When is the new generation Prado due?

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

Re: When is the new generation Prado due?

Not sure if this has already been mentioned but a mate of mine is a head mechanic at large dealership and went to an info session about a month back for the new prado. /apparently mid next year they are releasing a twin turbo v6 diesel in the prado. It is in final testing now!

Don't leave us hanging, he must have been told some specs on power it will produce

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

Re: When is the new generation Prado due?

for those of you in the world of Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/Toyota4x4

plenty of vids there of the new prado. They have electronic rear difflocks apparently? If this is the case it may be ok paying the bit higher price. Beats getting the airlockers installed.

Electronic rear diff-lock is only available on Kakadu and for rear fitment only. At this stage and not an option on any other model

Regards

RobA

[wilko76 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wilko76]

Re: When is the new generation Prado due?

Now you are putting me on the spot about power!!!...lol He did mention it. i know he said it ould give the 200 series a run for it's money!! Apparently the 200 series is having engine dramas and burning around 5L of oil every 10,000km. The words from the tester was the new twin turbo V6 is bullet proof!!

He also mentioned about he new technology in the prado with its traction control. Very andvanced. He was concerned however that you would not be able to raise the suspension easily as some of this technology is based around the suspension and the after makrket stuff would have to be compatible therefore expensive!

Not sure how it will all go but guess we will have to see. Has anyone heard anything from the major suspension crowds re lifting the new prado?

[BenTas Member Find all posts View Profile Close BenTas]

Re: When is the new generation Prado due?

Hey guys,

New member here from Tas......

Has anyone heard anything re Any Accessories for the new 150 ?
Would it be right that ARB normally take a couple of months to have anything for a new model ?
Am chasing a Sahara Bar, and Dual battery kit once they have them sorted !

Great info on here guys, keep up the good work !!!
Looks like suspicions were right about no privacy glass on GXL anymore !
Awaiting new 150 next week, very 'cited, can't wait !

Cheers
BenTas

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

Re: When is the new generation Prado due?

I happened to come across the info that there is currently 20 new 150 Prado's in SA, they are to be used for the release to the delaers in a training / demonstration day. A 300k 4wd track has been built for the occasion!
I am trying to get an invite to the event as a number of people I know are the test drivers that are used on these events. Pics to come if so!

25 Prado actually with all variants on show for dealership staff and fleet clients. The track is not 300k long but has been built to advanced driving standards and includes water, sand, rocks, 32 degree side slopes and flip flops, rock garden, moguls and very steep ascent and decents for CRAWL demonatrations and a very long descent off a rather steep hill.

I designed and built it for the client and it remains ours for advanced driver instruction.

Having been driving every model over the last three days and back to backed them against and upgraded LC200 and my 120 I am very confident in saying that the Kakadu with CRAWL and KDSS is about the most competent 4WD around. A big call for some who have yet to drive it I am sure but keep your opinions and minds open until you actually get in to one and drive it on bitumen and in challenging terrain. The KDSS is a significant step forward from LC200 being electronically as well as hydraulically controlled. The base GX is an excellent package as well so the full range are still serious off road cars. Jury will be out on the durability side until we get one for extended testing but the are stiffer and better setup than 120. All positive? Well there are still enough small items to be improved but primarly around the huma interface for the steering control based and viewing screens and menus for a start. I am being picky for sure but they can be better but a small gripe. Gearing is certainly different, comments are for auto trans, with a very low 1st gear and bit of a jump to second and third is even taller and that is in low range. Both engines are definitely improved and you can feel it wit my pick being the diesel this time around

The new shape is better in the flesh as I said some considerable time back and the interior is a step up on quality. Of course low range is now controlled by a rotary dial rather than a stubby fun lever and we have push button start to get used to but all seems very good at the moment

For those contemplating a manual you will find that with push button start there is now a lockout on the clutch so you cannot start the vehicle in gear. Same as for automatics. But there is a micro-switch located high and behind the clutch that you can reach with a boot off and which you then can hold down to then to a normal key stall start. A touch challenging but I am sure an after market supplier will come up with something to move that switch to a more convenient spot

You will see cars in dealers around 15 November or earlier

Enjoy the debate

Regards

RobA

Just wonder if LC150 is better than LC200 or not in your opinion.

