[jaysmokesleaves]

Among the few cars i have owned and driven this has been unarguably my best drive. Dream run I should say. For me it speaks volumes about Toyota reliability and the technology that they have developed. Any day I can trust my life to one of these brutes. Used by me primarily for offroad excursions, fun camping, dune hopping, desert exploring and the most favourite high speed desert runs.
I purchased this Prado VX in Feb 2007. It is a 4litre V6.
It has 2 petrol tanks of 90 liters each giving me a range of roughly 1000kms on each tank. The vehicle is maintained stock condition and serviced exclusively at Toyota dealerships only.
Hit 56000 kms recently and it has been a sweet drive all along with no complaints.
Mileage is a consistent 6- 6.5 kpl. The ac is used 100% of the time.
75% driving is done offroad out of which 15-20% driving is using 4wd. I do not have a breakup of that but i can safely say that 4L usage may be approx 10 % of the 4wd usage figure on the higher side.

The 1st 25000kms service was every 5000kms which included oil and filter change due to hard driving in extreme conditions. Now the service has been upped to 7500kms. The workshop uses all Toyota approved fluids.
Fortunately had to change only 1 set of tyres this time. I am happily surprised that the original set of factory fitted Bridgestones lasted 50000kms. They still had 5-8000kms worth of life left when i discarded them last month. I can only say that it is sheer luck and chance. The new Yokohamas feel softer and sometimes i get a feeling that I have a flat tyre when ive not got one.
Cracked windscreen has been replaced twice under insurance. Replaced wiper blades once. Cracked the rear plastic bumper once during a steep approach angle. And broke the rear brake light panel once. Got insurance for all that too.
Did an ac service at 25000kms.
Once had to go for unscheduled service because the cd got stuck in the player. Was rectified under warranty.
The vehicle has had no other problems yet.
The suspension has held on surprisingly well and no unusual squeaks or jarring. Few rattles though from the boot door were fixed during service. These I was told was due to dune hopping with the spare loaded on the door.
I just wish it had optional abs which i could turn off during a high speed offroad run because the offroad braking performance is pathetic with abs.

The attached pictures is the kind of terrain i encounter routinely apart from sand dunes and rubble road.
Not very exciting pictures since the car almost merges into the scenery. But the color keeps me from going to the car wash regularly.


BRUTE @ 56000

[jaysmokesleaves]

A few more pics to add.. theres many more which il add as i find time.

[wheeler]

A very nice review about the Prado. And nice pictures of the Prado in its rightful element. Your location says Mumbai, but this is an LHD and looks like somewhere in the gulf region. Where exactly?

Edit: The headlamps look fogged up. Was it like that when you got the vehicle? Or is it one of those forms of smoking the headlamps as I've seen many of the local kids do that here.

[aah78]

Nice review - didn't know about the dual fuel tanks.
Glad it's being used where most luxury 4x4 owner's fear to tread. You use the same factory tyres while off-roading?

The only thing I dislike about the Land Cruiser Prado is the front end - it looks too much like the Lexus RX series.

How much does a regular scheduled service cost on one of these?

Originally Posted by wheeler

Where exactly?

Yes, was wondering about that too - doesn't look like Chowpatty or Juhu Beach!

[.anshuman]

The car is a left hand drive and it has spare wheel on tailgate,so i was guessing the car is not on india.

Is this a manual?

[Born 2 Be Wild]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

The car is a left hand drive and it has spare wheel on tailgate,so i was guessing the car is not on india.

Is this a manual?

I think if you take a look at the very first Snap of the speedo console you can see that its not a manual.
If am not wrong then i think he has this Car in Dubai.

[snaronikar]

Nice pics and narration jay. LC is a tough vehicle and can withstand all the terrians. Think you can send these photos to Toyota and they will be glad to include these in their catalogues. The background matches with your car body colour very well. Where exactly have you taken these photos?

[jaysmokesleaves]

Originally Posted by wheeler

A very nice review about the Prado. And nice pictures of the Prado in its rightful element. Your location says Mumbai, but this is an LHD and looks like somewhere in the gulf region. Where exactly?

Edit: The headlamps look fogged up. Was it like that when you got the vehicle? Or is it one of those forms of smoking the headlamps as I've seen many of the local kids do that here.

