2011 Toyota Landcruiser Prado Reviews

Toyota imports a large number of 4WD, SUV and crossover vehicles to Australia and dominates our market here.

Toyota largely built its enviable reputation for toughness and reliability on big, lusty four-wheel drives like the Prado. Regarded as the LandCruiser's little brother, the Prado is a big wagon that is able to cope with life in town. New It can accommodate up to seven in reasonable comfort, with some space left over

The fourth generation Landcruiser Prado brought new town-friendly refinement on a level never before dreamt of by fans of the popular mid-sized wagon.

A sensible cross between a full-on 4WD and a passenger carrying SUV, the Toyota Prado is built by the Japanese company that’s now in its sixth decade in the off-road field in Australia.

Four-wheel-drive vehicles that rival prestige sedans in terms of technology and luxury equipment can retain impressive off-road credentials.  A range of manufacturers has developed luxury versions of dinkum 4WDs with all types of driver and comfort aids; the Toyota Prado Kakadu as tested here being a shining example for someone with $90,000 to put into a vehicle that covers the two scopes of luxury car and serious off-roader.VALUEPrado is a big seller thanks to equipment, ability and reputation. The Kakadu is the top-of-the-range Prado at $87,990 when having a four-litre V6 petrol engine (202kW power) or $1000 more for the three-litre turbocharged diesel engine we tested.Our Prado had a $2500 option pack that includes radar cruise control allowing the driver to nominate a distance from  the car ahead on a motorway, the vehicle automatically beginning its braking if getting too close.  Prado diesel (in any guise) is a formidable 4WD with 32-degree approach angle and 220mm ground clearance. Even on standard tyres it has good off-bitumen abilities.DESIGNPrado Kakadu luxury touches include a leather interior, sat-nav, rear camera and reversing guide, rear seat DVD with fold-down screen plus headphones, multi-information display touch screen to set up vehicle functions (hours of fun here with owner's handbook on your lap), power sunroof, a 14-speaker premium sound system, three-zone aircon plus a large centre console bin that can be used as a 'fridge, heated front seats, memory position driver seat plus a steering wheel that folds out the way automatically for entry and exit.A forward facing camera helps in parking and having a squiz at the terrain immediately in front of the vehicle (we'd like this to have an adjustable lens, the standard one being a very wide angle).TECHNOLOGYPrado Kakadu justifies its price with all the gear. As well as hill-start assist and downhill control it has height adjustable rear suspension controlled by a dashboard knob. It raises 40mm to give the body extra clearance (reverting to normal at 50km/h) or lowers 20mm to aid rear loading (returning to normal at 12km/h).Push buttons allow the driver to select a locked centre differential, turn off the stability control and select between comfort, normal and sport for shock absorber settings.  It is constant 4WD. Low range is selected with a dashboard rotary knob.Toyota claims the ABS system will "read" the sort of surface the Prado is on and adjust accordingly.  The diesel engine works away without complaint and is pretty well matched to the five-speed automatic transmission with sequential shift.DRIVINGThe computer showed an acceptable 10.5 litres/100km in suburban driving. By the end of our holiday driving it read an average 8.4 litres/100km, an excellent figure given it included 110km/h freeway running and a beach drive in a 2.5-tonne wagon.VERDICTKakadu stands out little from a $60,000 GXL Prado on the outside. But once your friends are inside, you'll dazzle them with its goodies.TOYOTA PRADO KAKADU DIESELPrice: $88,904Engine: Four-cylinder, turbocharged diesel, 2982ccPower: 127kW @ 3400rpmTorque: 410Nm @ 1600-2800rpmEconomy: 8.5  litresd/100km; on test 8.4.Transmission: Full-time four-wheel-drive, switchable to low range; five-speed automatic; 2100rpm at 110km/h 4WD ability: 220mm ground clearance, 32 degree approach angle, 25 degree departure angle, 70mm wading depth, 22 degree ramp over.Dimensions: 4930mm long, 1885mm wide, 1890mm high, 2790mm wheelbase. 2435kg kerb weight; tows 2500kg.

