Best Used Off-Road 4x4 for 2023

The 2016 Toyota LandCruiser Prado Kakadu has won Australia’s best off-road 4x4 category in carsales Best Used Cars for 2023, proudly presented by Bingle.

It’s now the Prado’s fourth consecutive year at the top, relying on its combination of Toyota dependability and low running costs, plus comfort and off-road capability in standard form.

Make no mistake, the Prado straight out of the showroom won’t quite take you everywhere in this wide, brown land of ours, but where it won’t go is arguably not worth seeing anyway.

And while there are those who object to the new-car price of the Prado – particularly at $85,900 plus on-road costs in 2016 for this flagship model, the Prado Kakadu – very little else in the market at the time would do as much as the Prado can for the money.

The Prado’s consistent winning formula in this category is telling.

Buyers going off-road with a family on board are more likely to choose the Toyota over any number of rivals based on light commercial utes or, alternatively, prestige or near-prestige off-roaders like Jeeps and Land Rovers which can cost considerably more.

In the market, there really is nothing else quite like the Prado.

The range-topping LandCruiser Prado Kakadu scored 38.6 points from RedBook and 44 from the judges for a total of 82.6 points out of 100.

Powered by a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder driving through a six-speed automatic, the Prado Kakadu features a full-time four-wheel drive system.

According to ANCAP for that year (2016), the Prado was rated at five stars for crash safety, and RedBook now values the Prado Kakadu in good retail condition at $68,100 in the used-car market.

Late in 2015, reviewer Chris Fincham conducted a comparison of the Prado Kakadu with the Ford Everest Titanium. Although Fincham ultimately gave the win in that comparison to the Ford, he did observe that it was a case of horses for courses, and the Prado was the better choice in specific circumstances.

“With proper off-road credentials, a spacious, well-equipped cabin and reassuringly large fuel capacity – not to mention Toyota’s legendary reputation – the big SUV is the great Aussie all-rounder: as suited to family duties as challenging Outback adventures,” he said.

You can read more about the Prado in that comparison here.

“Son of LandCruiser hits the sweet spot whether on the school run or back-o-Bourke,” says Marton Pettendy, carsales managing editor.

“Yep. Solid as a rock and drives with about the same amount of verve. Owned one for years [previous generation] and loved it,” says Bruce Newton, carsales senior journalist.

In 2016, according to industry figures, the Prado was the biggest-selling large SUV in the country by a considerable margin (14,730 sales to 12,207 for its closest rival, the Subaru Outback).

And while that just seems bizarre if you’re not a Toyota-loving off-road enthusiast with a family, it’s clear that there are enough Prado fans out there who recognise the elemental capabilities of the Prado to make it such a success in the market – and a deserving winner in its category of carsales Best Used Cars for 2023, proudly presented by Bingle.

Honourable mentions:

The Ford Everest Titanium scored 36.9 points from RedBook and 40 points from the judges for a total of 76.9
RedBook value: $51,850

“Local tuning really showed up when the Everest went off-road – especially on rutted gravel outback roads. Works in the everyday as well” – Bruce Newton, carsales senior journalist

“Aussie-engineered SUV has off-road ability and three-row amenity in equal measure” – Marton Pettendy, carsales managing editor

The Isuzu MU-X LS-T scored 42 points from RedBook and 31 points from the judges for a total of 73
RedBook value: $44,200

“Comfy, roomy, plenty of grunt and not too pricey in the used market” – Cliff Chambers, carsales used-car buying expert

“Solid, lower-cost alternative to either the Prado or the Everest that can whip both for running costs and retained value” – Ken Gratton, former carsales technical editor

What makes a car eligible for carsales Best Used Cars?
• Less than six years old
• Standard side curtain airbags
• Standard Bluetooth
• Standard electronic stability control (mandated for 2014)
• Standard reversing camera for SUVs

How did RedBook weight the categories for scoring?
• 10 per cent for resale value
• 10 per cent for ANCAP rating
• 20 per cent for cost of ownership
• 5 per cent for service intervals
• 5 per cent for number of days for vehicle to sell

Related: Buying a used Toyota LandCruiser Prado (2009-2015)