Road Test | Toyota Prado VX-L
ToyoTa’s revamped LandCruiser prado brings a rafT of new TeCh feaTures, aLong wiTh refreshed sTyLing. Gautam Sharma gLeans wheTher iT’s a genuine sTep forward PHOTOgRAPHY bahr al-alum karim
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Road Test | Toyota Prado VX-L
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wouldn’t have driven there in the first place,” said the wisened Fraser Martin, puffing on a cigarette as he surveyed the Toyota LandCruiser Prado, beached up to its axles in soft, powdery sand. No amount of digging, rockwedging under the wheels or revs were sufficient to subsequently budge the Prado, even with centre and rear diffs locked. The moral of the story is this: there’s no substitute for common sense when it comes to off-roading. It doesn’t matter how many sophisticated tractioncontrol devices and electronic driver aids a vehicle has (and the 2010 Prado has plenty), if you put the thing in the wrong spot, you WILL get stuck. And this clearly was the wrong spot, because even off-roading guru Fraser refused to tackle the same sand hill in his modified Jeep Wrangler. “What would be the point?” he queried, when I asked him to have a go at it. Fraser’s Wrangler is a pretty trick bit of kit, but the new Prado isn’t exactly a slouch when it comes to rough terrain. The fact it needed to be winched out of this particular predicament had more to do with the fact I’d misjudged the softness of the sand (which swallowed you up to your knees if you stood in it). We had ended up there to put through the wringer the 2010 iteration of Toyota’s medium-large SUV, which comes armed to the hilt with an array of sophisticated electronics that tailor its traction control and braking systems to suit anything from mud and sand to rocks, moguls and snow. Toyota calls it Multi-terrain Select, but it’s similar in principle to Land Rover’s acclaimed Terrain Response – a no-brainer “push-and-play” system.
LEFT Range-topping VX-L comes loaded with kit – and the price reflects this ABOVE New-design 10-spoke alloys add to Prado’s visual appeal
Another trick feature is a “Multi-terrain Monitor” that uses external cameras to provide views on the centre-console screen of all four sides of the vehicle. It also shows you your predicted tyre path, making it far easier to navigate down narrow tracks… or confined car parks. This is supplemented by a dot-matrix graphic between the speedo and tacho that shows the angle of the front wheels – particularly handy in low-speed offroad situations, or when moving away from a parking spot. Once freed of the sandpit I had managed to get us mired in, a subsequent foray into the dunes (layered in slightly harder-packed sand) posed no problems, with the myriad of electronics doing their bit to maximise traction. All you need to do for tough terrain is select the appropriate mode (the choices are “mud and sand”, “loose rock”, “mogul” and “rock”) via the steering wheel-mounted controls, then, if needed, select L4 (for low-range) via a twist knob on the centre console. You can then lock the centre and/or rear diffs as required via centreconsole push buttons. After that the only inputs required are braking, steering and throttle. Further boosting the Prado’s allterrain armoury are new Crawl Control, Downhill Assist Control and Hill-start Assist Control – all designed to minimise demands on the driver. Although it’s arguably the most offroad-capable vehicle in its class, the Prado isn’t exactly the wieldiest device on tarmac. In fact, it feels slightly ponderous, particularly when compared with roadbiased seven-seaters such as the Mazda CX-9 and Hyundai Veracruz, or even the Ford Flex, Honda Pilot, GMC Acadia, et al. If you don’t plan on venturing off the beaten track, you’re better off with one of these. However, if off-roading is on the agenda, you can dismiss this bunch from the outset. All of the aforementioned are essentially glorified people-movers that – although car-like and soccer-momfriendly – typically don’t dirty their tyres on anything more testing than gravel car parks. The Prado, on the other hand, feels a bit truck-like as it shares its ladderframe chassis with the HiLux pick-up and FJ Cruiser. The upside is that it’s as robust as they come, and can be expected to rack up a couple of hundred thousand kays in adverse conditions without being reduced to a rattly bucket of bolts. The range-topping Prado VX-L we tested comes armed with a Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) and Adaptive Variable Suspension with Comfort, Normal and Sport modes – but the latter is that in name only, as the Prado never approaches anything resembling sporty behaviour. Soft and pillowy best describes its on-road dynamics. The steering has very little feel and the brakes are overservoed, so it takes some familiarisation before you develop a
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sense of connection with the vehicle. No real complaints about the drivetrain, as the 4.0-litre V6 offers adequate punch, although it does sound a bit industrial. Meanwhile, the five-speed auto goes about its business smoothly and unobtrusively. The VX-L weighs in at a hefty $59,350 (ouch!), but this outlay
brings virtually every mod-con on the planet, including triple-zone air-con, a 17-speaker (yes, really) JBL MP3compatible sound system with audio jack for USB and auxiliary input operation, a centre console cool box, Smart Entry and Start, seven airbags (front, side, curtain and a driver’s knee ’bag), satnav, electric sunroof, ◊
‘It’s arguably the most off-road capable vehicle in its class...’ ABOVE It’s slightly longer than before, but Prado’s profile is largely unchanged RIgHT Suspension is adept at soaking up a variety of surface undulations
