Toyota Prado vs BYD Atto 3

What's the difference?

While no doubt the hybrid would appeal to some buyers, given the limits in towing capacity and higher fuel consumption, the extra performance doesn’t really make the i-Force Max a compelling proposition for the LandCruiser/Prado. Australian buyers have made it abundantly clear they’re happy with the Prado already on sale, so it’s hard to see the hybrid having too much success here alongside the diesel engine.

So, would I recommend this new Atto 3 Evo to my friend, or indeed anyone in the market for a mid-size electric SUV?

While it may look largely the same as it did back in 2022, the Atto 3 is now a far more compelling proposition than it was then. Certainly BYD has established itself in the market and that means there is more certainty for buyers.

But this new Atto 3 Premium is a big leap forward when it comes to the driving experience. And while that’s not likely to be a huge factor for most mid-size electric SUV buyers, given the price has only crept up marginally (by modern standards) it remains competitively positioned.

For context, the Leapmotor C10 is another mid-size, rear-wheel drive electric SUV from China and it is even more expensive than the Atto 3 and is, to be blunt, nowhere near as good.

If BYD continues to produce cars this good there’s no reason to believe it won’t be a major player for years to come.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer with accommodation and meals provided.

The Prado and LandCruiser largely look the same, but the 1958 we drove did have a few standout elements from a design perspective.

The most obvious are the retro round headlights of the 1958, which are meant to hark back to the original FJ Cruiser. The retro theme is helped by the round light framing the large rectangular mesh grille with ‘TOYOTA’ in big, bold letters.

Personally, I really like the round lights and think it’s a shame the Australian-bound Prado misses out, purely for the aesthetics.

Inside the cabin also feels like a throwback in time, but not to the 1950s, rather the late ‘80s and early ‘90s with the grey cloth trim. It’s a brave decision from Toyota to ditch a more modern look and feel, but, again, I really like it. It feels hard-wearing and suits the nature of the Land Cruiser in the US market, where it has to woo buyers away from Bronco and Wrangler.

One design choice of note is the US-spec version has ‘LandCruiser’ embossed on the dashboard ahead of the passenger, something else we miss out on here with our Prado.

Despite the major changes underneath, BYD hasn’t really changed much from a design point-of-view. Which is a trend for the brand, with the 2024 update also focusing primarily on improving technology rather than the looks. 

Externally there is a new lower bumper, which has some subtle changes to its air-intakes, extended daytime running lights, slightly slimmer side skirts and a reshaped rear spoiler. 

Inside there are a few minor differences, with the gear selector moving to the steering column to create more storage space in the centre console, and the steering wheel is a new design. 

The other notable change is the driver instrument display, which has grown from five- to 8.8-inch.

There’s also a new grey interior colour trim, which looks more premium to this reviewer’s eyes than the blue/white cabin of the older model.

And, for better or worse, the Atto 3’s most memorable feature, the ‘guitar strings’ on the door, remain. While they may not be to everyone’s taste, there is an argument to be made that BYD should be acknowledged for not making the simplest/cheapest cabin possible.  

As the entry-grade variant in the US range, the LandCruiser 1958 is more utilitarian than pampering. That translates to a cabin that has plenty of usability, just like the Australian-delivered LandCruiser Prados we’re used to.

There’s nothing overtly different about the US-spec model, with good space and small item storage in the front and decent room in the second row.

The multimedia system is the same as the one used here too, which speaks to Toyota’s strength for consistency of product around the world. It means anyone driving a Toyota - whether it’s in Australia, the US or elsewhere - has a sense of familiarity immediately.

It also helps that Toyota has stuck with a large amount of physical buttons and switchgear (I counted nearly 50) in addition to the touchscreen. While other brands look to cut controls to save money at the expense of usability, Toyota is sticking with what people know and enjoy.

However, the US version of the Prado has the same riser box inside the boot, which limits its cargo capacity in the same way as it has done here. It's still a reasonable size, but the riser does eat into space and compromises practicality.

The new driver instrument display is a big improvement. Frankly, the old screen was quite small and provided limited information compared to this newer, larger display.

The 15.8-inch multimedia touchscreen came with the last update and remains a relatively straightforward system to use. However, the need to take your eyes off the road to adjust controls for the air-conditioning is unnecessary and could be fixed by the simple addition of physical controls. 

