Toyota Prado 2014 News

The import tariff on Japanese and South Korean cars will be completely removed from January 15 - bringing potential price cuts to almost half of all cars imported into Australia.However, the industry has warned buyers not to expect massive savings - cuts will be most likely between $250 and $1000 - because the 5 per cent tariff was on the landed cost of the car, not the higher recommended retail price.Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb claims there will be savings of up to $7630 on some Toyotas as 'an example of the real impact that families will see from these agreements ... for Toyota's biggest-selling models".Don't get too excited. Toyota's biggest-selling model, the Corolla, drops by between $500 and $1050.Don't get too excited. Toyota's biggest-selling model, the Corolla, drops by between $500 and $1050.The $7630 applies to the Prado Kakadu, which drops from $92,120 to $84,490. But only part of the price cut is due to the 5 per cent duty reduction.A Toyota spokesman says 'in some cases we've passed on more than the duty saving".Japanese brands Mazda and Subaru also trimmed prices but don't expect similar savings on South Korean-made vehicles sold by Holden, Kia or Hyundai, as all three have resisted moves to follow suit.Kia spokesman Kevin Hepworth says the company will scrap price increases it had planned for January and look at adding features. 'As new models arrive they may have additional equipment," he says.Hyundai will introduce extra equipment but the currency gap between the Korean won and the yen will make it more difficult to introduce significant savings. So far, Holden has also resisted price cuts on the Korean-made Captiva, Barina, Cruze wagon and Malibu.The Japanese Free Trade Agreement due to come into effect on January 15 follows the deal with South Korea from December 15.The deals are estimated to affect about 460,000 cars this year;. Toyota alone expects the changes will make about 100,000 of its cars cheaper.'Traditionally Toyota would have implemented the price reductions at the same time as the cuts to import duty start to apply," says Toyota sales and marketing chief Tony Cramb.'Instead, with the support of our dealers, Toyota has brought forward these price cuts to the start of the year." Three low-volume cars also will gain extra equipment.Some cars with Japanese and South Korean badges will have no new savings because they are made in countries such as Thailand (which signed free trade agreements with Australia in 2005), the US (agreements signed in 2010) or India (which has no agreement with Australia).Price cuts are expected on the Japanese-built Toyota Yaris, Prius and Corolla hatch, among other models. But prices will remain steady for the Corolla sedan and HiLux built from Thailand and the Kluger SUV manufactured in the US because of the existing deals.Mazda has trimmed prices on all Mazda3, Mazda6, CX-5 and CX-9 vehicles, from $268 to $963 on vehicles which range in price from $20,000 to $50,000. But its cheapest car, the Mazda2, and the BT-50 ute will not get price cuts as they come from Thailand.Likewise most Hondas sold in Australia today come from Thailand. Meanwhile Subaru cut prices of some models by between $500 and $1000. The car industry has warned buyers that exchange rate fluctuations have had a bigger impact on prices than the tariff.'The Australian dollar has moved by 60 per cent over the past 10 years but car prices have remained relatively stable," says one industry insider.'Car makers ride the currency wave, plus you have the impact of the devalued Japanese yen. That has a bigger impact on (pricing) than the removal of the tariff." 

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The seven seater four wheel drive will likely be named ‘Everest’. Like the Ranger ute it’s based on, it’s developed by Ford Australia, whose design, research and development capability is expected to continue operating locally beyond manufacturing close down in 2016.The Territory rear end on this production test mule disguises a shorter wheelbase than the Ranger, which should make the Everest more manoeuvrable and agile on and off road. Like its rival, the Holden Colorado 7, the Ford is expected to upgrade the Ranger’s leaf springs and drum brakes to a live axle coil suspension setup and rear disc brakes.This should make the ride more passenger friendly, with the possibility of Ford adopting an independent rear suspension setup also an option. This would make the development more costly, but would favour passenger comfort and handling on road.A passenger version of the previous generation Ford Ranger has been in production in Thailand for several years, carrying the Everest name in that local market. But this is the first time the Everest SUV, which will be assembled in Thailand, will feature a smaller wheelbase and the expected suspension, brake and cabin refinement and passenger safety updates to make the SUV a competitive product in the global Ford portfolio.Like the Ranger, the Everest will be sold in European, American and Asia-pacific countries. No details have been revealed about engine and powertrain options, but expect little or no change to Ford’s 147kW 3.2-litre 5 cylinder Turbo diesel unit and 6 speed manual and automatic transmissions for our market. Ford’s 110kW 2.2-litre Turbo diesel, and 122kW 2.5-litre petrol may also feature in overseas models, but both are unlikely to make it to Australian showrooms.Low range is almost certain to continue too, making the Everest the most off road capable passenger four wheel drive offered by Ford Australia since the late 80s Maverick. A rear wheel drive model may also be on the cards, lowering the entry level price for families who don’t need the extra off road capability.Expect the Everest to launch in the second half of 2014, when the new model will need to win over the hearts of families and off road enthusiasts alike. The segment is currently dominated by the Toyota Prado with over 1000 sales per month, but it’s the soft roaders like the Ford Territory, Toyota Kluger, Holden Captiva 7 and Hyundai Santa Fe that make up the majority of sales combined, making passenger accommodation an important success factor.However, it’s the other ute-based passenger SUVs that will feel the heat of increased rivalry, with the Holden Colorado 7, Isuzu MU-X and Mitsubishi Challenger squarely on Ford’s radar. Ford may gain some sales from Territory buyers too, once manufacturing of the local SUV stops in 2016. Territory’s likely replacement, the Ford Edge, is not available with a Diesel engine, meaning customers wishing to buy a diesel four wheel drive Ford will need to turn to the Everest. 

The updated Toyota Prado has gone back in time, with a starting price for the facelifted four-wheel-drive the same as it was at launch in 2009.The Prado GX is $55,990 plus on-road costs, while the rest of the range increases by less than $500 (see below) even though new technology and equipment has been added.In addition to the unusually-styled nose -- with a new, over-sized grille and elephant-ear-style headlights -- the Prado has a range of updates including trailer-sway control, a new audio and infotainment system and a digital speed display between the analogue instruments.The big news for families: third-row seat access has been improved with a wider-opening second row seat. The option for the additional two seats on the GX is $2,500 but standard on the rest of the range.As before, most of the heavy-duty four-wheel-drive hardware and suspension technology is only available on the most expensive models -- the dearest of which stretches beyond $90,000 -- which buyers are presumably loathe to scratch let alone take offroad.Capped price servicing remains unchanged, at $210 for each of the first six services in the first three years (10,000km and six month intervals).2014 Toyota Prado price listGX manual five-seat  - $55,990GX manual seven-seat -  $58,490GXL manual turbo diesel -  $61,490Auto adds $2700 to the above three modelsGXL auto petrol  - $63,190VX auto petrol  - $77,990Kakadu auto petrol - $91,590Diesel adds $1000 to the above three models

Toyota has revealed the LandCruiser Prado's new styling and detailed some extra features that will arrive when it arrives here in October. The Prado gets a facelift both outside and in, with a new nose based on elements from the model's signature grille.Toyota say access to the third row of the seven-seater has been improved, and specification boosted. The interior styling has been given a makeover with new upholstery, accents, colour schemes and switchgear -- while the second and third row seats have been redesigned.It now gets daytime running lights across the range, trailer sway control for improved towing and an emergency brake signal. There has also been work done on the suspension, with revisions to the standard system and also the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System.However there are no changes under the bonnets. The Prado will carry over the current 202kW/381Nm 4.0-litre V6 petrol and 127kW/410Nm 3.0-litre turbodiesel engines.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott