2024 Toyota LandCruiser Prado 150 review: Full range detailed

The next-gen Prado is soon to land in Australia; but until then, let's focus on the outgoing 150 model, a four-wheel-drive SUV in four grades – GX, GXL, VX and top-spec Kakadu.

*If buyers are interested in this outgoing model, the below information is still relevant for second-hand purchases - as mentioned, it's no longer available to purchase new.

All Prado 150 models are powered by a 150kW/500Nm 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine that runs through a six-speed automatic transmission. Buyers can get a total of 150 litres of onboard fuel if they opt for the 63-litre sub tank option. Combine this with its 3000kg towing capacity, and the Prado is a viable long-distance hauler.

The 4995mm-long Prado features a full-time 4WD system, which on GXL, VX and Kakadu variants is equipped with a rear diff lock. In addition to a premium, feature-laden interior, the Kakadu is the only model to get a five-speed crawl control function. Only the GX is available with both five and seven seats, while the GXL, VX and Kakadu are all seven-seaters.

16

The 150 Series Prado was released in 2009, essentially a reskin of the 120 Series which debuted in 2002. So it’s really a 20-year-old platform, but in that time there have been the reskin, spec changes, new engines introduced, new variants, the introduction and discontinuation of a three-door version, the loss of the V6 petrol engine and manual gearboxes, and plenty of other rolling changes.

2024 Toyota LandCruiser Prado 150 range review

Everything you need to know about the final iteration of the current Prado.

JUMP AHEAD

• Pricing
• What body styles are available for the Toyota Prado 150?
• What features are standard in every Toyota Prado 150?
• What key features do I get if I spend more?
• How safe is the Toyota Prado 150?
• How comfortable and practical is the Toyota Prado 150?
• How much boot space does the Toyota Prado 150 offer?
• I like driving - will I enjoy this car?
• Which Toyota Prado 150 engine uses the least fuel?
• What is the Toyota Prado 150’s towing capacity?
• How long is the warranty and what are the Toyota Prado 150’s servicing costs?
• Which version of the Toyota Prado 150 do we recommend?
• What are the Toyota Prado 150’s key rivals?

Pricing

With the next-gen model imminent, the outgoing Prado 150 is no longer available to purchase. If you want one, you'll need to browse the second-hand marketplaces.

*The below pricing list is indicative of what the respective models were listed at before they were removed from sale, early in 2024.

🔼 Back to top

What body styles are available for the Toyota Prado?

The Toyota Prado is available as a five-door wagon only. All but one version has seven seats. The exception is the least costly, the GX, which offers a five-seat option.

🔼 Back to top

16

What features are standard in every Toyota Prado 150?

The features listed below are standard in the entry-level model and will appear in higher-grade models, unless replaced by more premium equivalent features.

🔼 Back to top

16

What key features do I get if I spend more?

The base model GX is very basic by modern standards and comes with cloth seats, halogen headlights, 17-inch wheels and a urethane steering wheel.

All Prados get a 9.0-inch central touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard across the range.

The GXL is the most popular grade and for good reason, offering a generous standard equipment list for the price. The GXL can be had with the “premium interior” which gives nicer leather accents – little bits of leather here and there including on the seats – although the interior is not fully leather.

16

From there, the VX and the Kakadu are for spoiling yourself – the Kakadu especially.

The Kakadu also comes with a rear-seat entertainment system that lets the kids, or adults, watch movies in the back from a ceiling-mounted screen, using Bluetooth headsets.

All Prados use the same powertrain so you don’t get more grunt if you spend more. With a platform that is near-on two decades old, the Prado is well-proven and has had its bugs ironed out. There are also more accessories available for it than you could ever need, so there’s plenty of kit out there to make it yours.

The GXL also brings

Paying more again for a VX gets you those features plus:

16

The Kakadu is the most expensive version and in addition to the VX offers:

🔼 Back to top

How safe is the Toyota Prado 150?

The Toyota Prado 150 is a very safe vehicle. Toyota has done well to fit all Prado grades with an impressive standard safety suite including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), a reversing camera and blind-spot monitors.

Standard across the range, the AEB can detect pedestrians day and night and cyclists during the day only. There’s also lane-keep assist and standard adaptive cruise control.

There are seven airbags in total no matter what Prado you get, from GX to Kakadu. You have to pay extra for some safety-enhancing features such as dusk-sensing headlamps (VX and Kakadu only), front parking sensors (VX and Kakadu only) and rear parking sensors (not available on GX).

16

The Prado 150 also misses out on some cutting-edge safety features such as a driver attention monitor (which protects against fatigue), while the AEB isn’t rated for higher, interurban speeds.

Unlike some rivals, however, the Prado’s curtain airbags protect third-row occupants as well.

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has not rated the 2024 Toyota Prado 150. Previously it scored five stars when crash-tested in 2015, with the rating expiring on January 1, 2023. Toyota decided not to renew its rating, instead waiting for the next-generation model that is due in the second half of 2024.

🔼 Back to top

16

How comfortable and practical is the Toyota Prado 150?