WE turn the spotlight on automotive's newest and brightest stars, as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. Ultimately, however, there is only one question that really needs answering ... would you buy one?What is it?The first three-door version of Toyota's mid-size off road wagon. We use the term mid-size loosely however because it's a pretty big beast these days. The blunt lines are in contrast to the contoured, European designed lines of the previous model, but it's more aerodynamic.How much?Priced from $55,990 (also a more expensive ZR model for $65,904). The three-door is available only as a diesel and in auto form only.What are the competitors?Used to be a three-door Pajero but they canned it leaving Prado with this corner of the market to itself. For the same price you can have the GX five-door.What's under the bonnet?3.0-litre turbo diesel hooked up to a five-speed auto with manual mode. The four-cylinder diesel comes with new injectors and a new front mounted intercooler but its output remains the same at 127kW and 410Nm.How does it go?Fine in a straight line, not so hot around corners and virtually unstoppable off road with its short front and rear overhangs.Is it economical?Gets 8.5 litres/100km according to the book. We were getting 8.4 after close to 700km. That's pretty good for something this size.Is it 'Green?'Bet each way with this one. Gets 2.5 stars out of 5 from the Government's Green Guide. It's a  diesel but it's a big heavy vehicle and it takes plenty of power to get it moving. Only gets 3 out of 10 for air pollution where 10 is the best.Is it safe?Full five stars for safety. All Prados get seven airbags, vehicle stability control, all-terrain traction control, anti-lock braking system with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist.Is it comfortable?Yes, in an armchair sort of way. The high driving position and smaller dimensions make it easy to drive, but it doesn't like to be pushed.What's it like to drive?Plenty of rock and roll, both back and forth as well as sideways. Wait until you hit the brakes hard for the first time. Front has a tendency to nose dive which can be disconverting. Don't like the tacky trip computer either which doubles as a reversing camera.Is it value for money?$55,000 is a big chunck of cash, but it buys airconditioning, cruise control, smart entry with push button start, 220-volt rear accessory socket, along with Bluetooth, USB auxiliary input and iPod control, alloy wheels, conversation mirror and a ventilated coolbox.Would we buy one?Can't see any reason we'd want a three door. Plenty of room in the back seat, but obviously less space for luggage. Then again this one can lug a 3 tonne load.

