Premium Japanese SUVs of the Toyota brand are enjoying tremendous success in the Russian automobile market. Car enthusiasts are not deterred even by the astronomical cost of the models, for the simple reason that these cars have long become legendary due to their rich equipment and incredible reliability. That is why many motorists are looking forward to the release of the new Toyota Land Cruiser 200 (now it will receive the index 300) and Prado, however, the manufacturer is in no hurry to release them, and in recent years has repeatedly postponed the premiere.
The Toyota Land Cruiser will undergo a significant transformation in terms of appearance, and will also receive a slightly different power unit and other technical characteristics. Most likely, for this reason, the premiere of the car was repeatedly postponed. At the moment, it is known that the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 2021-2022 should debut in Europe in the spring of this year. Pre-orders for cars have already begun to be accepted in the domestic market in Japan. As for the Russian market, the exact release date of the new product for free sale is still unknown.
Despite this not entirely favorable development of events, news appeared on the Internet that the updated Toyota Land Cruiser 300 2021-2022 had already been brought to Russia and appeared somewhere in a parking lot in Moscow. Considering this and the upcoming update of another SUV - Prado, our designers decided to clearly demonstrate their own vision of what the long-awaited new product, aimed at potential buyers in Russia, could look like.
Due to the fact that the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2021-2022 is just preparing for its premiere, many unresolved questions remain regarding the technical part of the car, since the manufacturer can equip the new vehicle with both already familiar, but modernized engines, and completely new ones power units. In this regard, Toyota knows how to surprise, which has been repeatedly demonstrated on other cars of the Japanese brand’s model range. Apparently, in this generation the Prado will acquire turbocharged petrol and diesel V6 power units.
Design
The presented renderings indicate that the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2021-2022 will receive a bright appearance that is fully consistent with all modern trends of the Japanese manufacturer. The front part will be completely transformed in comparison with previous generations, and the rear will still be recognizable, as it will only acquire more stylish rear lights with a readable relief. The rear door still houses the usual massive casing with the branded name of the make and model of the car under the spare tire, which emphasizes the brutality of the car and its focus on off-road use.
If we evaluate the front part of the new Prado, then there is a clear similarity with the no less popular Japanese crossover Toyota Highlander, which received an interesting update earlier in 2020. The upper part of the “face” attracts attention with its luxurious LED head optics, which seems to indicate the daring character of the car. Somewhat lower is a massive radiator grille, traditionally made in the shape of a honeycomb. This suggests that the new SUV will lose its usual chrome-filled front end.
If you look even lower, you will notice the structural chin, which is also painted in the main color of the car's body, and this time highlighted by a relatively small air intake. Along the edges of the front bumper there are curly slits reminiscent of shark gills. These ducts provide ventilation for the braking system. The company logo still appears in the center of the front part, which focuses all the luxury and build quality of the car.
Looking at the side of the car, the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2021-2022, already familiar to all car enthusiasts, is clearly visible, which has habitually received both angular and at the same time rounded outlines. The premium status of the model is emphasized by a neat threshold, which does not puff up, as in previous versions, but neatly emphasizes the border of the body. Overhanging all this are massive wheel arches, looking at which it immediately becomes clear that we are talking about a car that can prove itself not only in the city, but also off-road.
Returning to the rear of the car, we can highlight the neat rear bumper, which, against the backdrop of a massive SUV with large dimensions, looks quite simple and does not attract attention, despite the stylish decorative strip and false exhaust slots. The exhaust pipe itself is located neatly under the bumper, only slightly protruding beyond its boundaries. Separately, it is worth mentioning the spoiler hanging over the stern, acting as a protective canopy from precipitation. It hides the rear compact glass and access to the luggage compartment.
Unfortunately, the photo shows the car only from the outside, and there is no way to look inside the premium SUV, however, if we guess, it will most likely inherit all the bright and thoughtful details that its predecessor could boast of. Apparently the car will also receive a practical, rich and technically advanced interior.
New generation Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2023: everything that is currently known about the SUV
After the launch of the new Toyota Land Cruiser 300, most car enthusiasts are looking forward to the official debut of its brother, the Land Cruiser Prado. The dates for the official presentation of the car are constantly postponed by the manufacturer. However, this does not prevent us from collecting information about the new “Japanese” bit by bit. Rendering images of the SUV have even already appeared on the Internet.
Current Toyota Land Cruiser Prado
However, let's start with the timing of the debut of the new Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2023. According to the latest data, the official presentation of the car will be postponed. This is due to the fact that the company is currently experiencing a shortage of components. Let us note that all modern automakers, including the domestic AvtoVAZ, have faced similar problems. So, at present, Toyota was forced to stop the assembly of the already debuted LC300, so the queue for it stretched for a year. The manufacturer intends to solve this problem only in the summer of 2022. And if Toyota starts delivering the Prado by then, this could negatively affect sales of the “older” model. Therefore, in order to avoid internal competition, the Japanese brand was forced to postpone the debut of the car.
