which is 50 per cent more rigid than the current-generation Prado.
The modern and stiff platform allows for improved suspension performance with greater wheel articulation for off-roading and excellent handling and ride comfort on-road. That’s further improved by a new stabilizer-bar control system.
The new setup allows the front stabiliser bar to be disconnected for excellent wheel articulation, while enhanced functionality for the multi-terrain select and multi-terrain monitor systems help the Prado go even further off-road.
The adoption of electric power steering provides a crisper feel and enhanced low-speed manoeuvrability on-road, maximises control when off-roading, and allows compatibility with active safety systems such as lane trace assist.
In Australia, the new Prado will be offered with the 1GD-FTV 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, enhanced with 48-volt technology to help improve fuel consumption in urban settings.
Producing 150kW of power and 500Nm of torque, the 1GD engine drives all four wheels via a new Direct Shift-8AT eight-speed automatic transmission, which replaces the existing six-speed unit.
Inside, the Prado employs a clean, stylish and functional interior design with dual digital screens for the instrument cluster and multimedia system, and an intuitive layout for the switches that group basic functions together.
The Prado will be available with either five or seven-seat layouts depending on variant, and will be offered with a full suite of Toyota Safety Sense active safety technologies. Further details, including local specs will be available closer to its local launch in 2024.
Toyota has also taken the wraps off a significantly upgraded LandCruiser 70 Series that will be offered with a 150kW/500Nm four-cylinder turbo diesel engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission for the first time, when it arrives in Australia in Q4 2023.
Three single cab grades – Workmate, GX and GXL – and two grades – Workmate and GXL – for double cab, troop carrier and wagon variants will have access to the new powertrain, which joins the 151kW/431Nm 4.5-litre V8 turbo diesel.
This engine is paired with a five-speed manual gearbox and is offered in the same grades and body styles as the 2.8-litre powertrain, with the exception of the wagon that will only be available in GXL specification.
In addition to the new powertrain, the upgraded 70 Series brings refreshed styling, with a redesigned front end that references the design of the iconic LandCruiser 40 Series. Likewise, the interior of the vehicle has undergone a makeover.
The instrument cluster and centre console have been redesigned for improved ergonomics, visual ease and practicality, including the addition of a 4.2-inch multi-information display. The multimedia system has also been upgraded to a 6.7-inch touchscreen.
That unit is compatible with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The LandCruiser 70 Series also scores lane departure alert, road sign assist (speed signs only) and automatic high beam. Further details will be released closer to launch.