The Ford Falcon wagon is dead. The Toyota Camry wagon is gone. Some like the Holden Sportswagon still survive, and there are loyal buyers in both the small-car and luxury classes, but the rising tide of SUVs has washed most station wagons out of showrooms.The distinction between the traditional sedan-based station wagons and Australia’s new favourite family freighter has become much more blurred in the past decade or so.However, there are still some important points of difference. And it's worth looking at some of the leading contenders on the rival teams to see what's happening and what works best for you.A sedan-based wagon is usually lighter than a similarly-sized SUV. This means better fuel economy and lower costs for servicing and tyres. It also sits closer to the bitumen, with a lower centre of gravity, so it’s more agile and stable, especially when cornering or in an emergency manoeuvre.However, you don’t enjoy the high-and-mighty driving position, with an unimpeded view of the road, that SUV drivers - and women in particular - cite as one of the breed’s major attractions.Who hasn’t sat in traffic, cursing the SUV blocking your vision? Booming SUV sales indicate more and more people are taking the view that, if I can’t beat ‘em, I may as well join ‘em.It’s a myth that SUVs are more space-efficient than wagons, however most mid-sized models - including the popular Holden Captiva and Ford's Territory - can come with a couple of extra seats in the back, a feature you no longer find in conventional wagons.Kids also love an SUV’s elevated seating position because they can enjoy the scenery, whereas many wagons have low seats and high side window sills, which, for nippers, can be like sitting in a hole.  So they get unhappy. And we know what happens then...Whether you choose a sedan-based wagon or an SUV - an Americanism for Sports Utility Vehicle, incidentally - the good news is that affordable family transport, with five star safety, can now also be an enjoyable drive.Among the wagons, the Commodore VE Series ll Sportwagon, priced from $41,990 for the 190kW, 3.0-litre V6 Omega, is a standout. It looks sensational - which, it must be said, is still a rare thing in wagon world.Recent improvements to drivetrains, including E85 ethanol fuel compatibility, direct fuel inection and a six-speed automatic - plus a flash new dash with hands-free Bluetooth and audi streaming as standard - have re-written the Commodore's technical resume to 21st century standards.Around town, the 3.0-litre V6 averages 12.6L/100km in official tests.  A big serve of additional grunt in the 3.6-litre V6 SV6 Sportwagon, plus tighter suspension, sports seats and other extras, justifies its $45,790 ask, and with a city average of 13.3L/100km, you’re not savagely penalised at the pump.Despite the Commodore's appeal, Ford’s Mondeo and the little-known Skoda Superb are the kings of outright space. Behind the driver’s seat, both are as big as the MCG.  Given their size, the fuel economy from their 2.0-litre turbodiesel engines is amazing.  The 120kW, six-speed automated-manual Mondeo, from $36,840, pulls like a train and averages just 7.7L/100km in town.The Skoda is VW engineering with a Czech badge, making  luxury wagon for half the expected price. The 125kW six-speed automated-manual Superb Ambition is $43,990, with a city average of 8.3L/100km and the 118kW 1.8-litre petrol turbo Ambition, at $40,990, offers respectable performance too, averaging 9.7L/100km.In the SUV showroom, Ford’s Territory, from $39,890, is still one of the best size/price/performance packages available - especially with the inevitable big discount ahead of the facelifted model - but the all-wheel drive’s 17.6L/100km thirst in town is a major disincentive.Later this month, a 140kW 2.7-litre V6 turbodiesel engine, which averages 11.6L/100km, goes under the bonnet as part of a major upgrade. It will be worth a test drive.Kia’s Sorento, a classy, competent seven-seater with a brilliant 2.2-litre, 145kW turbodiesel, starts at $39,999, with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. Around town, it averages 9.5L/100 kilometres. The five-seater Subaru Outback now has enough interior acreage to keep a family happy.  This blue-chip, made-in-Japan SUV starts at $38,490 for the 123kW 2.5-litre petrol (11.5-litres per 100 kilometres), or $40,490 for a 110kW 2.0-litre turbodiesel, in manual only, with a 7.7- litres per 100 kilometre average.Load Lugger ChecklistRear camera: All cars should have one as standard, especially wagons and SUVs. The Sorento’s is a brilliant design, integrated into the rearview mirror.Curtain airbags: Essential protection against a side impact. In a seven seater, they should extend to all three rows of seats. In the Territory, they don’t.Child restraint anchors: Should be on the back of the rear seat, not in the load floor, or the roof (as in the Outback), where the tether straps get in the wayCargo bay: Check that the extended floor is flat when you fold the back seat, and that you don’t have to push the driver’s seat too far forward.Row-three seats: In SUVs most are pretty small, suitable for little kids only, or short trips. Check access, which should be easiest from the kerb side.Protection: You need some way to secure gear, because in a prang even small objects behind the back seat become lethal missiles. Options include a solid load cover, a net, a roll out mesh barrier, that clips into the roof, or an aftermarket barrier.Want to go off road ... really off road?Try these:Jeep Grand Cherokee from $45,000. The new Laredo 3.6-litre V6 petrol is great value, but the diesel, due in June, will be a better drive. Hard-core off-roading made easy, and the all-new Grand Cherokee is much improved on the bitumen too.Mitsubishi Challenger from $45,000. Lots of Pajero bits in this, with lower starting prices and a competent, if rather coarse, 2.5 turbodiesel. Seven seats from $49,390, a huge cargo bay, and a locking rear differential.Toyota Landcruiser Prado from $55,990. It’s a Toyota 4WD, so it’s pricey, but you get bulletproof reliability, unbeatable resale values and smooth, but leisurely, performance from the 3.0-litre turbodiesel.