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Family offroading with the new LandCruiser Prado
Words Amelia Mansell, Pics Toyota Australia
Having a vehicle that can keep up with your offroad adventures and has plenty of room for all your gear, friends and family is a great combination — and one that Toyota Australia has achieved with its new LandCruiser Prado variant: the Altitude.
While utes and trucks are often marketed as the most rugged offroad warriors, there’s a lot to say about having a good SUV that can either seat more of your friends and family or offer internal storage for all your gear.
The Toyota LandCruiser Prado is a popular choice among Aussies, and the MY24 lineup looks like it will gain even more interest with not only its new platform, driveline and traction control systems that give it excellent offroad ability, but also the launch of a new variant that is spec’d as the most offroad capable Prado to date.
The Prado Altitude has been designed specifically for those who love exploring Australia’s many offroad tracks, whether it’s the Gunbarrel Highway in Western Australia or the Victorian High Country’s various challenging routes, but it also has some great on-road comforts for run-about driving as well.
This new variant was first introduced on the Aussie market back in 2017 as a limited-edition model, but its popularity and performance have led to it being added to the Prado lineup in this year’s range.
Reach new offroad heights with the Prado Altitude
While the entire MY24 LandCruiser Prado range has some great upgrades for on and offroad driving, the new Altitude grade has a handful of additional features that make it stand out from the pack and allow owners to truly push the limits offroad.
First and foremost is the addition of a Stabiliser Disconnect Mechanism (SDM) function, which provides the Prado Altitude with wheel articulation approximately 10 per cent better than the previous gen LandCruiser Prado, which was equipped with the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS).
The SDM function is operated manually via a switch on the centre console (near the other essential offroad functions). When turned on the SDM can lock and unlock the front stabiliser bars to provide maximum articulation and ground contact when driving on rough and uneven terrain, and also enhances ride comfort while traversing uneven terrain (we’re sure many people are keen to see how it does on corrugations).
The SDM has a built-in safety feature, so if it is left unlocked and you reach a certain speed it will automatically re-lock.
With traction at the front axle enhanced by the SDM, the rear-wheel grip has been improved with the addition of a locking rear differential which is unique to this new Prado. A solenoid actuator has been incorporated to trigger the diff lock, which reduces how long it takes to engage the locking system — it is now 85 per cent faster than the outgoing model.
Quality tyres are essential when heading on an offroad adventure. Many of Australia’s most iconic tracks can lead you to some very remote and isolated areas, so it’s important that your chosen vehicle is equipped with the right tyres and has decent ground clearance.
The Prado Altitude comes standard with 265/70 R18 Toyo Open Country all-terrain tyres, which feature a more rugged tread pattern than the tyres on the rest of the MY24 LandCruiser Prado range and are spec’d to offer excellent grip in both wet and dry conditions.
The MY24 LandCruiser Prado features
While the Prado Altitude is designed to be the most offroad-capable variant of the range, the other MY24 Prado variants still have an impressive suite of offroad driver aids.
From the VX grade and up (including the Altitude), there is the six-mode Multi-Terrain Select feature, which lets drivers select either Auto, Mud, Sand, Dirt, Rock or Deep Snow modes to suit the relevant driving environment.
The MY24 Prados also feature Toyota’s most advanced Multi-Terrain Monitor (MTM) to date, which provides drivers with a comprehensive range of camera views all around the vehicle, including a back underfloor (rear wheel) view, which is a brand-first for Toyota Australia. This new angle gives drivers a composite image of the rear undercarriage of the vehicle and the rear wheels, which is a great feature and improves the ability to navigate obstacles safely, whether that’s during a 4WD trip or at home in the cluttered garage.
The LandCruiser Prado range’s ‘go-anywhere’ capability is ensured with the crawl control, downhill assist control, active traction control, a locking Torsen® centre differential and low-range gearing.
Additionally, all the models feature the safety and entertainment features you would expect of a modern vehicle, including: Toyota Safety Sense (Pre-Collision Safety System with pedestrian detection, road sign assist and more), adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, lane centring assist, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, 360-degree camera, power-retractable side mirrors and more. For comfort inside there is dual-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen and 7-inch instrument display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and USB-C and Bluetooth connectivity, among other things.
New tech
Every MY24 Toyota LandCruiser Prado variant features V-Active Technology to improve on-road performance as well. The new tech enhances the strong performance of the 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel powertrain engine and offers better fuel economy and introduces a stop-start function to the Prado range.
The V-Active Technology consists of a 48V lithium-ion battery, DC/DC converter and motor generator, which is spec’d to reduce combined average fuel consumption from 7.9L/100km in the outgoing LandCruiser Prado to 7.6L/100km on all MY24 variants.
The system is designed to help make the new stop-start functionality very smooth while still offering a long stop function to ensure the engine is disengaged as long as possible while the vehicle is stationary. Meanwhile, the 8.4kW/65Nm motor generator gives the vehicle an extra boost when accelerating, and when slowing down the motor generator regains energy which is fed back to the 48V battery to help create a gentle and natural deceleration.
Sometimes the byproduct of new tech is having to take care of it, or make sure it won’t be damaged during your travels. Thankfully the new motor generator is mounted high in the engine bay to ensure the Prado still retains its 700mm wading depth and it is driven by a high-strength belt with a two-arm tensioner and layer of fabric on the rib side to help avoid slippage during wet conditions.
The MY24 Prado’s improved powertrain controls all four wheels using a new eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission, which offers a wider range of ratios compared to the previous six-speed unit. It also features a much lower first gear to provide a more responsive start-up acceleration.
Built to go anywhere
The MY24 LandCruiser Prados are a great companion for Aussie explorers who want a vehicle that can keep up with their offroad travels and day-to-day driving and doesn’t break the bank when it comes to fuel bills.
And there’s plenty of space on board as well. All the models come in a five-seater configuration, but if extra seats are required the GXL, VX and Kakadu grades can have seven seats, with the third row folding up to allow extra cargo space when needed.
Additionally, underpinning the rigid TNGA-F platform architecture, the new Toyota LandCruiser Prado models feature a 3500kg braked towing capacity, which is an increase of 500kg compared to the outgoing models, ensuring it is a good match for those who want to take a caravan, camper trailer or boat on their adventures.
The MY24 LandCruiser Prado lineup will be hitting Aussie roads later this year, but orders can be made now.
Head to the Toyota Australia website to find out more.
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