The younger and more affordable sibling of the mighty flagship Land Cruiser, the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado recently went through some major design overhaul back in early 2018. As a result of its time under the scalpel, the revised Prado looks far more appealing than the controversially-styled model it replaced. So, for its 2019MY, the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado remains vastly unchanged.
As for its rivals, the mid-sized Toyota Prado goes up against the likes of the new and comfortable Chevrolet Trailblazer, the old but capable Kia Mohave, and the evergreen Mitsubishi Pajero. As far as brand reputation, reliability, and pure off-roading capability is concerned, the 2019 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado has few rivals.
Exterior
On the face of it, the 2019 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado is a rather handsome SUV. The large hexagonal chrome grille with its thick vertical bars, a large Toyota logo right in the middle, and sleek-looking headlamps with integrated DRLs lend the new Prado a sharp, aggressive yet sophisticated demeanor. Also, just like with the Land Cruiser, the Prado too has those distinct bulges on the hood with similar scooped out center portion.
However, compared to the rather bulbous proportions of its elder sibling, the Prado has more angles and ends up looking sleeker too. The big fenders on the sides house 18-inch alloy wheels and 265-section tires, and have enough space between the wheels and the body to allow for massive wheel articulation over uneven terrain. The rear fascia gets new 3D-design taillamp units and there’s a thick chrome bar just above the number plate area.
Depending on the requirement, buyers can opt for either the 3-door/5-seat, or 5-door/7-seat Prado. The former bears dimensions of 4.505 meters in length, 1.885 meters in width, 1.830 meters in overall height, and has a wheelbase stretching 2.450 meters. The 5-door, full-option V6-equipped Prado measures in at 4.950 meters long, 1.885 meters wide, 1.890 meters tall, and has a wheelbase of 2.790 meters.
Interior
The cabin of the 2019 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado is a spacious and practical place. The Prado’s passenger space is fairly large and there’s enough space in the boot as well. The 5-door/7-seat version of the Prado has enough room for adults in the first and second row, and the third row should suffice those with a smaller build. Cargo space on this version is a respectable 621 liters, whilst the 3-door Prado features a 381-liter boot.
When it was updated in 2018, the cabin of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado was also considerably improved. The quality of materials used and the overall fit & finish has gone up, as has refinement levels when compared to the older model. You can get the new Toyota Prado with niceties such as leather upholstery, faux-wood trimmings, and metal accents in areas such as the center-stack. Some of the most noteworthy features include cruise control, keyless entry with push-button start, tri-zone automatic climate control, an electric sunroof, a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, automatic LED headlamps with daytime-running lights and a cleaning function, and front LED fog lights.
Safety features include 7 airbags, ABS with EBD, traction control, Hill Start Assist Control (HAC), Down Hill Assist Control (DAC), a locking center differential, front & rear parking sensors, and a rearview camera.
Engine and performance
The 2019 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado comes with two engine options and body styles. The smallest unit is a 2.7-liter four-banger that produces 164 HP and 245 Nm of torque, and comes coupled to a 6-speed automatic transmission. This enables the Prado to hit 0-100 km/h in 13.5 seconds, and a top speed is 170 km/h. The overall fuel consumption figure for this motor is rated at 9.4L/100 km.
The six-cylinder version of the Toyota Prado comes with a 4.0-liter engine which makes 271 HP and 381 Nm of torque. Powered by a more powerful engine, the Prado can now do the 0-100 km/h run in 9.0 seconds, with top whack coming in at 200 km/h. The overall fuel consumption figure for the V6-powered Prado is rated at 9.9L/100 km.
Verdict
The 2019 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado starts at AED 129,900 for the 3-door with the four-cylinder engine in the basic EXR trim. The top-of-the-line, 5-door Prado in the VXR trim with the V6 is priced at AED 204,900. Insurance premium for the former starts just north of AED 2,900, and for the full-option V6 car, the cost of insurance is approximately around AED 4,300.
