Next Toyota Prado taking shape

The next-generation Toyota Prado will deliver more power, more technology, improved safety and a bold new design – and it could look like this exclusive computer rendering.

Widely expected to leverage the tough new visuals of its bigger brother – the new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, which could also donate its beefy twin-turbo diesel V6 engine – the new Prado will need to appeal to existing owners while delivering more modern visuals.

It’s understood the new Prado is in line to undergo – or has already undergone – development testing Down Under, given that Toyota Australia is a ‘centre of excellence’ for the Japanese car-maker when it comes to off-road vehicle evaluation.

The Toyota LC300 was heavily tested and developed in Australia and sources close to the world’s biggest car-maker said a similar approach could be applied to the new ‘Son of LandCruiser’.

“These guys [in Australia] are high on the list for vehicle testing and evaluation. It makes sense to send the next Prado here [for off-road testing],” said our source.

Australia is also a key global market for the Toyota Prado, which has been the country’s top-selling large SUV for 12 of the past 14 years.

With sales up almost 23 per cent in 2021, Toyota Australia is on track to sell close to 20,000 Prados again this year, making it the local market leader’s fourth most popular model.

In terms visual changes, our fresh take on the new Prado shows off a new-look front-end design with squarer jaws and a bigger, bolder grille flanked by 300 Series-inspired headlight clusters, plus a reworked bonnet and brawnier front quarter panels.

More defined trapezoidal wheel-arches are in there too, replacing the curved units of the current model, while there are slimmer new-look LED tail-lights at the rear.

Unlike Ford and its new Ranger-based Everest, Toyota is officially keeping everything related to the new Prado under lock and key for now.

However, we know the replacement for the current-generation J150 Series Prado will be based on the same new ladder-frame architecture (TNGA-F) as the LC300 and Tundra pick-up, so its legendary off-road capability will remain intact.

But the burning question is what engine will power the new Prado, with Japanese media reporting a development of the LC300’s 3.3-litre twin-turbo diesel (227kW/700Nm) will be at least available.

Our source stated they had no intel on powertrains at this stage, but suggested Toyota’s first V6 diesel wasn’t out of the question and couldn’t be ruled out.

However, if the new V6 is packaged with the next Prado, it would be unlikely to deliver the same power and torque outputs as the bigger, heavier, more capable and far more expensive LC300, in order to protect sales of the Toyota’s flagship SUV.

The Prado currently runs the same aging 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel (150kW/500Nm) as the HiLux ute and its SUV cousin, the Fortuner. All three models are still embroiled in a class action law suit over the diesel particulate filters fitted to more than 250,000 vehicles with the 1GD-FTV engine since 2015.

There has also been talk that Toyota’s troublesome 2.8-litre oil-burner could be upgraded and fitted with twin turbos to deliver more power and torque than the current four-pot diesel.

Whatever engine/s the new Prado comes with, it will deliver more power and more capability – and potentially improved fuel efficiency and towing capacity than the current model, which can tow up to 3000kg.

Other improvements for the next Toyota Prado will include a revamped interior with a new cockpit design and more advanced technology, including improved semi-autonomous driving aids.

In terms of timing, recent reports the new Prado will be revealed in mid-2022 appear to be wide of the mark, with our insider indicating earlier reports it would not emerge until closer to 2024 were more accurate.

The current Toyota Prado has been around since 2009, meaning it’s somewhat overripe, but it took 14 years for the brand to replace the bigger LandCruiser and our insider said reports of a mid-2022 Prado reveal were “premature at this stage”.

“There’s nothing on the radar for that model for 2022 internally [within Toyota],” said the source.

Digital image: Luc Britten