2024 Toyota LandCruiser Prado range locked in for Australia with 48V diesel powertrain to take on Isuzu MU-X and Ford Everest

Toyota Australia has locked in a mid-year launch for the new Prado, confirming drivetrain specifications and its variant line-up.

The 2024 Toyota LandCruiser Prado will arrive with five grades, starting with the base GX, up to the existing peak Kakadu spec, and will introduce a new off-road focused ‘Altitude’ variant.

The same 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder powertrain with 48-volt assistance will power all variants of the Prado, taking over from the existing non-48V version of the drivetrain, with Australia missing out on the proper petrol-electric hybrid offered in North America.

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The Australian market 48V 2.8-litre diesel engine is the same that’s set to launch in the facelifted HiLux ute in the coming months - essentially the same style of system other manufacturers would call a mild-hybrid - a term Toyota is actively distancing itself from.

As in the HiLux (and in the current-gen Prado), the 48V diesel drivetrain makes 150kW and 500Nm, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Toyota says it’s capable of towing a 3500kg braked trailer, and all versions of the Prado come with a 'lockable torque-sensing' Torsen centre differential.

The Prado range, even in base GX grade, comes with LED headlights and daytime running lights, a 12.3-inch multimedia screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a 10-speaker audio system, while specific to the GX is a set of 17-inch grey alloy wheels, fabric seats with six-way manual driver adjustment and rubber floor mats.

The GXL adds third-row seating, synthetic leather-accented upholstery for the rear two rows, front seats with heating and ventilation including an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, rear privacy glass, silver front and rear bumper trim and a powered tailgate.

It also scores rear climate control, a wireless charging pad and two additional USB-C charging ports - bringing the total inside to six.

The 2024 Toyota LandCruiser Prado will arrive with five grades, starting with the base GX.

The VX adds 20-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured front and rear bumpers, bi-LED headlights with dynamic auto-levelling and adaptive high-beam, leather-accented seats with driver seat power lumbar support, power adjustment for the front passenger, power-adjustable steering wheel, carpet floor mats, a refrigerated console box and a tyre pressure monitor.

It also gains a 12.3-inch colour driver's display to replace the 7.0-inch version and a 14-speaker JBL sound system.

'Adaptive Variable Suspension', five-mode 'Drive Mode Select', 'Multi-Terrain Select' and a 'Multi-Terrain Monitor' system - which allows the driver to see “the vehicle’s underfloor and surrounds when off-roading” are also added.

The new Altitude variant swaps the 20-inch wheels for 18-inch matt grey alloys wrapped in ‘Toyota Open Country all-terrain tyres’, and includes a rear locking differential, a stabiliser disconnect mechanism that replaced Toyota’s 'AVS'. Toyota says this adds "an extra 10 per cent of wheel articulation".

Black door handles and tailgate trim, black fender moulding, a ‘moon roof’, and two-tone paint options give the Altitude some visual attitude, while a digital rear view mirror, heated steering wheel and head-up display are added inside.

Expect pricing for the new generation Prado to be bumped up significantly. 

Finally, the Kakadu takes the VX’s plush features and adds a panoramic ‘moon roof’, illuminated side steps, heated and ventilated rear seats, heated steering wheel, adjustable driver’s seat thigh support, plus the same digital rear view mirror and head-up display as the Altitude, while also including a rear torque-sensing limited-slip differential for better corner handling.

Toyota Australia Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Sean Hanley, elicited the “legacy forged by its predecessors” when speaking on the confirmation of the new Prado’s imminent arrival in Australia.

“Over decades the Prado has become a favourite for Australians in need of an SUV able to transport the whole family during the week and go off the beaten path on the weekend, all with signature Toyota reliability,” Hanley said.

“The new-generation Prado will continue the legacy forged by its predecessors when it arrives here later this year, with the addition of 48-volt technology and the new Altitude grade making it more appealing than ever.”

The current Prado starts from $62,830, before on-road costs, in GX grade, up to $87,468 for the Kakadu. Expect pricing for the new generation Prado to be bumped up significantly. 

Pricing and more details will be confirmed closer to the Prado’s launch in mid-2024.