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Technically, the roots of the Land Cruiser Prado go back to 1984, when the J70 was being sold. The J70 was basically a Toyota SUV that did not have the “Prado” name tag to itself until after its complete makeover in 1990 - the Toyota Prado came into existence - also regarded as the first generation of the Prado. Moreover, the “Land Cruiser” name tag was also being used in other parts of the world for the same SUV. Post this, after every 6 to 7 year period, the Prado got its generational updates except, the latest fifth-gen, which took 14 years to arrive. 

The Indian market got the Prado in 2004, which was in its third generation, and further in 2020, it was discontinued due to upcoming Emission norms (BS6) - at this time period, it was in its fourth generation.

What is the New Land Cruiser Prado

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The new Land Cruiser Prado is nothing but, another example of what the Toyota-Lexus partnership results to. Basically, back in 1989 - when the Lexus brand was launched by Toyota to cater for the luxury markets, small partnerships, like part sharing, technology sharing, platform sharing, or sister car projects were going on between both brands - Lexus ES and Toyota Camry are the best examples.

In the same way, back in 2023, Lexus launched the Lexus GX, which was a new generation for its GX SUV (also based on the fourth-gen Prado). The GX was a sister car project between both brands, which then resulted in the launch of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado which has many names across the globe - LC 250, J250 series Land Cruiser, etc. 

Therefore, the Land Cruiser Prado, which is nothing but a Lexus GX will soon launch in the Indian market. It will be positioned below the LC300 (ZX Diesel variant of the Land Cruiser) in India, ultimately, reviving the “Prado” name tag after 2020-discontinuation. 

The GX and the Prado, both are based on the TNGA-F Ladder Frame platform. It is a globally popular platform that is used in numerous big Toyota and Lexus SUVs - Toyota LC300, Lexus LX, Toyota LC Prado, Lexus GX, Toyota Tacoma, Toyota Sequoia, and Toyota Tundra. 

Land Cruiser Prado Exterior

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The 2024 Prado utters boxyness everywhere in its design language. Compared to the Lexus GX, the Prado has revised front end, rear end, and alloy wheel designs, rest every bit of the SUV is similar to that of the Lexus GX. 

On the Front, it gets tall standing, long bonnet with some off-road-oriented rough bits. It gets two grilles on the front - with one at the top holding the Toyota logo and one lower down acting as the main air dam unit. Overall, it is a busy design by Toyota, as the brand is trying to maintain a retro, offroad-oriented look on the front. The Headlamp unit uses all LEDs with Fog lamps placed lower down. It gets three strong LED beams kept under the LED DRL strip. 

The Side of the SUV is huge and long. It runs on 18’ black alloy wheels, it has also got three different alloy wheel designs except the one shown in the picture. The wheel claddings on the LC Prado are thick and substantial, and they run all across the SUV’s lower border. It gets a simple design for the rest of the side profile with a step-up design for the widow-line post-C-pillar. Huge ORVMs with Turn indicators and functional roof rails are also on the equipment list of the 2024 LC Prado. 

The rear is a 90-degree cut with no such exceptional design bits added. It gets a different Tail lamp design than that of the Lexus GX. The ones on the Prado are cubical and run on full LEDs. Moreover, the Tailgate is electrically operated with a part-opening feature - where the rear glass opens on hydraulic struts. 

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Interiors

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The Land Cruiser Prado gets two cabin setups - 5 and 7 seater. Most probably, the Indian variant would get the 5-seater only. The Dashboard design shares everything from the Lexus GX in terms of layout and technology on offer. 

It can be regarded as the most practical cabin of all the luxury off-road SUVs, as it packs plenty of buttons for various features on board. It gets a 12.3-inch Infotainment screen and Instrument Cluster. The Infotainment screen is equipped with the new-age Toyota technology with detailed off-road-oriented information and features. Besides these, it also gets features, like wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay with an in-built navigation system, a 360-degree Camera system with parking sensors, Cooled & Heated Ventilated seats, 3-zone Automatic Climate Control with physical control buttons, a 220-volt Power outlet, etc. 

As we mentioned, the dashboard is nothing less than an Airplane cockpit with plenty of buttons, starting with Off-road operative buttons for 4H-4L-2H modes, various differential locks, different electronic driving modes, etc. It also gets an Electronic Parking Brake with an Auto Hold function. The Steering wheel on offer is a 4-spoke unit with a lot of buttons for media control, cruise control, and ADAS functions. 

The seats get leatherette wrapping over them with all the headrests adjustable and 3-pointer seatbelts for all the seats. It also gets a regular-sized sunroof with various voice commands on offer. The IRVM on offer is obviously, an automated unit but, it also gets rear-view camera features for better rear-end visibility. The SUV also offers basic safety features, like ABS, EBD, ESP, etc, and above this, the cabin is also protected with 9 Airbags. The boot space is a must-talk-about feature, as it gets 120 L of space when all the seats are in use, 620 L of space when the third-row folds, and a massive 1833 L of space when the second-row folds, too. 

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Powertrain Options

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When launched in India, the Prado will get only one single powertrain option that will be shared with the current Fortuner Diesel. It is a 2.8 L Turbocharged Diesel engine producing 201 hp and 500 Nm torque. It is mated to an 8-speed Automated Gearbox. All of this power is distributed between all four wheels, and with the help of this, it can also tow up to 3.5 tonnes. 

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Launch Date and Price Details

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado will be launched in the Indian market by the end of 2025. It will be imported as a CBU unit in the market, which wil ultimately, increase the pricing. We expect it to have a tag of 1 Cr+ when launched in the Indian market. 

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