Q&a: PRADO CHIEF ENGINEER MAKOTO ARIMOTO What weaknesses or shortcomings in the old Prado have you aimed to remedy in the 2010 model? This fourth-generation landCruiser is the first full model change in seven years, so you can imagine there were plenty of updates i wanted to introduce. in terms of customer feedback, one area of comment had been the operation of the third-row folding seats and their effect on the boot space. Now in the new landCruiser Prado i have improved this functionality so that the seats fold down flat to the floor easily through an electric switch without impacting on luggage space. What (if any) middle Eastspecific requirements were taken into account in its design? The design concept follows the development key words “intelligent modern” which were devised specifically with the
middle East in mind. The exterior design evokes the strength expected in a genuine fourwheel drive in the uaE desert, but equally it fits perfectly on the streets of Paris. This refinement is carried through to the interior providing increased space and comfort and a superior quality feel. The Prado is now one of the relatively few SUVs that still use a ladder-frame
chassis – can you see a time when it will switch to a monocoque design? The landCruiser Prado is driven in more than 170 countries across many different terrains and is required to cope with many different driving conditions. For instance, it is used in remote oil field locations across the middle East and in coal fields in australia as well as fulfilling its role as a civilian on
road vehicle. The ladder-frame chassis provides a strong platform such as the landCruiser to cope with this versatile heavyduty usage; as a result we don’t foresee a change in the design. What are some of the unique challenges posed by the middle East climate and terrain? Obviously the hot climate and rugged terrain are the chief considerations. i have therefore introduced the new triple-zone air-conditioning unit, which provides independent temperature settings for the driver, front passenger and rear passengers; this is the best system in the mid-size SuV segment. additionally, its reliability and durability inherent in its land Cruiser DNa, display vastly improved on- and off-road capabilities through a series of world-class technologies. The adoption of a kinetic Dynamic
Suspension System increases stability during city driving and improved suspension control on rough terrain. Other key features include Crawl Control and the introduction of the world’s first multi-terrain monitor, which displays footage of the road conditions round the vehicle; all these will assist both the novice and advanced off-road driver. Vehicle weight is becoming a key consideration (given the need to develop more ecofriendly vehicles). How do you address this challenge when designing a full-size SUV? The weight has been reduced in the new Prado, but this was not a key consideration. in designing the new Prado i chose three key areas that i wanted to focus on: improved durability; the balance between on and off-road capability and comfort. For me the top priority was improving its reliability and durability.
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Road Test | Toyota Prado VX-L
Prado has few rivals as a genuinely off-road capable medium-large SUV; only Pajero, Pathfinder and brilliant new LR4 come close BELOW multi-Terrain Select is an absolute no-brainer to use BOTTOm Diff locks and Crawl Control are a button-push away
Second- and third-row seats fold flat to create ample luggage space; new dash/centre console layout is vast improvement
‘If getting away from civilisation is your thing, you need to seriously consider the Prado...’
Vitals
FACTFIlE TOYOTA PRADO VX-L
Engine 4.0-litre V6 Power 266bhp at 5600rpm Torque 381Nm at 4400rpm Transmission Five-speed auto Length 4930mm Width 1885mm Height 1890mm Wheelbase 2790mm Kerb weight 2375kg Fuel Tank 87 litres (main); 63 litres (aux) Ground clearance 220mm Approach angle 32 degrees Departure angle 25 degrees Wading depth 700mm On sale Now Price $59,350
∆ HID headlamps with autolevelling, plus more. You also get leather upholstery and a leatherand-wood steering wheel. I have to admit here that I’m not a big fan of wooden wheels as I find them slippery and not particularly tactile. Cabin comfort is fine for up to five occupants, particularly as the second-row seats can be made to recline individually. However, third-row dwellers get a dud deal as climbing into the back row is awkward, and these pews aren’t all that comfortable in any case. Best to think of these as emergency seats, as luggage space is reduced to almost zero with them in situ. Handily, there’s an electronic push button just inside the rear tailgate that can make these seats fold flat into the floor. The tailgate itself is a barn-door unit (meaning it’s hinged at the side, rather than the top), and the window contained within can be opened separately if required – handy in confined areas. The new Prado is slightly longer and wider than its forerunner, but its roofline is lower to create a marginally
squatter stance. However, the main visual differentiators between old and new can be found at the front, which is now distinguished by LandCruiseresque headlights, a remodelled bumper/ undertray and a reprofiled grille (which nonetheless retains the toothy look of its predecessor). Changes to the rear are even more subtle, as Toyota execs say clinics indicated customers still liked the look of the outgoing model’s derriere. All in all, the Prado has retained its core values as a durable, genuinely offroad-capable SUV. If you truly have a need/desire to tackle tough terrain, it still represents a sound choice. However, if you’re a resolute tarmac dweller, you’d be better served by opting for one of the many car-based SUVs that have flooded onto the market in recent years. These city slickers are easier to handle in the urban grind, although this comes at the cost of less freedom to explore the back of beyond. If getting well away from civilisation is your thing, you need to seriously consider the Prado, as well as Land Rover’s excellent new LR4. L
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