Toyota has upgraded its top-selling LandCruiser Prado range, refreshing the styling while adding advanced active-safety technology to GX and GXL automatic models, and increasing value for money across the board.
Recommended retail price has been reduced by up to $1200 on five model variants, while new 5 and 7-seat GX automatic models receive significant specification upgrades for a modest $400 increase.
The new GX automatic gains a comprehensive suite of advanced safety measures, a 500kg boost in braked towing capacity, the refreshed exterior and interior, and an instrumentation upgrade.
Prado’s new exterior contributes to added safety, with the bonnet sculptured in the centre to enhance downward visibility and the fenders re-profiled to help drivers more easily locate the vehicle extremities.
The lower corners of the front and rear bumpers now kick upwards, to enhance off-road manoeuvrability.
Advanced safety features – now standard equipment on all LandCruiser Prado auto models – are pre-collision safety system (PCS) with autonomous emergency braking and pedestrian detection, active cruise control (ACC), lane departure alert and auto high beam. PCS and ACC were previously exclusive to high-grade VX and Kakadu.
Towing capacity for all automatic models has been increased by 500kg to 3000kg and a rear differential lock has been added to auto GXL and VX grades.
The new LandCruiser Prado range is exclusively 2.8-litre turbo-diesel powered, with prices starting at $53,490 RRP for GX manual – a $600 price reduction while adding satellite navigation and Toyota Link connected mobility.
Largest price reduction is $1200 for GXL manual, which has the added features of Bi-LED head lamps, LED DRLs with ‘follow me’ function, LED fog lamps and sun-visor lamp.
Popular GXL automatic has all these new features, as well as advanced safety equipment, rear differential lock, Optitron instruments and colour MID.
A $3500 option pack for GXL adds leather-accented trim, ventilated and power-operated front seats, and heated front and second-row seats.
Further active safety upgrades see VX grade gain panoramic view monitor and multi-terrain monitor, blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert.
Raised specification in VX also includes ventilated front seats, cool box and LED fog lamps, while the price is reduced by $911.
Top of the range Kakadu now has drive mode select and panoramic view monitor while benefiting from a $1121 price reduction.
Toyota Australia’s executive director sales and marketing Tony Cramb said new LandCruiser Prado extends Toyota’s commitment to offering the best safety features across all grades.
“Full-chassis LandCruiser Prado is an SUV that can take you there, wherever ‘there’ might be, and bring you back,” Mr Cramb said.
“The latest upgrades add to its appearance, comfort, convenience and safety, while delivering great value for money,” he said.
LandCruiser Prado’s robust exterior also features a revised grille with broad vertical bars and slit-shaped cooling openings, flanked by restyled headlamps (Bi-LED on GXL, VX and Kakadu) with the main beams positioned inboard to avoid damage from obstacles when off-road driving.
At the rear, there are new lamp clusters and a smaller garnish incorporated within the number-plate surround.
Inside, LandCruiser Prado has a redesigned dashboard, instrument binnacle and switchgear. The revised centre console incorporates a flush-surface air-conditioning control panel and has a low profile at the top for a sleeker appearance and improved forward visibility.
There are two new exterior colours, Peacock Black and Dusty Bronze. GX and GXL have grey fabric trim with the option of black leather-accented trim on GXL auto. VX and Kakadu are offered with Black and Beige leather-accented trim.
The safety technology now standard in all automatic models is designed to help prevent accidents or mitigate their consequences. The pre-collision safety system can now detect impact risks with pedestrians as well as vehicles.
Relying on a camera mounted behind the rear-view mirror and a radar in the grille, LandCruiser Prado can operate its brakes autonomously to reduce the vehicle’s speed.
Lane departure alert monitors lane markings and helps prevent accidents and head-on collisions caused by a vehicle leaving its lane. If the vehicle starts to deviate from its lane without the indicators being used, the system alerts the driver with visual and audible warnings.
Automatic high beam can detect the headlights or taillights of vehicles ahead and automatically switch between high and low beams to avoid dazzling other drivers.
VX grade, in addition, now features blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert, systems from the Kakadu that support safer motoring by giving the driver better real-time information about the area immediately around the car.
Multi-terrain monitor, newly added to VX, enables the driver to select from front, rear and two side cameras to check vehicle blind spots and confirm their surroundings. New features include a panoramic view that enables the driver to check for other vehicles at blind intersections.
Drive Mode Select offers five modes which, at the turn of a dial, can provide the driver with the ability to set their preferred powertrain, chassis and air-conditioning settings.
LandCruiser Prado’s high-torque turbocharged diesel engine is equipped with an electronically controlled common-rail direct-injection system.
Mated to the six-speed automatic transmission, the powertrain develops an impressive 450 Nm of torque between 1,600 and 2,400 rpm.
When mated to the six-speed manual transmission available in the GX or GXL, this engine develops peak torque of 420 Nm from 1,400 to 2,600 rpm. Maximum power is 130kW at 3400rpm.
The previous 4.0-litre V6 petrol engine is being discontinued in Australia due to overwhelming consumer preference for the turbo-diesel engine (98.8% of sales).
LandCruiser Prado is Australia’s best-selling large SUV, with its nearest rival another Toyota, the petrol-powered Kluger.
LandCruiser Prado is covered by Toyota Service Advantage capped-price servicing at $240 (including GST) per service.
Source: Toyota
Featured Image: 2017 Toyota LandCruiser Prado VX
Image courtesy of Toyota