Over three decades on, the Land Cruiser Prado's popularity only heightens.
Its arrival finally complete, the fifth generation Toyota Land Cruiser Prado has wasted little time making significant inroads after a mere two months on-sale in South Africa.
Having amassed a record sales count of 694 units in June and 238 in July, which still placed it second behind the Fortuner on Toyota’s large SUV list, the internally named J250 Prado appears on track to possibly breach 1 500 unit sales before year-end – itself a record after less than six months.
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While very much speculative at present, the J250’s debut also signalled the first completely new generation since the J150 that lasted from 2009 to 2024 as the longest-serving Prado generation in the nameplate’s 34-year history.
Introduced as a more luxurious but still utilitarian version of the Land Cruiser 70-series station wagon, the Prado, which Toyota still describes as the light-duty version between the former and the full-size Land Cruiser, has changed dramatically from its original purpose to a luxurious seven-seater arguably capable of matching its illustrious siblings.
As such, The Citizen turns back the clock to the Prado’s founding through a model realigning that resulted in the already available light-duty Land Cruiser 70-series, then called the Land Cruiser II, being re-introduced and renamed as the Land Cruiser Prado.
Unveiled in April of 1990 as, according to official Toyota literature, an expansion of the two-door and four-door 70-series, the J70 Prado not only offered more luxuries but still adhered to its commercial roots by offering a four-door panel in certain markets.
Equipped not only with a low-range transfer case but an electrically locking rear differential, notable specification items comprised alloy wheels, electric windows, adjustable shock absorbers, water resistant imitation suede-trimmed seats, an optional electric winch and a sound system with a standard CD player as opposed to a cassette deck.
Items often not available on the comparative 70-series, up front, the Prado also introduced a wholly four-cylinder engine range that would only next exist in the J250.
This consisted of a fuel-injected 2.2-litre petrol with 77 kW, a more powerful 110 kW 2.7, a 2.4-litre turbodiesel with 70 kW and later, the normally aspirated 2.8-litre oil-burner with 66 kW.
What’s more, the J70 also ushered-in the first generation 3.0-litre KZ.TE turbodiesel engine, first with 92 kW and later, 103 kW.
At the same time, the four-speed automatic gearbox that had become obsolete on the 70-series moved over to the Prado as an alternative to the five-speed manual.
Representing a dramatic shift from the J70, the J90 adopted not only a more rounded design but a significantly redesigned interior modelled on the Hilux, Land Cruiser 80 and the Hilux Surf/4Runner.
Arriving at the time of the SUV boom driven by North America, the J70 still offered a choice of short and long wheelbase bodystyles, as well as a van, but premiered a four-link suspension, standard power steering, dual front airbags, ABS and first of its kind full-time four-wheel-drive system.
Providing seating for eight with different facia designs for the three-door and five-door, a lifecycle update in 1999 saw the former’s round headlights being dropped and the square ones from the latter made standard.
The facelift coinciding with the Prado debuting in South Africa for the first time, the choice of engine still included the 2.7-litre petrol, the 2.8-litre diesel and the 3.0-litre KZ.TE, but, as an alternative to the former, a new 3.4-litre V6 developing 136 kW.
Transmissions still consisted of a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.
Similar to what the J90 had been to the J70, the J120 Prado adopted a sleeker and blockier aesthetic, more than likely driven by the commencing of sales in North America for the first time as the Lexus GX.
Carrying over the same bodystyles as its forebearers, the J120 placed even more emphasis on luxury by offering integrated satellite navigation, electric and heated seats, a sunroof, centre diff-lock, and on the safety side, curtain airbags, traction control and Downhill Assist Control.
Additional first-time items included air suspension, a limited slip differential, Vehicle Stability Control, a cooled centre glovebox and a drop-down DVD player.
In terms of power, the 2.7-litre continued, although the 3.4 later bowed-out in favour of the then new 4.0-litre V6 producing a substantially more 179 kW. For the first time, a V8 became available, but only for the GX.
Diesel power now came solely from the 3.0 KZ.TE developing, in turbocharged form, between 96 kW and 125 kW.
By this stage, the four-speed automatic was being phased-out for the new five-speed, while a six-speed manual could be had over the five-speed.
Officially the Prado with the longest production lifecycle of any generation, the J150 brought further innovations derived from the Land Cruiser 200.
Facelifted twice, the first in 2013 and then in 2017, the J150 also farewelled the three-door and vans model due in part to declining sales.
Still offered with up to eight seats, innovations introduced throughout the J150’s live span included climate control, a reverse camera and parking sensors, a touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth and USB connectivity and the Optitron instrument cluster.
While air suspension remained in certain markets, the centre of attention involved the new Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) and an off-road mode selector called Multi-Terrain Select with four settings.
By the first facelift, an around-view monitor called Multi-Terrain Monitor had been added, along with an electric KDSS system, Blind Spot Monitoring, a Crawl function for difficult off-road terrain when in low range, Adaptive Variable Suspension and Trailer Sway Control.
Up front, revised versions of the venerable 2.7 and 4.0-litre units continued to provide petrol power along with the V8 in the GX, while on the diesel side, the 3.0-litre KZ.TE’s nomenclature had officially changed to D-4D and power increased to as much as 127 kW in certain markets.
On the transmission front, the combination of five and six-speed manuals remained, though the five-speed automatic had officially replaced the four-speed.
Yielding its final rework in 2017, the J150 finally introduced a new engine that had, in actuality, been first introduced in 2015 in Japan, the 2.8 GD-6 used in the Hilux and the Fortuner.
Developing 130kW/450Nm, a final power upgrade in 2020 saw the full 150kW/500Nm being made available, at which point, South Africa joined the global ranks after a prolonged spell with the D-4D.
The GD-6 also spelled the end for the five-speed automatic replaced wholly by the six-speed self-shifter, and also the six-speed manual that had largely fallen out of favour during the latter stages of the J120’s lifespan.
Besides the new engine, the J150’s last slew of updates included the availably of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a larger infotainment display, a drive mode selector with five settings, Adaptive Cruise Control, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning and Auto High Beam Assist LED headlights.
Introduced towards the end of 2023, the J250 Prado adopts a retro-styled design derived from the Land Cruiser 80-series, and, as mentioned earlier, an all four-cylinder powertrain line-up last offered on the J70.
That being said, V6 motivation still prevails, but only in the GX as a result of the previous V8 having been discontinued.
In Prado guise though, the 2.8 GD-6 prevails, albeit now with or without a 48-volt mild-hybrid system.
Similarly, the 2.7-litre petrol soldiers in entry-level models, with the alternative and successor to the 4.0-litre V6 being the new T24A-FTS 2.4-litre turbo-petrol producing 207 kW or 243 kW in combination with a 1.87-kWh battery pack powering a 36 kW electric motor.
The latter set-up resulting in the Prado becoming a full-time hybrid for the first time, all but the six-speed-equipped 2.7 are paired with a brand-new eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Dynamically, the J250, known as the Land Cruiser 250 in Japan and simply as the Land Cruiser in the United States and Europe as a result of the Land Cruiser 300 being absent, boasts a Torsen limited slip centre differential, a first-time rear stabiliser bar disconnect function, and the latest Safety Sense array of safety and driver assistance systems to go with another first, a Head-Up Display.
Based on the Land Cruiser 300’s TNGA-F platform, the three-model line-up in South Africa has been mulled for possible expansion, most likely with the addition of the mild-hybrid and possible debut of the GX, however, no official confirmation has yet been made.
NOW READ: Here it is: Toyota reveals new Land Cruiser Prado’s price and spec
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