Toyota Prado 2017 Problems

The Pajero is a rugged vehicle that is very good on-road and off, it is roomy, safe and well equipped, while the Prado is a large, reliable, and tough seven-seater. It’s very comfortable, but the diesel’s performance is lacklustre. It’s hard to beat the Pajero.

All of the vehicles are worthy choices, but you need to be careful about the towing ratings of them. The Kia Sorento, which would be my choice, is rated at 2000kg, which is right on your towing requirement. Others, such as the 2WD Everest, are rated to tow much more. Others, like the Mitsubishi Pajero and Toyota Prado, are full-on 4WDs, and would seem beyond your needs.

That's a tough call. With its Hilux roots the Fortuner is a very competent off-roader, it has a separate chassis, switchable four-wheel drive, good ground clearance, a great diesel engine, and accommodates seven. The Prado's off-road credentials are well established, it's more refined, but it's heavier than the Fortuner, which weighs on its performance, and its towing rating is lower than the Fortuner's. Either one would do what you want, but I would slightly favour the Fortuner.

There are quite a few reports of problems with the dpf clogging on the latest 2.8-litre diesel, but a Toyota spokesman told us there is currently no service campaign or recall related to the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) on any of the three vehicles you reference.

Your choices are limited if you want a four-wheel drive for serious off-roading. You could look at a Mitsubishi Pajero, Nissan Pathfinder, or maybe one of the popular 4WD utes. A ute will do everything you need, and they are quite comfortable on the road.