Thanks!

[Schaffer Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schaffer]

Re: When is the new generation Prado due?

Just saw the eBrochure on the Toyota website. Don't know how longs it's being available for:
150/155 Toyota Prado Brochure

An interesting observation is that the VX model supports HID head lights as standard. I thought these where illegal in Australia? It does also mention that these have Adaptive Fron-Lighting System so maybe it has a cop detector and automatcially switch off when a cop is in range :lol:

EDIT: I've been informed and I've seen it on the net that HID are legal so long as they are self leveling (must be that Adaptive component) and have a self cleaning (washer) function.

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

Re: When is the new generation Prado due?

I happened to come across the info that there is currently 20 new 150 Prado's in SA, they are to be used for the release to the delaers in a training / demonstration day. A 300k 4wd track has been built for the occasion!
I am trying to get an invite to the event as a number of people I know are the test drivers that are used on these events. Pics to come if so!

25 Prado actually with all variants on show for dealership staff and fleet clients. The track is not 300k long but has been built to advanced driving standards and includes water, sand, rocks, 32 degree side slopes and flip flops, rock garden, moguls and very steep ascent and decents for CRAWL demonatrations and a very long descent off a rather steep hill.

I designed and built it for the client and it remains ours for advanced driver instruction.

Having been driving every model over the last three days and back to backed them against and upgraded LC200 and my 120 I am very confident in saying that the Kakadu with CRAWL and KDSS is about the most competent 4WD around. A big call for some who have yet to drive it I am sure but keep your opinions and minds open until you actually get in to one and drive it on bitumen and in challenging terrain. The KDSS is a significant step forward from LC200 being electronically as well as hydraulically controlled. The base GX is an excellent package as well so the full range are still serious off road cars. Jury will be out on the durability side until we get one for extended testing but the are stiffer and better setup than 120. All positive? Well there are still enough small items to be improved but primarly around the huma interface for the steering control based and viewing screens and menus for a start. I am being picky for sure but they can be better but a small gripe. Gearing is certainly different, comments are for auto trans, with a very low 1st gear and bit of a jump to second and third is even taller and that is in low range. Both engines are definitely improved and you can feel it wit my pick being the diesel this time around

The new shape is better in the flesh as I said some considerable time back and the interior is a step up on quality. Of course low range is now controlled by a rotary dial rather than a stubby fun lever and we have push button start to get used to but all seems very good at the moment

For those contemplating a manual you will find that with push button start there is now a lockout on the clutch so you cannot start the vehicle in gear. Same as for automatics. But there is a micro-switch located high and behind the clutch that you can reach with a boot off and which you then can hold down to then to a normal key stall start. A touch challenging but I am sure an after market supplier will come up with something to move that switch to a more convenient spot

You will see cars in dealers around 15 November or earlier

Enjoy the debate

Regards

RobA

Just wonder if LC150 is better than LC200 or not in your opinion.

Thanks!

LC200 or Prado 150? Hmm what a challenging question. The answer has to be that it all depends on individuals specific needs. That's not a cop out at all it's based around enough experience to recognise that no 4WD is used in the same way by each owner and neither do they have the same expectations. Although the majority will certainly have "simliar" wants and needs.

So having avoided a direct answer as it's too hard and also impossible let me explain a little further

We operate our vehicles, on tours, with the rear seats removed and a second storage system and cargo barrier in place. This means we only carry a spare wheel, a couple of jerry cans and not much else on the roof. This makes for a safer and more stable touring wagon by a long way. So with that in mind contemplate the fact that the rear seats and cargo area seats fold on runners that, at the moment, look almost impossible to remove easily. As well with the cargo area seats folded away there is a decent raised area which is going to make the fitment of a set of drawers a bit of a challenge. Now I am sure that the after market accessory mobs will solve the problems, or at least I hope they will. If the do then NG Prado is back on the selection list. If the don't then it will be a LC200 as it will meet my specific needs as described above. Whilst there are rumours regarding twin turbo V6 diesel etc quite frankly that is not of any great interest. The currend DiD is fine for our needs and we have business needs to meet so whilst others will get excited about these things I don't. Yes it is nice to have 600Nm at 1200 RPM but it aint that different from 400Nm when you compare them back to back