The Toyota Prado is a very comfortable and practical car. Obviously, as you go up the grades (and pay more) you get more comfort and practicality.

Seats in the Prado are supportive and comfortable, and nice places to be for even the longest trip. Compliant, soft-riding suspension and low road noise levels on all surfaces, even gravel roads, make this a car that can eat the kilometres without fatiguing the driver or passengers.

16

Tech-head buyers might find the Prado a little lacking compared to rivals with its lack of wireless phone charger and head-up display, while its 9.0-inch touchscreen is relatively small and the instruments are still semi-analogue.

Its third-row seats are tricky to access and best left to the kids, while second-row passengers enjoy plenty of headroom and legroom but the narrower cabin makes shoulder space tight for three across.

🔼 Back to top

16

How much boot space does the Toyota Prado 150 offer?

The Toyota Prado offers 620 litres of boot space. For seven-seat models, that shrinks to 120 litres with the third row upright. With both the second and third rows folded, boot space is 1833 litres.

While large, the Prado’s boot is considerably less capacious than something like a Mazda CX-9, which would surprise some.

The single rear door opens sideways and can be heavy to handle when the vehicle is on a slope.

GXL, VX and Kakadu versions with the optional under-body mounted spare tyre model are more convenient here, as the rear door is lighter and the rear glass opens separately. However, relocating the spare wheel reduces fuel capacity to 87 litres as it deletes the 63-litre sub tank.

🔼 Back to top

16

I like driving, will I enjoy this car?

The Prado 150 is an easy and enjoyable large SUV to drive – if a bit ‘old’.

Driving in the Prado, you are well-insulated from driveline noise, and the power and torque are well-matched to the vehicle. The engine is flexible in its wide torque range but does get noisy when you put your foot down for overtaking or steep climbs.

The six-speed transmission does a good job in day-to-day driving and the ratios are well-spaced, but it’s not as smooth as the 10-speed in the Ford Everest. While we appreciate a smart transmission with grade logic that shifts back when you might want some engine braking, the Prado’s Aisin transmission can be a bit aggressive in this regard, making it annoying in the suburbs when it shifts back and revs high going down hills.

16

Like the Prado as a whole, the drivetrain shows its age but, like so many older things, there’s nothing really wrong with the way it gets the job done.

Readers who are used to driving cars like Volkswagens and BMWs will find the Prado a bit ‘old school’ to drive, however. It’s heavy, slow to accelerate and lumbering in corners – there are much more advanced options available when it comes to on-road performance. The Kakadu’s KDSS suspension improves handling but it’s still not a patch on something like a Volkswagen Touareg 170TDI.

The Kakadu is the only model in the Prado range to replace its rear coil springs with adjustable airbags to give a bit of height adjustment for off-road use. We find these to be detrimental to the ride quality from the rear end, which doesn’t deal as well with sharp bumps as other Prados. This alone would steer us toward the VX grade that is still well-specified but keeps its coil springs.

Overall, though, the Prado is nice and easy to drive.

🔼 Back to top

16

Which Toyota Prado 150 engine uses the least fuel?

All versions use a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder producing 150kW from 3000-3400rpm and 500Nm from 1600-2800rpm.

Claimed fuel consumption is consistent regardless of variant at 7.9 litres per 100 kilometres combined; 9.6L/100km urban and 7.0L/100km on motorways.

The Prado comes standard with the spare wheel mounted on the rear door and this allows an extra fuel tank underneath giving the vehicle 150 litres of capacity, more than any other standard four-wheel-drive on the market. The optional ‘flat tailgate’ makes the door easier to open but puts the spare tyre back under the car where that extra fuel tank should be, so it’s restricted to 87 litres of diesel onboard.

🔼 Back to top

16

What is the Toyota Prado 150’s towing capacity?

The Toyota Prado can tow up to 3000kg braked or 750kg unbraked.

Its GCM is 5990kg across the range, noting that kerb weights range from 2240kg (5-seat GX) to 2350kg (Kakadu).

It’s worth mentioning that the Prado’s braked towing capacity isn’t as good as some rivals such as the Ford Everest which is capable of 3500kg braked. On the plus side, the Prado’s electronic stability control (ESC) integrates trailer sway control.

🔼 Back to top

How long is the warranty and what are the Prado 150’s servicing costs?

Before it was removed from showrooms, the Prado came with a five-year / unlimited-kilometre warranty and cost $290 to service every six months or 10,000km – whichever came first.

The first six services were capped at this price for up to 36 months or 60,000km.

🔼 Back to top

16

Which version of the Toyota Prado 150 do we recommend?

The GXL spec has everything most people want, and even if you don’t need the third-row seats they will help with resale value.

And you can get a leather-accented interior without having to upgrade to the VX, which has some good extras but with a big price hike. The GXL is the most popular variant by a good margin, and for good reason.

16

What are the Toyota Prado 150’s key rivals?

• Ford Everest
• Nissan Patrol
• Isuzu MU-X
• Volkswagen Touareg
• Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

🔼 Back to top