2015 2.8 litre Engine

[cuda Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close cuda]

I have been a Prado owner for 15 years and this is a shocker, underpowered and the auto gearbox does not lock into gear under moderate load making freeway driving unbearable and fuel economy terrible. I have complained to toyota with no response.
Towing is almost impossible. My advise is to give it a good test drive and tow your van with it before considering this vehicle. Also after sales response to my dissatisfaction, non existent all talk no action. This will be my last Prado.

The towing experience you mention is that with it in 4th??? Your not supposed to tow in D. I hope my experience is a better one when I get mine.

[krypto Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close krypto]

The towing experience you mention is that with it in 4th??? Your not supposed to tow in D. I hope my experience is a better one when I get mine.

My question as well, it should definitely lock in 4

[Hally Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hally]

When I towed I was in 4 and does hold in but it revs its arse off at 110kph and fuel economy goes to s**t. Whats the point of a 6 speed if you can only use 4.
Hino trucks new auto in there small range runs the same auto not 100% on specs would guess its a bit more beefed up bit anyway theres can be gvm 4.5t and use 6th.

[Symo Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Symo]

Well the old 5-speed locks in 4th (and 5th) with some mighty force, you really need to flog it hard to break lock, not seeing much point in the 2.8 as an upgrade, maybe the equivalent 180 series will have a better combo.


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[RaggedJoe Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RaggedJoe]

Graduated from 120 Petrol (4spd Auto) to 150 2.8D on 24 December. Whilst there is no doubt the petrol is quicker, especially off the mark and overtaking, I am enjoying the diesel economy and lazy torque. Tows 1800kg of boat easily, slip it into 4th and it never breaks a sweat. Speed limit is 90km towing, so economy is fine. If I was choosing again it would be a hard choice, but would probably go Diesel again, if no other reason than the fuel gauge doesn't head south so fast. Technology has come along way in 10 years, really enjoying the interior upgrades. No rough stuff yet, so no comment on diff lock etc.

[Offroader Member Find all posts View Profile Close Offroader]

Hey All,
I am new to the forums, but thought i would share my 1st impressions here ;-)
I have just bought my 1st Prado (after 5 years of dreaming) and I can say that i am happy with it so far.
From the AVG L/100 on the trip computer I am getting 9.6 (Mixed City / Freeway)
I did a recent trip from Sydney to QLD and then to Moreton Island and back to Sydney and it read exactly 10.0 L/100
This was with the back fully loaded and with 3 adults and 1 child, including approx 100km of 4WD'ing on sand.

The only issue I have had with it so far is that the engine randomly revs to 1200rpm.
Took me 3 visits to Toyota to finally be told that this is normal, and it is the DPF regen
The Prado only has 4300km on it and i have noticed the DPF regen at least 6 - 7 times, and to me this does not seem normal ??

.... forgot to say I got the manual, as i am not a fan of Auto

The best thing for a DPF fitted diesel is to take it on a highway drive regularly to get it up to temperature to burn off the soot. Lots of short trips, driving too sedately and not allowing the engine to come up to full operating temp can cause more frequent regeneration cycles because the system relies upon heat to burn off the diesel particulates. There is also a product you can purchase at SCA made by Liquimoly which you add to the fuel which lowers the combustion temperature at which the particles are removed.

[Prado_Dave Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Prado_Dave]

Towed my Jayco camper trailer 450km over the weekend at an indicated 110kph for the vast majority and returned 12.1 liters per hundred according to the trip computer. I could convince it to stay in 5th and 6th (to trial 6th only at 120) just by backing the throttle off a bit but enough to maintain speed. I do need to say that it was super flat the whole way bar up a large hill (at 80kph) and back down again (minimal throttle needed down). It would unlock the torque converter on slight inclines but once you get used to the box it was easy to get it to lock in again.

[InnerCityBoy Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close InnerCityBoy]

I have been a Prado owner for 15 years and this is a shocker, underpowered and the auto gearbox does not lock into gear under moderate load ...

Agree I've found the 2.8 power underwhelming, I went from a 150 3.0 to a new 150 2.8 and it has noticeable less zip off the mark, and holds the gears longer. When full and towing a camper trailer (~900kg), I have to put the foot to the floor to hold 80km/h up relatively mild hills, something I never remember having to do in the 3.0. It's still pretty new (<5k on the clock) so hopefully will loosen up a bit.

I hold it in 5th when towing and haven't noticed any problems.

On the upside, it is MUCH quieter and has MUCH less vibration, the 3.0 sounded like a tractor in comparison (especially around the 1000-1500 rpm mark). It also smells newer

[Hally Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hally]

Agree I've found the 2.8 power underwhelming, I went from a 150 3.0 to a new 150 2.8 and it has noticeable less zip off the mark, and holds the gears longer. When full and towing a camper trailer (~900kg), I have to put the foot to the floor to hold 80km/h up relatively mild hills, something I never remember having to do in the 3.0. It's still pretty new (<5k on the clock) so hopefully will loosen up a bit.

I hold it in 5th when towing and haven't noticed any problems.

On the upside, it is MUCH quieter and has MUCH less vibration, the 3.0 sounded like a tractor in comparison (especially around the 1000-1500 rpm mark). It also smells newer

Good to know im not alone mines the same but have 8k on the clock and fuel economy is not what i was expecting (around town 11.4 is best)

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

You don't believe in that sticker on the front window where Toyota claims the thing will run on the smell of an oily rag.

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

Today, I had new Hilux on one side of me and new Colorado on the other. Couldn't pick which was rattling loudest. I think it was the Holden, but not by much.

[digys Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close digys]

I've had my 2.8 vx auto for 6 weeks now and have clocked 2200km so far. The avg consumption on the dashboard tells me 11.5l per 100. Thats with about 30 70 mix of hwy and city driving. Im on my 3rd full tank now including the free tank on delivery. In the last fill up i used a fuel app which measures actual liters filled against km driven which ive been told is more accurate than the dash computer. This gave a reading of 11.15l per 100...much of a muchness really. Ive been driving quite conservatively so im a little dissapointed with the figures. Hopefully it improves.
I wonder how toyota claim thier 8.1l per 100 combined. Its almost impossible.

[120D4D Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 120D4D]

I wonder how toyota claim thier 8.1l per 100 combined.

Dont confuse ADR tests with real world driving!!

[MacroP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MacroP]

I've found our ADR test cycles to be around 20-25% optimistic overall vs real world. Crap but still better than the European testing regime NEDC whic seems to be utterly ridiculous at around 50%+ overly optimistic. The yank's EPA testing cycle seems to be the closet to real life scenarios.

[OzDriver Member Find all posts View Profile Close OzDriver]

I obtained about 8/100 on a low traffic x-city run this week on my new 2.8 auto (on the trip computer). I plan to do brim to brim checks over the coming months out of interest and to be more accurate.