First Look: 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado

by Marouf Hussain Chowdhury. June 28, 2024.

The all-new Toyota Land Cruiser Prado made its much-awaited debut in the UAE this week. Featuring a completely new design, a turbocharged engine, and growing in size, the fifth-generation Land Cruiser Prado will hope to continue the immense popularity it enjoys in the region.

Commenting on the launch of the fifth-generation Prado, Jacques Brent, Managing Director for Al-Futtaim Toyota, said: “We are extremely excited to herald the arrival of the all-new Land Cruiser Prado in the United Arab Emirates. This legendary 4×4 represents an integral aspect of Toyota’s heritage, built through a constant pursuit of greater reliability, durability, and capability.

“Spacious and practical, it has supported the needs of families and business owners across the UAE and empowered those looking for adventure to explore the nation’s beautiful mountain and desert landscapes.

“It has also driven the UAE’s economy forward as a durable, reliable and affordable workhorse for public and private sector fleets. Al-Futtaim supports Toyota’s vision to provide mobility and happiness for all, and the 2024 Prado is perfectly designed for this purpose, returning to the roots of the Land Cruiser to create a vehicle that is simple, sturdy and a practical choice for every customer’s needs.”

Built on the same body-on-frame Toyota New Global Architecture GA-F platform as the Land Cruiser 300 Series, it offers a 50% increase in frame rigidity and a 30% increase in overall rigidity from the previous generation.

The Land Cruiser Prado has a new powertrain – a turbocharged 2.4-litre inline 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces 267 hp and 430 Nm of torque, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission.

The all-new Land Cruiser Prado’s all-terrain support systems get two Differential Lock System (central and rear) and improved wheel articulation to improve off-road capability.

The Land Cruiser Prado has six modes, including a new AUTO mode that enhances Multi-Terrain Select capabilities by adjusting to various road conditions, such as sand, rock, dirt, and mud. It also has a crawl control function.

Equipped with the 3D-Multi Terrain Monitor (3D-MTM), four cameras that are used to help the driver see around the vehicle when Multi-Terrain Select is in operation, the Land Cruiser Prado assists drivers in assessing road conditions around the vehicle, promoting safer and more confident low-speed manoeuvring.

In addition, 3D-MTM provides Underfloor View, which can be enabled with the press of an on-screen button when the vehicle is stopped while the screen is displaying images from the front-facing camera, and a Back Underfloor View, which displays a magnified image of the area around the rear wheels when backing up.

The latest Land Cruiser Prado is also the first to be equipped with Electric Power Steering (EPS), which helps reduce loss of steering control when driving off-road, improves manoeuvrability at low speeds, and enables Lane Tracing Assist. The Stabilizer Disconnect Mechanism (SDM) allows the front stabilizer state to be changed via a switch. When SDM is switched on, it allows greater vertical movement of the wheels, thereby improving traction when driving on extremely uneven surfaces.

The all-new Land Cruiser Prado’s design leaned more on its off-roading heritage, getting a more rugged look while also improving functionality. The front gets replaceable bumper corners and lamps located high and close to the centre. These features address common vehicle impact areas, a design consideration across all Land Cruiser models.

To give drivers the best frontal and side view possible, the Land Cruiser Prado’s engine hood has been designed with a lowered centre for blind spot reduction, coupled with raised sides, which make it easier to locate the vehicle’s corners. The side view is further improved with a more upright A-pillar, along with mirrors attached to the doors and a belt line about 30 mm lower compared to the current model.

Furthermore, the front and rear corners are chamfered for enhanced manoeuvrability, and the lower door sections have a scraped, concave surface to mitigate debris damage and round off the vehicle’s sleek appearance.

Strong horizontal lines on the instrument panel and upper door mouldings aid in vehicle orientation, create an open cabin, and improve outside visibility. Switches feature unified toggle or push controls for ease of use without diverting attention, designed with the help of professional rally drivers.

The interior design also reflects the exterior with more straight lines. Features include wireless charging for smartphones, a 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a 12.3-inch full graphic colour meter, a colour head-up display (HUD), a tri-zone automatic air conditioning system with rear AC vents, a 10-speaker surround sound system, multi-adjustable power and ventilated front and second-row seats, and 60/40 split and reclining second-row seats, fully flat-folding third-row seats.

Safety systems have also improved greatly in the Land Cruiser Prado. The Toyota Safety Sense, an advanced safety technology package, includes a Pre-Collision System (PCS) with extended features, including Intersection Collision Avoidance Support, Acceleration Suppression, which reacts to sudden throttle use in low-speed driving, and Emergency Steering Assist.

The package also includes Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) with Full-Speed Range and several features such as Earlier detection of interrupt vehicle and Curve speed reduction, Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Lane Departure Alert (LDA), and Adaptive High Beam System (AHS).

In addition, the all-new Land Cruiser Prado features safety features such as 8 SRS airbags, including side-curtain airbags for all three rows, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRC), Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Brake Assist (BA), Parking Support Brake (PKSB), Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), Multi-terrain Monitor (MTM) including Panoramic View Monitor (PVM), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Safe Exit Assist (SEA), Downhill Assist Control (DAC), Tire Pressure Warning System (TPWS), Drive Start Control (DSC), driver and front passenger seat belts with pre-tensioners and force limiters, and a clearance sonar featuring eight sensors located in the front and rear bumpers.

The Land Cruiser Prado is available in 8 exterior colours, including a new colour, “Sand,” combined with a light grey.

The vehicle also comes equipped with a choice of two designs of 18-inch alloy wheels.

The price has also gone up, starting from AED 199,900 now in the UAE.