2018 Toyota LandCruiser Prado 3 0 VX L

The LandCruiser Prado is a big car and in this 3.0l diesel VX-L guise is somewhat like driving an elephant. It lumbers along, soaking up the terrain and getting you where you want to go in relative luxury and comfort but poke it with a stick and its liable to stomp on you.

The Prado in VX-L trim is just magnificent. Its luxury all round, leather everywhere, interior lighting, driver assistance packages and an awesome audio system connected to the 8” touch screen infotainment system…. The Prado easily takes on the likes of Land Rover’s Evoque, Jeep’s Cherokee and Mitsubishi’s Pajero and outshines them all.

The drive is something else. Although its lumbering nature doesn’t lend itself to the city very well , it handles rush hour traffic just fine. Its sheer size does make it a chore to maneuver in parking areas and its not really in a hurry to get anywhere but get you there it will and it total comfort at that.

Changes up front include a new bumper, new headlights and grille, a shaped bonnet that increases visibility and some new side elements.

Along the sides there’s a styling set of 18 ‘ alloys and round the back new stacked C-shaped LED taillights, new bumper and styled insert.
As we mentioned before the interior is pretty plush, the cream leather is beautiful but may not be the best trim for an active off-road lifestyle as you can see here it marks pretty easily.

It is a full size seven seater and the third row option is power operated.
In the power operated department, the VX-L has a full control panel upfront that can control just about every aspect of your offroad adventure, locking differential, low range and an active traction control systems allow even the most amateur of offroader’s to climb any obstacle that comes along.

There’s also plenty of tech in the cabin, from the interactive eight inch display to the 4.3 inch TFT display in the binnacle surrounded by a host of gauges and information relaying pods. In the centre console there’s a powered cool box and in the luggage area there’s even a 220v outlet.

The VX-L is fitted with a 3.0 diesel engine that delivers 120kW and 400Nm of torque
It may be big and have quite a bit of lag from the engine but the power-plant is torquey and if you aren’t paying attention this behemoth will comfortably pass the speed limit.

The popularity of the SUV worldwide is undeniable and when you have a luxury SUV that is also incredibly capable offroad, that comes in below R 1 000 000, its easy to make a choice like the Prado.

The LandCruiser Prado 3.0D VX-L retails at R 969 600 and comes with Toyota’s 5 year or 90 000km service plan and 3 year or 100 000km warranty.