NEW PRADO coming? Next year? 2015?

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

No idea when the next model is coming but heard a rumour it will be a monocoque chassis. Not sure if that will be a good thing.....

You heard wrong, next prado to be based on current platform again. But probably for the last time. Toyota has confirmed this check the usual motoring news sites and search.


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[drew_1 Find all posts View Profile Close drew_1]

i kinda like the barn door.

what's everyone's issues with it?

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

i kinda like the barn door.

what's everyone's issues with it?

Its way to big. It gets in the way. A split door is way more practical. Horizontal means you have a table or work bench.

Should I go on?

[drew_1 Find all posts View Profile Close drew_1]

please do.

i agree, the split door (a la 200 LC, Ranga's & D4's) is good for camping and touring. i've found the barn door on our prado hasn't been that much of a hindrance when packing stuff in, even in tight car parks in sydney (provided one doesn't reverse park). We also have a Volvo XC60 with an auto tailgate that is no more practical in standard situations than the hillbilly door on the Prado.

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

In my car park in my building I have to roll the vehicle forward, the width of the door to open it. The front sticks out into the common area. The neighbours complain.

Quick access is a pain as it has to be open all the way. If something is on the right of the car, the door has to be open all the way. If theres any obstacle at the back of the vehicle I have to move to get the door open.

Etc...

Ps - I wouldn't buy a volvo either.

[Australian Member Find all posts View Profile Close Australian]

In my car park in my building I have to roll the vehicle forward, the width of the door to open it. The front sticks out into the common area. The neighbours complain.

Quick access is a pain as it has to be open all the way. If something is on the right of the car, the door has to be open all the way. If theres any obstacle at the back of the vehicle I have to move to get the door open.

Etc...

Ps - I wouldn't buy a volvo either.

Would any other door be much advantage on such a large vehicle in such a tight situation, e.g. Split door?

A friend has an XC90. Wouldn't trust it for any real 4x4 work but it drives well and has heaps of interior space. The price is on the far side of ridiculous. Horses for courses I suppose. *shrugs*

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

Would any other door be much advantage on such a large vehicle in such a tight situation, e.g. Split door?

A friend has an XC90. Wouldn't trust it for any real 4x4 work but it drives well and has heaps of interior space. The price is on the far side of ridiculous. Horses for courses I suppose. *shrugs*

A horizontally split door, as per the Land Cruiser would be a much, much better option. Every time I use our work vehicles, I wish for my Prado to have the same set up.

Horses for courses sure. Its the ridiculous price and servicing costs, etc, that keep me away from exotic vehicles.

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

i kinda like the barn door.

what's everyone's issues with it?

I don't mind it, and work round it. Living in Stdney I just don't revers park at woolies. But have had it swing open onto my 4 year old when he tried to open it to get a teddy out the back. It's a heavy thing would hate to have it swing closed onto one if the

Having had a split door on my 60 series and my Kingswood wagon they are really useful for touring. They make a handy shelf/table for a quick lunch if boiling the Billy , seat to admire the sunset, tie kids shoelaces etc

My 5' 1" wife struggles to reach in over the tailgate to get stuff near the back seat

But I'll cope with a barn door in order to get the extra tank

I don't like having the spare under the rear. It catches all the rocks and crap and the dirt gets all over you if you ever have to change them. I always feel they're exposed to bumps and scrapes too. How many of us have dings and scrapes on our rear tanks? That's the sidewall of the tire when you have the giant rubber suppository attached under your bum

[MelbournePark Member Find all posts View Profile Close MelbournePark]

Barn is better for draws and things IMO - you get to stand next to the storage, rather than some distance away. You don't have to lean in either.

There is a good reason for Toyota to drop the barn door though - for the Lexus GX460 vehicles sold in the USA and I think Canada. Their barn door opens just the same as ours, despite them driving on the other side of the road. Hence when the door is open, you have to access the luggage compartment from the curb, by walking around the door, which is opened onto the curb. Goodness knows why Toyota don't swing the door from the other side! Incredible how cost accountants can ruin a basic utility, even with a Lexus labelled vehicle. The horizontal split would be just the same in right hand drive as left hand drive.

Buy a German vehicle, even a manual, and the indicator is on the middle side of the wheel. Try indicating and changing gears at the same time. Mercedes use to have the indicator on the door side in left had drive countries such as Australian and the UK. But their cost accountants won out, and the indicator is on the same side of the wheel not matter where a German car is sold. And yet the Germans market ergonomics and safety. Give me a break. But I blame the cost accountants.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Try indicating and changing gears at the same time.

Not overly difficult, lots of trucks have the indicator on the left and an 18 speed roadranger is more work than a car gearbox.

Cheers Andrew

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

Having frigged around for ages sorting out an additional fridge slide on top of my outback drawers system, which already has an in-built slide of the left side, I can say that the barn door is a right PITA. Due to the door curving in at the top I couldn't open the 40 litre Engel with the slide open. Put the 60 litre on the additional slide and the lid has to flip in towards the centreline of the truck. And you cannot easily convert the drawers by switching the top left and right sections. One of those hydraulic/electric swing up doors would be neat.

[Guest Close Guest]

A lift up tailgate may make the opening even smaller due to the provision to mount struts on the rear pillar.

A vertically split barn door would be a good compromise.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I went from a twin cab with Canopy to my first Prado, so from effectively a lift up and fold down rear entry to the barn door. I would take the barn door every day of the week and twice on Sundays, its just so much easier to access things in the rear.

But each to their own.

Cheers Andrew

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

I don't like having the spare under the rear. It catches all the rocks and crap and the dirt gets all over you if you ever have to change them. I always feel they're exposed to bumps and scrapes too. How many of us have dings and scrapes on our rear tanks? That's the sidewall of the tire when you have the giant rubber suppository attached under your bum

Why would you leave the spare under the vehicle?

If you have big fuel tanks the spare has to be up top and like you say its a pain leaving it there, unless your vehicle never leaves the black top.

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

Maybe a big dust proof zipper all the way across the back. Now, that would give great access. Probably not too good for the city though.