The Toyota LandCruiser Prado is Australia’s best selling large SUV and last year Martine video reviewed the 2014 Toyota Prado Kakadu. This was a feature packed serious Off-Roader that could take you from Darwin to Adelaide in style and comfort.
What’s new in 2015:
All-New Turbo-Diesel Engine
Revised Petrol V6
New Six Speed Auto Transmission
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
For 2015 Toyota have replaced both its petrol and diesel engines that were available for the Prado along with an all new efficient six-speed automatic transmission.
2014 Prado Diesel Engine:
3.0L Turbo Diesel
127 kW of power
410 Nm of torque
5 speed automatic transmission
8.5 l/100km combined fuel consumption
2015 Prado Diesel Engine:
2.8L Turbo Diesel
130 kW of Power
450 Nm of Torque
6 speed automatic transmission
8.0 l/100km combined fuel consumption
We became very familiar with both the 2014 Prado and this year’s 2015 Prado and even though on the outside they appear to look like exactly the same vehicle, from the moment you turn the engine on the difference will become very clear.
Cabin quietness is the key stand out for us. Martine is a sophisticated lady and whilst she loved all the features on offer by the 2014 Prado along with the elevated seating height, she couldn’t get past the fact that the drive felt like a rumbling truck. Sure, you could say that the noise is easily overlooked when you consider its off-roading prowess. But the reality is large off-roaders like the Toyota Prado get used a lot more often on the road than off.
That is why the Prado, a vehicle for the off-roader has always been feature packed and in 2015 the Toyota Prado has actually kept a lot of the existing features and design that helped it be an Aussie best seller. But they have changed the heart of the vehicle and that’s what matters most. It’s now quieter, smoother and even more economical.
The New LandCruiser Prado has retained its Multi-Terrain Select feature which has five selectable settings to choose from between rock and dirt, rock, mogul, loose rock, plus mud and sand. We trailed these settings around Adelaide’s Hills and in conjunction with the Toyota’s front and side looking camera technology, it made tackling almost any off-road challenge childs play.
The 2015 Toyota LandCruiser Prado Kakadu will retail for $84,990 and will be covered by Toyota Service Advantage capped-price servicing at $220 per service. This is the top of the line Prado and therefore carries a top of the line price tag. Earlier this year we reviewed the 2015 Isuzu MU-X which presents itself as a well priced competitor to the Toyota Prado in that it shares a similar size and can also accommodate up to 7 passengers. It offers great off-roading capabilities.
Make sure you watch our CarTell.tv review of the 2014 Toyota LandCruiser Prado which shares most of the same features and design.