The decision to move the gear selector to the steering column liberates a good amount of space between the front seats. 

There is now room for two smartphones to sit side-by-side (although only one wireless charging pad), as well as two cupholders and a lidded console box.

Space inside the cabin obviously remains the same, with good room for what is a small (or at least a smaller mid-size) SUV.

Cargo space, on the other hand, is changed. The Dynamic measures 434-litres, which is almost identical to the previous model. Things are different for the Premium with the shift to the rear-mounted motor, with the rear boot measuring 490L plus there is now a 101L under bonnet storage space.

BYD has taken this opportunity with the major update to make some tweaks to its price and positioning. The line-up has been changed with the Dynamic name replacing Essential on the entry-level model, while the flagship remains the Premium.

The Dynamic starts at $41,990 and the Premium at $46,990, both prices exclude on-road costs. Notably, both of those are a jump up from the out-going model, which started at just $39,990 for the Essential and $44,990 for the Premium.

However, there are some good reasons for the jump, which we’ll detail in a moment. But the overall level of standard equipment is good, so the value proposition remains appealing.

2026 BYD Atto 3 Evo Dynamic standard equipment

• Six-way electrically-adjustable driver’s seat 
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Eight-speaker audio
• Wired & wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay 
• V2L (Vehicle to Load) capability
• Intelligent voice assistant 
• Remote vehicle functions

2026 BYD Atto 3 Evo Premium standard equipment

• Dual-zone climate control
• Driver’s seat with four-way power lumbar adjust

This is the heart of our review, the unavailable hybrid engine, the so-called 'i-Force Max' hybrid powertrain. This is because the US market has never embraced diesel engines, which are so beloved by Prado owners in Australia, so in the search for greater efficiency, Toyota USA is leaning on hybrid technology.

The set-up in the LandCruiser combines a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor in the bell housing between the engine and eight-speed automatic transmission. The combined output of this petrol-electric hybrid is 243kW of power and 630Nm of torque, which is significantly more than the 150kW/500Nm offered by the 2.8-litre turbo diesel offered in Australia.

The catch is, despite the additional power and torque, the LandCruiser is only rated to tow slightly more than 2700kg compared to the 3500kg towing capacity offered by our diesel Prado.

The Dynamic retains the same front-mounted, front-wheel drive electric motor as the Essential, which provides 150kW/310Nm of performance.

The Premium, on the other hand, gets an entirely new underpinning, with BYD’s new ‘e-Platform 3.0’ chassis, which introduces 800V electrical architecture (compared to 400V for the Dynamic). This includes a larger battery but also a switch to a rear-mounted, rear-wheel drive motor that makes 230kW/380Nm, which is a sizeable bump from the Dynamic.

Obviously one of the biggest reasons for offering/choosing a hybrid engine is fuel efficiency and on that front the LandCruiser runs into the classic problem of big car, small engine. The official combined urban/highway fuel economy figure for the hybrid is 10.2L/100km, which is well behind the official claim for the diesel-powered Prado of just 7.6L/100km.

Drilling in deeper, the LandCruiser hybrid can drop as low as 9.4L/100km on the highway but rises to 10.6L/100km in a purely urban environment, which is typically the opposite to how hybrids excel.

The other major difference between the LandCruiser and our Prado is the size of the fuel tank. The US model only gets a 67-litre tank compared to the 110L offered in Australian models. That, naturally, has a major impact on range, with the LandCruiser hybrid only able to go a theoretical 656km on a single tank, compared to nearly 1300km for the Prado diesel.

Naturally, the changes to the motors and platform also mean some major changes to the batteries and driving range.

The Premium now features a 74.8kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, which allows for a claimed range of 510km, up from the 420km previously offered by the pre-updated model.

The Dynamic, however, has the 420km range, as it now uses the same 60.4kWh LFP battery as the old Essential Extended Range. 

The previously available 49.9kWh battery, that had 325km of range, is now dropped. So, while the Dynamic technically costs more than the previous Essential, it comes with a bigger battery so you’re getting a higher specification vehicle.

BYD claims the charging speed has been increased thanks to the new 800V architecture. The Premium is now capable of taking up to 220kW of DC charging, which means it can get to 80 per cent capacity in as little as 25 minutes.

The Atto 3 Evo also features vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, which means you can draw power from the car’s battery to power small electronic devices if needed.

