2014 Toyota LandCruiser Prado updated – more equipment and price rise

Toyota has given its iconic LandCruiser Prado a mid-life face lift (read our Review), with bolder exterior styling and a more refined interior. As part of the upgrade, the slow-selling three-door models have been discontinued.

Exterior changes include a redesign front bumper, heritage-inspired grilled flanked by a pair of LED-infused headlights and restyled 17” and 18” alloy wheels. Inside, the interior have been upgraded with a new multi-media audio system, a redesigned dashboard and new materials.

The revised driver’s instrument binnacle incorporates new tachometer and speedometer dials – Optitron for VX and Kakadu. Between the dials is a new 4.2-inch colour TFT multi-information display that provides information such as individual wheel traction control, steering angle and differential lock operation.

External measurements and approach, departure and ramp-over angles are unchanged.

Toyota has also said refinements to the standard suspension and the electronically modulated Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System have improved the Prado’s handling and ride comfort.

The brand has further developed functions that provide driver guidance and technical support, to ensure maximum precision and control for negotiating obstacles as well as more intuitive controls for on and off-road systems.

It has extended safety features to include trailer sway control, a system that assists the driver if a towed vehicle is unsettled by factors such as crosswinds or bumpy roads.

The Multi-Terrain Select – available on the range-topping Kakadu – is now operated by a dial. It gives drivers suitable guidance while automatically controlling power output and braking inputs. A fifth mode, to help negotiate rocks and dirt, has been added to the previous rock, loose rock, mud and sand, and moguls modes.

On the safety front, seven airbags, a rear-view camera and stability and traction control systems are standard across the range, as is an emergency brake signal that automatically flashes the stop lights to warn others of potential danger.

Despite the upgrade, the entry price for the Prado has been kept at $55,990 plus on-roads. The company also said changes across the rest of the range average less than 1.2 per cent.

The Prado continues to be powered by a 127kW 3.0-litre turbo diesel engine or the 202kW V6 petrol engine with variable valve timing on the inlet and exhaust valves.

The four-cylinder, 16-valve diesel with 410Nm of torque on tap from 1,600-2,800rpm is available across the range. Petrol models are offered with either a 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission, while the diesel VX and Kakadu are paired exclusively with the automatic.