No actually there was a plastic coating on the headlamps to protect from sand blasting in the desert. I forgot to take it out. It seems stuck onto the headlamps now and Im surely going to have them removed during the next service.

Originally Posted by aah78

Nice review - didn't know about the dual fuel tanks.
Glad it's being used where most luxury 4x4 owner's fear to tread. You use the same factory tyres while off-roading?

I use the stock factory tyres and carry an additional spare inside the boot. I also carry a tyre inflator kit with a spare compressor.

The only thing I dislike about the Land Cruiser Prado is the front end - it looks too much like the Lexus RX series.

How much does a regular scheduled service cost on one of these?
Roughly around 5000INR to keep the calculation simple.


Yes, was wondering about that too - doesn't look like Chowpatty or Juhu Beach!

The car is driven mainly offroad in Kuwait & Saudi Arabia.

Originally Posted by .anshuman

The car is a left hand drive and it has spare wheel on tailgate,so i was guessing the car is not on india.

The spare on the tailgate is due to the dual fuel tanks. The regular new Prado is also available with a 100 liter tank and underbody spare wheel and a clean tailgate.

Is this a manual?

This is a 6 speed automatic .

[jaysmokesleaves]

The heart of the matter:

[mura]

120 series Prados Came with a 6 speed manual and a 5 speed Auto - NOT a 6 speed Auto.

[jaysmokesleaves]

Originally Posted by mura

120 series Prados Came with a 6 speed manual and a 5 speed Auto - NOT a 6 speed Auto.

Typo error regretted. It is a 5 speed autobox.

[GTO]

Fitting review for an awesome machine and superb pictures to match! They say that if you drive in the middle of nowhere, a Landcruiser is your only safe bet. That sure is a lot of offroading, Daily drive to work? . I bet you aren't complaining about the 6 kpl, with the price of fuel being what it is in the middle east.

How do you find the onroad behaviour of the Prado? Considering that you drive 75% of the time offroad, it shouldn't matter much to you. But my experience in the Prado showed that its pretty unbalanced on tarmac.

I just wish it had optional abs which i could turn off during a high speed offroad run because the offroad braking performance is pathetic with abs.

True. It is about time offroad SUV's come with the option of switching off the ABS.

[vcash]

Originally Posted by GTO

But my experience in the Prado showed that its pretty unbalanced on tarmac.

I second that. I drove the Lexus GX470 V8 Petrol quite extensively for almost 3 years and that handled like mush around the Twisty backroads in Connecticut. But on the highway at cruising speeds on the I-95, it was really smooth and comfortable and 18MPG, gas was quite affordable for a V8.

[jaysmokesleaves]

Originally Posted by GTO

Fitting review for an awesome machine and superb pictures to match! They say that if you drive in the middle of nowhere, a Landcruiser is your only safe bet. That sure is a lot of offroading, Daily drive to work? . I bet you aren't complaining about the 6 kpl, with the price of fuel being what it is in the middle east.

How do you find the onroad behaviour of the Prado? Considering that you drive 75% of the time offroad, it shouldn't matter much to you. But my experience in the Prado showed that its pretty unbalanced on tarmac.



True. It is about time offroad SUV's come with the option of switching off the ABS.

It sure is the safest bet to drive a landcruiser in the desert. We have had big trouble taking american suvs in the desert. The worst of the lot is the Hummer. Fuels cheaper than water here. Used to drive to work in one of these earlier but mostly onroad. I live here now. This is my personal vehicle for strict fun and games. We have a small group of a few Indians and some local bedouins here whom I spend time in the desert with whenever I visit the country. The desert has a lot more to offer than what we cant see unless we get there.
On the road its pretty ok too. The suspension I feel is on the stiffer side. We often travel with approx 60kg payload(camping equipment and stuff)
and full tank of fuel with 3-4 adults. Sometimes accompanied by another prado and a group of customised military Nissan patrols.
The Prado version that comes with suspension ride height often suffers from the problem you mentioned. I do not have suspension ride height setting and this ones pretty ok. Handles corners well. Rolls less than my titanic Safari in Mumbai.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by vcash

I second that. I drove the Lexus GX470 V8 Petrol quite extensively for almost 3 years and that handled like mush around the Twisty backroads in Connecticut.

The GX470 is actually far better onroad than the Prado. Comfy ride quality, atleast the best you can get from a ladder frame. It's the Prado that I was talking about. Neither a good ride nor a decent handler.