Toyota LandCruiser Prado 2019 Review

It’s been almost a decade since the current 150-series Toyota LandCruiser Prado arrived Down Under. In that time it’s ranked untouched as the best-selling four-wheel drive on the market, and one of the most capable and reliable models in its segment.

Scratch the surface and there’s no true rival to the long-serving Prado... Ute-based rivals aside, the Prado serves a customer base who knows their product, how they’ll use it, and exactly how long they plan to keep it.

The Toyota LandCruiser Prado was last updated in 2017 with a new-look front-end, dashboard and instrument binnacle. The 4.0-litre V6 petrol engine was ditched from the range while autonomous emergency braking was added to lower-grade variants.

Lane-departure warning and auto high-beam was also included across the line-up, including the LandCruiser Prado GXL on test. Adaptive cruise control is standard, but does not include stop and go capability.

Although the Toyota LandCruiser Prado range received a price cut of up to $1200 across the six-tier range back in November 2017, it’s still one of the pricier competitors in its segment (see: Where does it fit, below).

The 2019 LandCruiser Prado range spans $53,490 to $84,119 (plus on-road costs), the Prado GXL tested here priced from $62,990 when fitted with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Our test car is also fitted with a no-cost option flat tailgate, premium interior option pack ($3500 – includes front and rear seat heaters, electric-adjust and ventilated front seats, leather upholstery) and metallic paint ($600).

Toyota covers the LandCruiser Prado with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. Service intervals are set at a short six months or 10,000km (whichever comes first) with capped-price servicing applicable to only the first four services. Total service pricing over the first two years is $960.

Roadside assistance remains a cost option.

Driven in isolation the LandCruiser Prado GXL feels familiar and comfortable. It’s like a favourite pair of jeans and just like blue denim, is acceptable in most settings from the big-city office to the outback pub.

There’s really very little to criticise if you’re shopping the Prado against itself – as most buyers tend to do. It drives reasonably well, offers a comfortable ride, and ticks all the boxes anyone planning on covering serious miles could want from a 4WD SUV.

However, those on-paper specifications don’t necessarily stack-up in the real world. The Prado is a heavy SUV, and with full-time four-wheel drive can be thirsty when asked to keep with fast-flowing traffic. Mechanical and road-noise is as well isolated as you’d expect from a vehicle in this category, and the transmission cooperates well with instruction.

But the cabin’s low-rent interior plastics and ‘leather’ upholstery detract from the experience when viewed against some of the newer competition in this class (i.e. the Land Rover Discovery).

Infotainment technology harks back to the era of the Prado’s initial design, and although capable and easy to use, lacks many of the features we’d expect at this price point (such as Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, digital radio reception and inductive phone charging).The reversing camera image is also a little slow to load and there are no forward parking sensors at the trim spec tested.

From the driver’s seat, the Prado is an appropriate fit for its size. The well-assisted steering is not without feedback and though it is slow to return to centre, it turns tight enough to park first go (11.6m turning circle). Outward visibility is excellent, especially with the optional flat tailgate relocating the spare wheel under the cargo floor.

Despite its small flaws – which are mostly a result of an aging design – the Prado remains a practical and trustworthy cross-purpose SUV. Passenger accommodation is generous and cargo space exceptional when measured in five-seat mode. The third row of seats splits 50:50 and folds into the floor when not in use.

The Toyota LandCruiser Prado offers 120, 620 or 1833 litres of cargo space depending on the seating arrangement in use.

As mentioned above, the updated Toyota LandCruiser Prado range has been available for almost two years, and continues to be a strong seller – and that’s in spite of the current 150-series design being a decade old.

Year-to-date sales show the LandCruiser Prado is still the best-selling SUV in its class.

To the end of May 2019 the Prado had sold 7833 units, with a clear lead over the Ford Everest (1975), Haval H9 (106), Holden Trailblazer (1094), Isuzu MU-X (3194), Jeep Grand Cherokee (1154), Land Rover Discovery (499), Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (2889) and Toyota Fortuner (1436).

One of the reasons the LandCruiser Prado sells so well is the breadth of its appeal. Capable of carrying seven passengers, heading off-road, and towing up to 3000kg (braked), it’s the jack-of-all-trades kind of SUV that suits the needs of Australian buyers – or at least what Australian buyers think they need.

The truth is most Prado buyers never venture off the beaten track, and would be just as well served by a seven-seat SUV like the Toyota Kluger or Hyundai Santa Fe.

The heavy (2325kg kerb) and frankly under-powered 130kW/450Nm 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel Prado is also outranked in the towing stakes, where the full-size Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series has a clear advantage.

The Toyota LandCruiser Prado has been known to struggle with anything more than 1500kg on the hitch, the power-sapping full-time 4WD taking much of the energy from the driveline before it’s reached the wheels.

Given its price point ($53,490 to $84,119), the LandCruiser Prado slots into the Large SUV <$70K VFACTS category. However, given its price spread and off-road abilities, it is also a competitor for the Land Rover Discovery.

Realistically, the Jeep Grand Cherokee ($47,500 to $91,450) and Land Rover Discovery ($72,250 to $125,428) are probably the closest rivals where breadth of ability is concerned. Each provides a better on/off-road drive experience and comparable towing ability, though standard equipment and safety technology varies dramatically across the various models' respective line-ups.

It’s for this reason – and its body-on-frame design – that the LandCruiser Prado is more often compared to the now-commonplace ute-based rivals available within its VFACTS bracket. These include the Ford Everest ($49,190 to $73,990), Holden Trailblazer ($47,990 to $53,490), Isuzu MU-X ($42,900 to $56,400), Mitsubishi Pajero Sport ($46,490 to $54,490) and in-house rival, the HiLux-based Toyota Fortuner ($44,590 to $56,990).

It might be showing its age, but the Toyota LandCruiser Prado is still a solid contender. No matter how you plan to use it – or where you live in Australia – this aging SUV is hard to rule out if getting there and back safely is your primary concern.

Sure, it mightn’t have the bells and whistles of some of the newer SUVs in its class, and the handling and performance falls behind more modern offerings. But for rural and remote areas the Prado’s proven track record speaks volumes.

Toyota has been pretty quiet on its replacement for the long-serving 150-series, though rumours of a no-diesel future are now all but confirmed. When it arrives we expect twin-turbo V6 petrol and petrol-electric hybrid engines for the next-generation Prado, which means this stalwart of the off-road world might be the last of its kind.

If you want a turbo-diesel Prado, our advice is to get one soon.

Price: $62,990 (plus on-road costs); $67,090 (as tested, plus ORCs)
Engine: 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 130kW/450Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.0L/100km (ADR Combined); 9.5L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 212g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2011)