Toyota has officially pulled the covers off the new-gen Land Cruiser Prado. The Prado gets a generation upgrade after a gap of 14 years and will be positioned in between the Fortuner and Land Cruiser LJ300 in the company’s global lineup of SUVs. It gets two new derivatives– Land Cruiser J250 and the retro-styled Land Cruiser 70.
The former will carry the suffix “Prado” for the other international markets, whereas in the US, it will simply be called “Land Cruiser”. For 2024, it gets a host of upgrades including a completely new design, new underpinnings and most importantly a wide range of powertrain options, including a couple of mild-hybrid units.
New-gen Toyota Land Cruiser Prado: Design
The new-gen Prado goes back to its roots with its neo-retro styling and boxy silhouette and bears a close resemblance to its cousin– Lexus GX, on which it is based. The 2024 Prado (J250) will be available in three trims including the base LC 1958, the mid-spec Land Cruiser & the top-spec LC First Edition. The last trim is limited to only 5,000 units globally.
Each of the three trims offer distinct visual highlights albeit some common elements including a blacked-out rectangular front grille with ‘Toyota’ lettering on it, 18-inch alloy wheels and all-weather tyres as standard. Toyota is also offering the option of 20-inch units. The LC J250 and LC 70 are distinguished by their headlamps where the former gets a rectangular LED unit, while the latter gets retro-style round LED headlights.
Dimension-wise, the Prado measures 4,925 mm long, 1,980mm wide, and 1,859 mm tall, making the new model 100 mm longer, 95 mm wider and 20 mm taller. It has a wheelbase of 2,850 mm which is 60mm longer than its predecessor. Furthermore, it is based on Toyota’s new TGNA-F truck platform that currently underpins the likes of Tundra, and the new Tacoma.
New-gen Toyota Land Cruiser Prado: Powertrains
There are numerous powertrains on offer for the new-gen Prado depending on the markets. However, the most prominent options are a 2.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a 2.8-litre diesel engine mated to a hybrid system. The former dishes out 325 bhp and 630 Nm of peak torque.
The oil burner is linked with a 48V electric motor that pumps out 201 bhp and 500 Nm of torque. Both powertrains are paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels via low-range transfer case. The hybrid setup comprises a 1.87-kWh nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery mounted on top of the rear axle.
New-gen Toyota Land Cruiser Prado: Off-road legend
Apart from low-range transfer case, the new Prado gets a host of tricks that make Prado a legend in the off-roading circuit. These include multiple-terrain drive modes, a locking rear differential, a multi-link rear suspension, downhill assist, as well as a Crawl function which is a low-speed cruise control.
Moreover, the Prado gets an approach angle of 31 degrees, departure angle of 22 degrees and a breakover angle of 25 degrees. Ground clearance stands at 220mm. Other notable creature comforts include a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless charging, a Head-up display, heated and ventilated seats, multi-zone climate control, a 14-speaker JBL audio system and more.
New-gen Toyota Land Cruiser Prado: India launch on cards?
While there is no word from Toyota yet, the new Land Cruiser Prado or J250 should reach the Indian market sometime in the future. If and when launched, the new Prado will go up against other lifestyle off-road SUVs such as Land Rover Defender and Jeep Wrangler.