Apart from that and as I have mentioned in other posts the improvements in the NG Prado are considerable and with the electro hydraulic KDSS for example it makes NG Prado noticeably improved over LC200 when driven over the same tracks. But you need to do that to actually appreciate where the differences and improvements are which is something we do constantly on behalf of clients. When you drive them back to back you also begin to appreciate how good both cars are but in quite different ways. I remain impressed as to how well a LC 200 corners onbitumen or copes in rough terrain with KDSS and then when we do the same thing with NG Prado you see how far the technology has progressed in such a short time

So the segway is that vehicles and their development is an evolutionary thing and each model will always, well we hope so, be an improvement over its predecessor. In this instance I would be happy with both but for different reasons. We have a long term LC200, upgrade model, in the fleet for the next month or so and will be putting it through our drive program. When our test NG arrives it will go through the same process and then we will sit down and probably have an argument amongst my team on who likes which the best and why. I fully expect that no consensus will be arrived at for all the right reasons

Oh the joys of vehicle testing and long term evaluations and sorry but the short answer is, as usual, it all depends

Regards

RobA

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

Re: When is the new generation Prado due?

LC200 or Prado 150? Hmm what a challenging question. The answer has to be that it all depends on individuals specific needs. That's not a cop out at all it's based around enough experience to recognise that no 4WD is used in the same way by each owner and neither do they have the same expectations. Although the majority will certainly have "simliar" wants and needs.

So having avoided a direct answer as it's too hard and also impossible let me explain a little further

We operate our vehicles, on tours, with the rear seats removed and a second storage system and cargo barrier in place. This means we only carry a spare wheel, a couple of jerry cans and not much else on the roof. This makes for a safer and more stable touring wagon by a long way. So with that in mind contemplate the fact that the rear seats and cargo area seats fold on runners that, at the moment, look almost impossible to remove easily. As well with the cargo area seats folded away there is a decent raised area which is going to make the fitment of a set of drawers a bit of a challenge. Now I am sure that the after market accessory mobs will solve the problems, or at least I hope they will. If the do then NG Prado is back on the selection list. If the don't then it will be a LC200 as it will meet my specific needs as described above. Whilst there are rumours regarding twin turbo V6 diesel etc quite frankly that is not of any great interest. The currend DiD is fine for our needs and we have business needs to meet so whilst others will get excited about these things I don't. Yes it is nice to have 600Nm at 1200 RPM but it aint that different from 400Nm when you compare them back to back

Apart from that and as I have mentioned in other posts the improvements in the NG Prado are considerable and with the electro hydraulic KDSS for example it makes NG Prado noticeably improved over LC200 when driven over the same tracks. But you need to do that to actually appreciate where the differences and improvements are which is something we do constantly on behalf of clients. When you drive them back to back you also begin to appreciate how good both cars are but in quite different ways. I remain impressed as to how well a LC 200 corners onbitumen or copes in rough terrain with KDSS and then when we do the same thing with NG Prado you see how far the technology has progressed in such a short time

So the segway is that vehicles and their development is an evolutionary thing and each model will always, well we hope so, be an improvement over its predecessor. In this instance I would be happy with both but for different reasons. We have a long term LC200, upgrade model, in the fleet for the next month or so and will be putting it through our drive program. When our test NG arrives it will go through the same process and then we will sit down and probably have an argument amongst my team on who likes which the best and why. I fully expect that no consensus will be arrived at for all the right reasons

Oh the joys of vehicle testing and long term evaluations and sorry but the short answer is, as usual, it all depends

Regards

RobA

Thanks Rob!

I have LC200 and LC120. The LC120 is lots more fun to drive than the LC200; I have no luck to put my hands on the LC150 yet, but I believe the LC150 will be better than the LC120.

Some how the LC150 costs more than the LC200 now. So I have to wait for the next LC 170/180 :shock:

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

Re: When is the new generation Prado due?

