Lexus GX bound for Australia paves the way for Toyota’s long-awaited new ‘Son of LandCruiser’ Prado
- 1. The new Toyota Prado will have a rugged ‘Son of LandCruiser 300’ design
- 2. The new Toyota Prado will be bigger in all dimensions
- 3. There will definitely be room for a V6 in the new Toyota Prado
- 4. The new Toyota Prado will feature a major technology overhaul
- 5. Toyota Prado should be reinstated with a five-star ANCAP safety rating
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Just as the unveiling of the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series in June 2021 was one of the biggest events on the automotive calendar this decade, the next chapter – the 2024 Toyota Prado – will be every bit as momentous.
Still hugely popular but dating back more than 13 years, the Toyota Prado 150 Series will be replaced by a long-awaited new-generation ‘Son of LandCruiser’ based on the same platform and sharing mechanical components and tech with the new 2024 Lexus GX unveiled last week ahead of its Australian launch next year.
For every Aussie looking forward to getting into a Lexus GX for the first time, there will be countless more would-be Prado owners ready to upgrade or move into Toyota’s new large 4×4 off-road SUV.
So what can we expect? Here are five key things the new Lexus GX tells us about the next Toyota Prado…
1. The new Toyota Prado will have a rugged ‘Son of LandCruiser 300’ design
Yes, the incoming 2024 Toyota Prado will look completely different to the current 150 Series – as you’d expect with the yawning 13-years-and-counting time lapse between old and new.
And as we’ve seen with the Lexus LX, parent Toyota’s recipe for cooking up a Lexus 4×4 luxury off-road wagon is decidedly simple: make only modest (but nonetheless striking) changes to the front and rear design, throw on some blingy wheels and, moving inside, spruce-up the cabin with plush materials and loads of creature comforts.
As a result, the GX previews most of the upcoming Prado’s key design attributes, including its blocky but muscular silhouette that brings it much closer into line with the bigger Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series.
It’s clear just from the styling the next-gen Prado will be gunning heavily for the Land Rover Defender with a much more rugged look – just about every feature is squarer, steeper and harsher – and an all-new platform…
2. The new Toyota Prado will be bigger in all dimensions
Okay, we’ve known this one was coming, but the new Lexus GX was confirmed last week as sharing its wheelbase length with the bigger Lexus LX, which in turn means the new Toyota Prado will have the same 2850mm wheelbase as the LandCruiser 300.
The current Prado has a 2790mm wheelbase, so the extra length will allow for a variety of improvements including more interior space.
In keeping with the GX generational change, which sees it slightly longer, wider and taller (at 5005mm, 2114mm and up to 1935mm respectively), the Prado will also bulk out compared to the current model that measures 4995mm long, 1885mm wide and up to 1890mm high.
Approach, breakover and departure angles of the new GX are as high as 26, 24 and 22 degrees respectively, compared to the current Prado’s 30.4, 21,1 and 23.5, but we don’t expect Toyota to compromise on approach angle so the front-end on the new model should reflect that.
As per the LandCruiser 300 and Lexus LX, both the new GX and incoming Prado are based on Toyota’s TNGA-F global ladder-frame platform, so Toyota’s engineers have had time to continue working on the underpinnings since its debut on the larger full-size models.
3. There will definitely be room for a V6 in the new Toyota Prado
The new Lexus GX emerged in the US last week with both internal combustion and hybrid powertrain options – the former being a detuned version of the twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine offered in the bigger Lexus LX.
This detail alone is enough to add weight to the theory the next Prado will be offered with diesel V6 power in order to combat the high-end Ford Everest variants, however we expect the LandCruiser-derived 3.3-litre unit to be reserved for flagship versions.
The inclusion of the Lexus RX’s 2.4-litre hybrid system in the GX range also reinforces the fact the Prado will at least have provision to support electrification, something we already know from the technology’s presence in the Tundra and Tacoma pick-ups (which use the same TNGA-F platform).
4. The new Toyota Prado will feature a major technology overhaul
The Toyota Prado 150 is one of the oldest models in Toyota’s global portfolio, and despite regular updates across its lifecycle there’s no question that it’s behind the times in terms of technology.
Expect a higher level of sophistication in areas such as advanced driver assist safety technology, off-road driving assistance, infotainment system and creature comforts.
Examples include wireless smartphone mirroring and charging, live traffic updates, over-the-air updates and full integration with Toyota Connected Services.
All of these new goodies and the latest operating system are likely to be accessed via Toyota’s new-generation 8.0- and 14-inch interfaces, while drivers should score a 7.0- or 12.3-inch digital instrument display, depending on the variant.
5. Toyota Prado should be reinstated with a five-star ANCAP safety rating
The current-generation Toyota Prado was stripped of its five-star ANCAP safety rating at the start of this year following the implementation of the independent authority’s new six-year rating expiration policy.
While Toyota is comfortably the world’s favourite car brand, a top safety rating is a key part of yielding market success.
And given the LandCruiser 300 Series holds a valid five-star rating, assessed under ANCAP’s stringent assessment criteria in 2022, it’s reasonable to assume the new Prado will emulate this success and return to the top end of the safety ranks for large SUVs.
Much of the safety tech found on the new GX should also carry over to the Prado, particularly in top-shelf models where we’d expect fitment of systems such as all-speed dynamic radar cruise control, lane tracing assist, proactive driving assist, pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, and much more.
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