Toyota Prado fixes could be years away

Toyota Australia has already started asking for changes to the new Toyota LandCruiser Prado 250 Series but admits fixes for its flaws could take years.

Feedback to the factory in Japan about Prado from Australia includes issues as widespread as the compromised boot to the lack of a physical button to turn off parking sensors.

But while the Prado has been testing in Australia since 2022, Toyota Australia product experts admit packaging and design issues only became apparent when they sighted production-spec vehicles.

“We have only just started working on the mass production vehicles recently,” Toyota Australia research, evaluation and training manager Russell Tomlinson said.

“The prototype vehicles, for example, the packaging is all different. So there’s been various forms of evaluation along the journey and only until we got the final confirmation vehicles were we able to lock in.

“I saw that exact [boot/third row seating] combination for the first time a couple of months ago.”

Already stacking up record pre-orders ahead of the launch, the first all-new Prado in 15 years has turned out to be a vehicle with commendable positives and disappointing negatives.

They are chronicled here, while the specifics of its reduced payload are investigated here.

The raised boot floor is an obvious issue. Designed as a one-size-fits-all housing for different hybrid battery sizes, it compromises boot space especially when a third row of seats is in-play.

carsales has seen messages from would-be Prado buyers confirming they have cancelled their orders after seeing the third row set-up.

Any prospect of a quick fix for the floor is extremely unlikely, because it would likely require a fundamental redesign of at least the rear portion of the vehicle’s ladder frame and body.

But Tomlinson said talks had already started with Japan about the issue.

“We are working with them still continuously to see if we can optimise,” he said.

“When and how that happens is still in the future.”

Tomlinson was more positive about the potential introduction of a physical button to turn off the parking sensors.

Currently, they are muted by drilling into the instrument cluster or the centre touchscreen of the Prado’s all-new digital infotainment set-up.

“We are trying to get it back into a physical button but it needs be proved out because there are a lot of other safety system that have been programmed,” he said.

However, as part of the Toyota Safety Sense system, making a change to the way the sensors are activated could take months or even years.

One key issue is whether the parking sensors are linked to a parameter or logic function within the system.

“A parameter function is just a tweak on some of the variables on the system, that could be a lot quicker. That could be within 12 months,” Tomlinson said.

“But a logic function requires a complete re-progam, so it depends on how the design and the software developer in Japan have designed that particular function.

“If it sits in that one then it’s a major overhaul and it needs to go through quality checking not just in Australia but globally. That will take longer.

“So I can’t answer exactly for this particular function right now but were asking the question.”

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