Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2021 review: GXL off-road test

The GXL as standard has a manufacturer suggested retail price of $66,540 (before on-road costs). It has the line-up’s 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine – shared with the HiLux and Fortuner – and that has been upgraded to produce 150kW (an increase of 20kW over the previous Prado) and 500Nm (an increase of 50Nm).

The GXL as standard has a manufacturer suggested retail price of $66,540 (before on-road costs).

It has a six-speed automatic transmission, and a full-time four-wheel drive system with high- and low-range. 

Standard features on this seven-seater include 9.0-inch touchscreen multimedia unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, smart entry and start, active cruise control, three-zone climate control, bi-LED headlights, LED daytime running lights and foglights, side steps, roof rails, 17-inch alloy wheels and rear parking sensors.

Standard features on this seven-seater include 9.0-inch touchscreen multimedia unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
It also has a comprehensive suite of driver-assist tech – Toyota Safety Sense – with AEB with pedestrian detection (day and night) and cyclist detection (day only), high-speed active cruise control, lane departure alert (with steering assistance via braking), and road sign assist.

As well as that, our test vehicle had the $600 premium paint (bronze) and it has the $3470 premium interior pack, which includes leather accents, power-adjustable front seats with heating and cooling, as well as heated second-row seats. It also has a $1150.73 wiring set-up with towbar, tow ball and wiring harness.

Our test vehicle had a $1150.73 wiring set-up with towbar, tow ball and wiring harness.

All of those options push this GXL’s price to $71,760.73.

The test vehicle had the no-cost flat tailgate pack, which moves the spare tyre from the rear door to the Prado’s underbody – that allows you, among other things, a bit more easy access to the rear cargo area via the glass hatch/window. There is a trade-off though – by moving the spare tyre to the undercarriage, you lose the 63-litre sub tank, reducing your total fuel capacity from 150 litres to 87 litres and that reduces your driving range. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

The 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine produces 150kW at 3400rpm and 500Nm at 1600-2800rpm. Its pairing with the six-speed auto is a low-key but effective combination.

The Prado is rarely stressed, even during difficult low-range 4WDing, but it’s also never the liveliest match-up on the road or track.

The Prado has a full-time four-wheel drive system with high- and low-range.

The 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine produces 150kW at 3400rpm and 500Nm at 1600-2800rpm.

In terms of dimensions, the Prado is 4825mm long, with 2790mm-long wheelbase. It is 1995mm wide, 1819mm high, and it has a listed kerb weight of 2265kg.

From front to back the Prado’s cabin is quite an open, functional and family-friendly space. Though not a lot has changed, the interior does look a little better than it did before and the new bigger media screen – at nine inches, it’s now a full inch bigger than the previous version – is largely to thank for that. That screen is easy enough to operate and now has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and that functionality has quite a lot of appeal for many people, apparently.

From front to back the Prado’s cabin is quite an open, functional and family-friendly space.

A good mix of durable hard plastics and leather accents (included in the premium interior pack option) There are plenty of storage spaces – including cupholders, door pockets, and a deep centre console bin – as well as a USB port to charge up your smartphone and other devices. 

Front seats, as well as being rather comfortable, are power-adjustable, heated and ventilated (again, as part of the premium interior pack).

Front seats, as well as being rather comfortable, are power-adjustable, heated and ventilated.

Second-row passengers get plenty of head, knee and leg room across the row. These seats are heated (a premium interior pack inclusion) and there is a fold-down centre arm-rest with two cup-holders, as well as climate control, directional air vents, grab handles above the doors, and pockets in the doors, incorporating a bottle holder. 

Second-row passengers get plenty of head, knee and leg room across the row.

The second-row seats are a 40:20:40 split-sliding configuration and have three top tether points and two ISOFIX points.

The third row seats are squeezy – but that’s never unusual in a seven-seater – and this row is a 50:50 split-fold-flat configuration

The third row seats are squeezy – but that’s never unusual in a seven-seater.

There are a cup-holder for each passenger and directional air vents.

Nothing has changed much in terms of cargo capacity since the last time we tested a Prado a few months back.

With the third-row seats in use, boot space is a claimed 104 litres.

With the third-row seats in use, boot space is a claimed 104 litres; with the third row stowed way, there’s a claimed (combined) 553 litres; and with the second and third rows stowed way, there’s 974 litres.

With the third row stowed way, there’s a claimed (combined) 553 litres of boot space.

The Prado interior had been feeling a bit dated prior to this, but that’s less of a case now.

It’s pretty decent for a large 4WD.

On road, there are no surprises: the Prado is a comfortable blacktop cruiser and gets the job done with very little stress. 

Steering is well-weighted, the engine and auto is a quietly dependable combination, without ever being actually exciting, and there’s still some discernible acceleration lag under throttle. It’s not exactly as sluggish as it was, but it’s not terribly dynamic either. (Don’t be too critical of it – I reckon you’d need a bit of encouragement to get moving as well if you tipped the scales at 2265kg.)

Ride and handling are pretty well sorted, and the Prado body roll of old has been mostly ironed out and only ever creeps in on bendier stretches.

Overall, it’s a very comfortable daily driver.

The suspension set-up – double wishbone, independent and coils all-round – is aimed at maximising comfort but the Prado’s ride can tend towards firm at times, although maybe some of that can be attributed to too-high tyre pressures.

The Prado rarely feels cumbersome on busy city streets and with a turning circle is 11.6m, it’s no go-kart to steer around, but it’s not a school bus either.

Overall, it’s a very comfortable daily driver.

Fuel consumption is a claimed 7.9L/100km on a combined cycle. 

It was showing 9.4L/100km on our dash, but our actual fuel consumption on test, after more than 300km of driving (including four hours of 4WDing), was 10.9L/100km. 

This Prado has an 87-litre fuel tank – because it has the flat tailgate pack and so loses the 63-litre sub tank. Remember?
 

It has a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with an additional two years of engine and driveline warranty if the vehicle is properly serviced and maintained per its Warranty and Service Book.

Capped price servicing is $260 for 6 months/ 10,000km for the first 3 years / 60,000km.