2023 Toyota LandCruiser Prado

Prado GX highlights:

• 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Satellite navigation
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Heated mirrors with power folding
• Keyless entry and start
• Air-conditioning
• 4.2-inch multi-information display
• Trailer sway control
• Seven airbags
• Reversing camera
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Hill-descent control
• Air-conditioned centre console
• Cargo blind
• Puddle lights

Third-row seating is an additional $2550 on the Prado GX.

Prado GXL adds:

• Bi-LED headlights
• Third row of seating
• Privacy glass
• Leatherette steering wheel
• Three-zone climate control
• Rear parking sensors
• Rear differential lock
• Alarm
• Side steps
• Roof rails

An option package with leather-trimmed seats (ventilated, heated, and powered front, heated in the rear) costs $3470 on the GXL.

Prado VX adds:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Full-sized spare wheel
• Auto-dimming rear view mirror
• Front parking sensors
• Surround-view camera
• Refrigerated cool box
• DAB+ digital radio
• 14-speaker JBL sound system

Prado Kakadu adds:

• Tilt and slide moonroof
• Faux wood steering wheel
• Paddle shifters
• Drive mode selector
• Four-link rear suspension with air springs
• Five-speed crawl control
• Adaptive variable suspension
• Multi-terrain select
• Rear-seat entertainment system

A flat tailgate, which sees the spare mounted under the vehicle, is a no-cost option on GXL, VX and Kakadu models.

Premium paint is a $675 option.

There are 10 available exterior finishes for the Prado line-up, including:

• Glacier White
• Ebony (black)
• Crystal Pearl (white)*
• Silver Pearl*
• Graphite*
• Wildfire (red)*
• Peacock Black*
• Eclipse Black*
• Dusty Bronze*
• Espresso Brown*

*Premium paints demand a $675 upcharge.

As with the wider Toyota line-up, it’s backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

The Prado requires maintenance every six months or 10,000km – whichever comes first.

Each of the first six services (or each scheduled service in the first three years of maintenance) will cost $260.

Tipping the scales at 2455kg (kerb), the latest engine's extra 50Nm of torque was never really going to make a night and day difference.

But, while the updated engine doesn’t pin you back in the seat, it offers something the last Prado struggled with – confidence behind the wheel.

When you sink the boot in now, there’s a quicker and more urgent surge of torque that doesn’t taper off as quickly. It still takes a little over 11 seconds to travel from 0-100km/h, but it’s the mid-range where you will notice the most difference.

Peak torque kicks in from 1600rpm and flows through to 2800rpm meaning there is a wide band the transmission can lean on before needing to shift back through gears. The six-speed automatic transmission isn’t lightning fast on up or downshifts, but that wide torque band accommodates for in-gear acceleration without hunting through gears.

Toyota hasn’t shifted from hydraulic to electrically assisted steering, so you miss out on the variable steering weight you find on most of the Prado’s competitors, along with safety technology like a proper lane-keeping assistant (this uses a system that grabs the brakes momentarily to move the car back into line).

That means the steering can feel a little heavy at low speeds, with the rack retaining a lack of feel about centre at city and highway speeds.

Suspension comes in the form of a double wishbone up front, a four-link setup at the rear, and height-adjustable air springs on the rear axle. There’s also adaptive damping with three suspension settings to match the terrain being driven on, and anti-roll bars on the front and rear axles.

In and around the city the Prado feels smooth and comfortable. It doesn’t feel as brittle or rough as some of the ute-based SUVs at low speeds and that’s thanks to a slightly more sophisticated suspension setup.

Out on the open road and at highway speeds the ride is good, but it can feel a little brittle at times. Corrugations and bumps on country roads at highway speeds tend to translate through the cabin and aren’t adequately isolated by the suspension. It’s certainly not the end of the world, but you will notice it over longer country drives.

Speaking of which, given its reputation, the LandCruiser Prado’s off-road credentials match its rugged appearance.

We’re talking about 219mm of ground clearance, 30.4-degree approach angle, 23.5-degree departure angle and a 700mm wading depth, as well as a centre and rear differential lock.

In addition to these systems, the LandCruiser Prado comes with KDSS (Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System), which is a hydraulic decoupler for the anti-roll bars. KDSS activates the anti-roll bars to improve handling on-road, and can disconnect them when extra wheel articulation is required.

There’s also Crawl Control and Multi Terrain Select system. These features help manage off-road terrain by electronically controlling slip at each wheel based on preset speeds and terrain. For the most part they work well, and are there to serve buyers who may not be entirely confident off-road.

The only downsides to the package are the noisy hill descent and Crawl Control modes, and an inability to enter any of the advanced drive modes or engage the rear differential unless the vehicle is in low-range.

GXL, VX and Kakadu models offer the flat tailgate package as a no-cost option.

The base Prado GX offers optional third-row seating for $2550, while the GXL lists an available leather interior package for $3470 – which also adds power front seat adjustment with heating/ventilation, as well as heated rear seats.

Premium paint is $675.

While Toyota has been plagued by supply and component issues over the past year, it seems the Prado is less affected than some other models in the brand's line-up – namely hybrids and LandCruiser 70/300 Series models.

VFACTS data shows Toyota is still able to offer around 2000 deliveries per month, with 2021's yearly figure of 21,299 units an 18.1 per cent increase on the year prior.

Within Toyota's range, the Prado sits between the HiLux ute-based Fortuner off-roader and the full-sized LandCruiser 300 Series.

It's a similar story to the wider market, where the Prado is priced and sized somewhere between the likes of the Ford Everest and Land Rover Discovery.

The Toyota Prado was Australia's favourite Large SUV in 2021, and has been for numerous years before that.

VFACTS reported 21,299 Prado sales for the 2021 calendar year, an increase of 18.1 per cent on 2020. The Prado held 18.8 per cent of the mainstream large SUV market.

Overall the 2021 Toyota LandCruiser Prado is more of the same and for those wanting a brand new product, we’re expecting a new-generation Prado in 2022-23. that’s likely to sit on a new platform and come with a range of new engines.

But in the interim, it’s a safe purchase if you’re upgrading an existing Prado and don’t need any surprises.

The Prado debuted as a version of the 70 Series LandCruiser in 1990.