The Toyota Land Cruiser Prado - or just the Land Cruiser as it’s badged in Europe - gains a major update for the 2018 model year, with changes applied to the body-on-frame 4×4 model inside and out.
Exterior updates place emphasis on off-roading prowess. These include a reshaped bonnet to enhance downward visibility along the centre, while the lower part of the bumper corners flick upwards, and the central section of the bumper is fashioned after a skid plate to improve off-road wieldiness. Further outwards, the tops of the fenders have been raised for the driver to better locate the Land Cruiser’s extremities.
The radiator grille and headlamps (now with optional LED units) are now positioned higher for improved functionality, while the main beams of the headlamps have been placed further inboard to better avoid impact with obstacles during off-road driving.
Inside, the Land Cruiser gains a redesigned dashboard especially at the top of the centre console tower, where it has been lowered to improve forward visibility particularly when driving off-road. The centre console itself houses a new eight-inch full-colour touchscreen, flush-surface HVAC control panel and drivetrain-related instrument cluster.
The steering wheel is also new, now matching the one fitted to Land Cruiser J200 models. White lighting now applies to the instrument panel, centre console and door switchgear, while LEDs also apply to the front footwell, roof headlining and glove box, as well as door panel illumination. Three interior colour schemes are available: Black, Brown/Black and the new Premium Beige, paired with silver metallic finish and light brown or dark brown wood trim finish.
The higher trim levels with automatic transmission are equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense active safety suite, which includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert and automatic high beam functions. Additional driver support systems include a blind spot monitor, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and an upgraded tyre pressure warning system.
Under the hood, the Land Cruiser gains a 2.8 litre D-4D turbodiesel with 177 hp and 450 Nm (or 420 Nm for manual versions) for the western Europe market, while in east Europe the 4×4 is powered by a161 hp/246 Nm 2.7 VVT-i petrol inline-four engine and a 249 hp/381 Nm 4.0 litre V6 VVT-i petrol mill.
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