While it may be a hybrid, the LandCruiser is no urban ‘show pony’ and Toyota USA is adamant that it is tough enough to live up to the reputation of its famous nameplate. It’s built on the same TNGA-F platform as our Prado - as well as the Tundra pick-up and others - so it has the foundations for rugged adventure.

It comes standard with locking centre and rear differentials, rear coil springs, full-time four-wheel drive, a two-speed transfer case, ‘CRAWL Control’, a 2400W AC inverter and standard trailer brake controller, which are all must-haves for anyone planning a serious off-road trip.

While we have little reason to doubt the off-road ability of the LandCruiser, our test drive was limited to the urban jungle of Los Angeles, which allowed us to really focus on the powertrain.

Not surprisingly, given its similarities with other Toyota hybrid set-ups, it felt very familiar, albeit in a very different vehicle than the RAV4 and Camry we’ve driven previously. Despite its big on-paper numbers, there was some noticeable lag on initial acceleration and the engine sounds like a modern four-cylinder - a bit gruff when revved hard.

It certainly has enough performance to pull the LandCruiser along, but it isn’t over-endowed with power and torque. At least not in the way its stats suggest.

For the most part, around town, it did a good job of quietly motivating the big SUV around with a minimum of fuss.

BYD didn’t have any examples of the Dynamic for us to drive, which makes sense given the significance of the changes to the Premium. 

Previous experience with the front-wheel drive version of the Atto 3 didn’t leave much of an impression. It’s a perfectly acceptable mid-size SUV in terms of how it drives and rides, but it didn’t do anything special that made it stand out in a very competitive field.

This new Premium model, however, is a different story. The switch to the rear-wheel drive layout unsurprisingly has a dramatic impact on the way it drives. 

Around town, at urban speed, it feels good but where it shines is on the open road. It’s not wildly fast when you put your foot down, like some other EVs, but it has excellent composure and feels responsive. 

It’s not what you’d call a sporty or ‘hot SUV’ but it certainly leaves a good impression, one that will last longer than the front-wheel drive version.

Certainly the steering could be tuned better, it doesn’t offer much feeling, particularly just off-centre. And the ride can be noticeably firm at times, hitting bumps with a sharpness that you can feel in the cabin. It’s another example of where the Chinese brands could benefit from local suspension and chassis tuning to help it better suit Australia’s unique conditions.

In addition to the other changes underneath, BYD has also taken this opportunity to include some additional safety. The Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) gets a new Child Presence Detection function with an in‑cabin sensor that can alert you if someone is left in the vehicle after it is locked. There’s also a new Driver Monitoring System for both models.

The Atto 3 still has a maximum five-star ANCAP rating from a 2022 crash test.

Other standard safety equipment includes:

• Seven airbags
• 360-degree camera
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Adaptive cruise control
• Speed limit detection
• Speed limit control
• Traffic sign recognition
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Forward collision warning 
• Rear collision warning
• Rear cross-traffic alert 
• Emergency lane keeping assist
• Blind spot detection

In addition the Premium adds:

• Front cross-traffic alert
• Front cross-traffic brake 

One big plus for the LandCruiser over the Prado is Toyota USA offers two years of free servicing - a nice bonus.

It does have different warranty coverage for different components though, the overall vehicle warranty covers the first three years, the powertrain is covered for five years but the hybrid components are warranted for 10 years.

One of my ‘dislikes’ when I drove the Atto 3 in 2024 was “long-term BYD prospects still unclear” - driven by the fact it was still a relatively small brand with a limited line-up (the Shark 6 wouldn’t launch until two months later). Well, as I write this in September of 2026 it’s safe to say BYD’s long-term prospects look as good as any brand.

It is sitting in second spot on the year-to-date sales charts, behind only Toyota but surpassing the likes of Kia, Ford and Mazda. There can be no question BYD has cemented its place in the Australian market.

It already has more than 100 dealer and service locations, with plans to grow that to 150 by the end of 2026.

As for the Atto 3’s specific ownership credentials, it’s covered by the brand’s standard six-year/150,000km warranty. The battery has a separate eight-year/160,000km warranty and the Drive Unit (the motor) is covered for eight years and 150,000km.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 20,000km, and with capped price servicing the Dynamic should cost you $1410 and the Premium $1670 for the first five years.