Toyota LandCruiser Prado VX 2022 Review

The 2022 Toyota Prado VX is all about not fixing what isn’t broken. Or to put it another way, if you’re on a good thing, stick to it.

The Prado is a large seven-seat heavy-duty ladder-frame 4x4 wagon that has been around in this 150 Series since 2009.

It’s been through a lot of updates since then, including a new drivetrain in 2015 and a power and torque boost in 2020. But the foundations are familiar.

There are four Prado grades and VX is one down from the top-spec Kakadu. All of them are powered by the same 150kW/500Nm 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission powering all four wheels all the time.

Off-road aid is provided by a two-speed transfer case and locking centre and rear differentials.

The Prado has been a leader in its segment for years, despite the best attempts of various ladder-frame SUVs to unseat it.

That challenge is being redoubled in 2022 by the substantially improved Isuzu MU-X and the new-generation Ford Everest that’s due to arrive in August.

The 2022 Toyota Prado VX will set you back $77,157 plus on-road costs. It’s a hefty sum considering a top-spec MU-X LS-T costs $67,400 plus ORCs. At least the Prado is much cheaper than the exorbitantly expensive new 300 Series Toyota Landcruiser!

Safety equipment is set at a decent level. Shared with other Prados are seven airbags including curtains that stretch back to protect row three, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert, road sign assist, adaptive cruise control, electronic stability and traction control and trailer sway control.

For heavy traffic and parking there’s assistance offered by blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, a reversing camera, an around-view monitor and rear parking sensors.

Bi-LED headlights aid night-time visibility.

Comfort and convenience equipment incudes tri-zone climate control and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring (without Wi-Fi charging or connection).

A 9.0-inch colour touch-screen sits up high in the dashboard housing sat-nav with a SUNA traffic channel, while a 4.2-inch info display including a digital speedo sits between the analogue dials in the instrument pod.

In addition to lesser Prados, VX highlights include 19-inch (up from 17”) alloy wheels, a cool box, JBL 14-speaker audio, digital radio, leather-accented seats with front and rear outboard heating and front ventilation, illuminated side steps and front parking sensors

Our test car also had the optional tailgate with lift-up glass that meant shifting the full-size spare under the floor.

Sadly, that also means deleting the 63-litre sub fuel tank, reducing capacity from 150 to 87 litres. It’s an option worth avoiding if you’re doing a big and remote trip. A long range between refuels has always been a Prado plus.

The Prado comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and is serviced every six months or 10,000km – which is pretty frequently. The good news is capped price services are $260 for the first three years, but they get a lot more expensive after that.

The 2022 Toyota Prado VX is an old-school, hewn-from-solid wagon that is at its best loaded up and touring toward the horizon.

It is comfortable and quiet, has a capable engine and transmission and long-legged suspension that all make it entirely appropriate for the long haul.

The engine specs do look a little underwhelming on paper, but it’s enthusiastic on the climbs and responsive when overtaking.

The claimed 7.9L/100km fuel consumption rate is optimistic, but unless you’re towing you should still see sub-10L/100km on the open road.

Get off formed roads – bitumen or gravel – and you’ll soon discover the Prado VX’s combination of mechanical drivetrain aids, off-road traction control (the acronym is A-TRC), substantial wheel articulation and ground clearance and video views around the vehicle help you clear most broken ground with ease.

It will drag the tow bar on steep pinches if you’ve got one fitted and the hill descent control sounds unnervingly pained, but the fundamentals are sound.

Speaking of tow bars, the Prado’s 3000kg braked towing capacity is down on the 3500kg some rivals claim. But that still leaves a few hundred kilos to work with once you do your GCM and GVM calculations. In our testing we’ve found it’s best to opt for a lighter van.

Weighing in at 2245kg (without the sub tank), measuring nearly 5.0m long, 1.885m wide and 1.845m tall, the Prado VX is not ideal for the cut and thrust of city and suburban traffic. It’s a bit ponderous and unwieldy.

But considering how spacious it is for people (except row three which is for the kids, really) and their stuff, the command driving position and Toyota’s reputation for high quality and reliability, it’s no surprise it often gets plucked for this role.

You should be aware that since 2015 the Prado has been powered by an engine that has had both diesel particulate filter and dusting issues, both of which Toyota now says are fixed.

Speaking of tech, the Prado VX is hardly at the forefront of cabin technology. The touch-screen isn’t up to the latest and standards of size and ease of use – check out the new Toyota LandCruiser for that.

The 2022 Toyota Prado VX is an obvious candidate for family buyers. Seven seats makes it great for the kids to spread out in during a long trip.

The individual folding third-row seats and split-fold second row aid luggage-stacking versatility.

If you fancy going off-road then the Prado signs up for that happily. And it will also tow up to a certain size without drama. Yep, this vehicle is a family holiday special.

It’s also a perfect candidate for that once-in-a lifetime around-Australia trip for Grey Nomads. Toyota’s extensive network of dealers helps provide extra reassurance in that role.

It’s literally impossible to dislike the 2022 Toyota Prado VX. The concept was right in 2009 and it’s just keeps on keeping on. An all-new replacement is probably two years away.

It’s not that smart, not that fashionable, not at the cutting edge. But those sorts of things don’t really matter when you’re off-roading or cruising through the Outback.

As we’ve pointed out, it’s less suited to the commuter role where it is often spied. But hopefully those examples are also being used at some stage as they should be in the wide open spaces.

How much does the 2022 Toyota Prado VX cost?
Price: $77,157 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 150kW/500Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 208g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2011)