I had a quick look at the NG Prado, and whilst I did not take it for a drive, I felt that the view from the driver's seat is not as good as from the LC200. The bonnet (hood?) of the NG Prado makes judging the extremeties of the front of the vehicle more difficult than the LC200.

I see the LC200 as big and boofy and dumb (top spec Sahara doesn't even have self levelling suspension) and the top spec NG Prado, i.e. the Kakadu, has more family friendly features, e.g. power folding 3rd row seats, etc. The 200 Series steering wheel controls are childs play, whereas the NASA control center instrumentation on the NG Prado's steering wheel will require some level of familiarity to operate all the features easily.

And of course, the GXL 200 Series TD is similar in pricing to the NG Prado TD VX spec, so the NG Prado VX definitely gets the gong for equipment levels and interior appointments.

But I think that I'd still prefer big, boofy and dumb!* :mrgreen:

(* because of my particular usage requirements)

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

Re: When is the new generation Prado due?

Well the Age newspaper in Melbourne came today with a full size plastic ( tracing paper) style cover spruiking the new Prado Kakadu
Certainly a different approach. Although the better half complained it isn't re-cyclable :wink:
So I guess its on.

[MDS69 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDS69]

Re: When is the new generation Prado due?

A few observations regarding the 150
the cargo area blind in the 3 door has only about 150mm from fully retracted to closed over. Why bother!!
No ashtrays. I can understand no lighter but no ashtray. Where do you put the little things. In the 120 I keep the UHF aerial cap and allen key for eg.
What is the credit card holder thingy in the glove box.

[Guest Close Guest]

Re: When is the new generation Prado due?

Christmas has come early for a Bunnings employee (wearing a red T-shirt with the green hammer logo). Sighted a 150 series silver Prado outside JB HiFi Gepps cross this afternoon. Thought it might have been a demo but it looks like he is the owner.

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

Re: When is the new generation Prado due?

Mine is due next week.

GXL D4D Manual in Blue Storm. My first Prado and I can't wait!!

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

Re: When is the new generation Prado due?

Haven't read all the posts here... apologies if this has been said b4.

On the weekend I was in Kingaroy and called into the local Toyota dealer. They had a 150 GXL D4D as demo there so took it for a test drive.

Drives absolutely beautifully... well, for the quick drive I did anyway Very nice and quiet. I would say as quiet or quieter than my petrol 90 series and definitely quieter than the 3lt 120 diesel (haven't driven a D4D so can't comment on that).
Road handling was nice, no body roll around roundabouts and very smooth over rough tarmac.

My big problem is the cargo area... looks tiny...
As the rear seats now fold into the floor I'd say the base of the cargo area starts about 6" higher than the previous models and correct me if I'm wrong but the cargo area floor seems to have an incline to it. Unless the rear seats were folded down incorrectly the forward edge of the cargo area looked to be about an inch and a half higher than the back (rear door end) of the cargo area. :? :? Imagine the poor fridge slide always resisting the weight of a fridge.
Also, the downside to the middle row seats moving backwards and forwards looks like any cargo barrier will have to go even further into the cargo area... there's also two huge holes either side of the cargo barrier to allow for the side air bags to deploy.
I'm seriously doubting the 150's ability to carry a family and their luggage :cry:

[Schaffer Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schaffer]

Re: When is the new generation Prado due?

My big problem is the cargo area... looks tiny...
As the rear seats now fold into the floor I'd say the base of the cargo area starts about 6" higher than the previous models and correct me if I'm wrong but the cargo area floor seems to have an incline to it. Unless the rear seats were folded down incorrectly the forward edge of the cargo area looked to be about an inch and a half higher than the back (rear door end) of the cargo area. :? :? Imagine the poor fridge slide always resisting the weight of a fridge.
Also, the downside to the middle row seats moving backwards and forwards looks like any cargo barrier will have to go even further into the cargo area... there's also two huge holes either side of the cargo barrier to allow for the side air bags to deploy.
I'm seriously doubting the 150's ability to carry a family and their luggage :cry:

I agree with the space concerns there Snaga. I wonder how easy it is to remove this to allow a descent drawrer system to be installed? Also has anyone seen the GX 5 seat models rear cargo area? Does this increase the available space? A picture would be great if someone has seen one.