The Hiace Commuter isn’t the only model that Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) quietly updated in its lineup—the Land Cruiser Prado has seen some changes as well. And unlike the van just mentioned, the popular premium SUV gets a pretty substantial upgrade. If you’re a fan of diesel engines, that is.
Yes, TMP has finally decided to bring in the new diesel-powered Prado. This is the same one that Toyota unveiled way back in August, propelled by a new 201hp, 500Nm turbodiesel engine. And in case you’re wondering, that powertrain is identical to the ones that recently arrived with the refreshed Hilux and the facelifted Fortuner.
For a bit more context, the old diesel engine available in the Land Cruiser Prado was a 3.0-liter turbodiesel good for 161hp and 410Nm of torque; it was mated to either a five-speed automatic or a six-speed manual. If you think about it, these figures now pale in comparison to the output of the updated mill.
The Prado sees no other improvements outside of the new engine. It still won’t come equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense package, but it does boast other safety features such as vehicle stability control, traction control, hill-start assist, and hill-descent control. That said, we would’ve appreciated at least an updated infotainment system with smartphone connectivity. But that’s just us.
Now, for the big question: How much is it? Well, the updated SUV with its new powerplant is priced at P4,170,000. That’s a P69,000 price increase over the previous diesel Prado. For that amount, you get an engine that has more horsepower, more torque, and supposedly better fuel efficiency. What do you make of it? Do you like the changes TMP has given the Prado? Sound off in the comments.
