Used Toyota Land Cruiser Prado review: 2009-2013

Toyota largely built its enviable reputation for toughness and reliability on big, lusty four-wheel drives like the Prado.

Regarded as the LandCruiser's little brother, the Prado is a big wagon that is able to cope with life in town.

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It can accommodate up to seven in reasonable comfort, with some space left over for carrying the sort of gear a family on the move often has to take with it.

The 150 Series entered our lives in 2009 and brought with it a larger body, a raft of mechanical improvements, extra features and safety upgrades.

The range kicked off with the GX four-door wagon and climbed with increasing levels of features through the mid-range GXL to the VX that sat atop the tree.

The Prado employed a proven dual-range 4WD system and was a serious off-roader

Inside, the four-door wagon offered those up front plenty of head, leg and foot room, but less so for those further back.

Decent improvements in the 150's cabin included a sliding second row seat and an improved third row seat that folded into the floor.

Two engines were available, a 4.0-litre petrol V6 that punched out 202kW and 381Nm, and a 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel that boasted 127kW and 410Nm.

Not surprisingly the turbo-diesel was the most popular engine and easily outsold the V6.

Most were sold with the five-speed sequential shift auto, but there was also a 6-speed manual gearbox available in the GX and GXL.

The Prado employed a proven dual-range 4WD system and was a serious off-roader.

While most were used around town or towing caravans around the country, the Prado was very capable when it went bush.

It is not a nimble vehicle and can feel wallowy, a result of the supple suspension that is designed to soak up most bumps without fuss.

Many are used to tow a caravan or similar and the 2500kg braked towing capacity fits that need nicely.

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There's no denying Toyota's enviable record for quality and reliability, it's largely what underpins the brand's on-going popularity, and the Prado lives up to the reputation.

Owners have few complaints about their vehicles; those few grumbles we do hear are more minor than serious.

Be mindful of the Prado's capability off-road and that as a result they could be used in the bush. Thoroughly check underneath for any damage caused by heavy off-road use; look for belted and bashed underbody sheetmetal, split seals and sandblasted components. It's not the end of the world, but you need to take it into consideration when negotiating a value for your potential purchase.

Mechanically the Prado is sound. The V6 gives little trouble, it has a timing chain so there's no need for servicing in that area, and the only thing that can crop up is noisy injectors.

It's important to check the service record to ensure your chosen Prado has been serviced regularly

The diesel engine is also generally sound. Some high mileage cars have had problems with leakage of diesel fuel past the injector seals and contaminating the engine oil and leading an accumulation of sludge that can block the oil pick-up in the engine's sump. Left undetected long enough it can result in the catastrophic demise of the engine.

If you're buying a high-mileage Prado get a mechanic to inspect the oil pick-up for a build-up of sludge. It can easily be done through the oil drain hole and could save you many thousands of dollars in repairs.

The injector seals are meant to be replaced during the routine valve clearance check every two years/40,000km, and it's worth asking the vendor if that has been done.

It's important to check the service record to ensure your chosen Prado has been serviced regularly.

Smithy says- 4 stars

It's big and cumbersome around town, but if you need to tow there's not much better.

Owners say

Steve Howard: My 2013 Prado is quiet and economical, brilliant off-road and comfortable on the black top. I rate it 10 out of 10.

Tom Hughes: I am really disappointed with my Prado, it has a resonance/vibration between 1500 and 2000 rpm that I'm told affects every 150.

Ivan Tullock: I've had my Prado five years and it has delivered everything I could want and more. I towed a 22-foot caravan to Cairns last year and you wouldn't have known it was there. The best part was the economy; we averaged 11.4 L/100 km for the whole trip.

John Walkerley: My 2009 Prado diesel is a bit slow and cumbersome off the mark, but once up and running it is excellent. It cruises nicely, the view is great, it feels safe, and it's economical.

Stephen Page: I have done 120,000 km in my 2010 Prado GXL, much of it towing a pop-top caravan around the country. It has been to remote areas, crawled over rocks, driven along beaches, through creeks and rivers and has never got stuck. Early on there was a software update to fix a hesitation in the auto transmission, but otherwise all we have replaced are tyres and filters.