It is expected that the official presentation of the Japanese SUV will take place in 2022, and it will enter the market only in 2023. Despite such a long wait, the car is unlikely to receive a modified engine range. However, some sources claim that some of the car’s power units will be hybridized. At the same time, one of the serious competitors, Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2023, has already undergone a major update. We are talking about the Chinese crossover GAC GS8. The car received a more aggressive exterior and a modern interior. What is noteworthy is that under the hood of the model from the Middle Kingdom, both a gasoline 2.0-liter turbo engine and a hybrid unit can be installed. This further increases the attractiveness of the “Chinese” in the eyes of potential buyers. Another important factor speaking in favor of the GAC GS8 is its price. The cost of the car in terms of Russian currency is 2.13 – 2.78 million rubles. Therefore, the Japanese company needs to really try and bring the future Land Cruiser Prado to a new level.
New GAC GS8
But let’s return to the new Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2023. Despite the fact that “spy” shots of the future market debutant have not yet appeared on the Internet, domestic auto designers have already shown their vision of what the SUV will look like by publishing the corresponding renders on the Internet (photo: auto. mail.ru). Judging by the images, the car will look more like a crossover. In the front part of the “Japanese” there will be a rectangular radiator grille, combined into a single unit with head optics and complemented by a wide LED strip. A narrow air intake will be installed in the bumper. As for the radiator grille, in the renderings it has a flatter shape and is complemented by a fine mesh.
Renderings of the future new product
In general, the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2023 in the photo looks larger than its predecessor. This impression is achieved due to the more rounded body of the model. At the rear of the car, the designers placed original lights with a bending LED strip. Separately, we note that from the side the “Japanese” looks like the new Land Cruiser 300. Let us remind you that these renderings are just a figment of the imagination of an independent designer. It will be possible to see the real appearance of the car only in 2022. So far, the manufacturer has not even published official teasers of the future new product.
Specifications
In its latest modification, the Japanese SUV Toyota Land Cruiser Prado should acquire a powerful 4-liter V6 biturbo power unit. This installation will be able to produce 249 horsepower. This engine will appear in the most expensive modifications of the car, as well as a 2.8-liter turbodiesel with an output of 200 hp. As for more affordable modifications, they will be equipped with a 2.7-liter naturally aspirated V6 gasoline engine producing 163 horsepower. The transmission for this car will be a continuously variable gearbox as well as an automatic transmission. The model will go on sale only with an all-wheel drive system, regardless of configuration. It is worth noting that approximately the same equipment was in the previous modification, however, in the new car the power units will become less voracious and at the same time more dynamic.
New body and equipment "Prado" 2022
The future Prado 250 is created on the basis of a modular platform called TNGA-F (GA-F), the same platform is actively used on the new flagship Cruiser 300. This architecture allows the model to retain its off-road characteristics and frame structure. At the same time, the body will become several times lighter, and accordingly, the smoothness of movement will be increased. Also, thanks to the new platform, the dynamics, handling and comfort of using the vehicle will be improved.
The exterior of the vehicle is distinguished by brutal features, it has a reference to the current generation, as well as features of the more powerful and larger Cruiser 300. The dimensions of this car have not been changed. The range of engines will probably be inherited from the new car from the 300. We are talking about turbocharged V6 engines. This car features a ten-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system with multiple differential locks.
According to the developers, the new car should please everyone who loves Toyota and is a fan of the Land Cruiser series. The developers noted that immediately after purchase it will be difficult to get used to the changes in the car, especially if you previously had a previous Prado model. But after just a few days of active use of the vehicle, the driver will feel comfortable and easy to drive, and this is exactly what Toyota specialists wanted to achieve when creating the car.
Time to market
The premium SUV Prado, like the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 2021-2022, should go on sale in April or August of this year, if we talk about the European car market. As for Russia, according to the information presented online, the SUV will debut no earlier than 2022. If we talk about the Japanese car market, pre-orders for the 300th version of the car, which will go on sale in early spring of this year, are already in full swing. After the release of new versions, the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 will leave the world market forever.
Previously, we presented renderings of the 2024 Lada Niva 4×4 Vision and the upcoming Land Cruiser 300. Author: Oleg Mokrov
New Prado 2021 - what the younger Kruzak will look like
Fans of real off-road vehicles in general and the mid-size frame all-terrain vehicle of the Japanese brand in particular are expecting the release of a new generation of Toyota Land Cruiser Prado by 2020, created on a completely new platform, presumably under the symbol J180.
Rumors about the imminent debut of such a new product excited the Internet after the publication of an image of a certain SUV with the Toyota emblem (see above), scanned from the pages of one of the Japanese automobile magazines. In its outline, especially in the rear part of the body, the new model has obvious stylistic similarities with the current Land Cruisers, and this sketch may well be a design prototype of the future successor to the 200th Kruzak, and not the new Prado, and it is not being prepared for 2021, and at a later date. In addition to the image itself, the main technical specifications for this car were also given, according to which a 3.4-liter V6 DOHC with a power of 422 hp should be installed under its hood, with a 10-speed automatic transmission used as a transmission. At the same time, almost all the dimensions of the unnamed SUV are completely identical to the current “two hundredth”, only in height (1920 mm) the “new” one is slightly lower. Thus, the indicated dimensions may hint at both the upcoming next restyling of the older model of the Land Cruiser, and the next generation of the 2021 Prado, which in the new body will grow somewhat in all directions. It should also not be ruled out that the car pictured above is the result of an updated design exclusively for the domestic Japanese market, and we will not see such an option in Russia. If you believe other rumors, then the new generation of both older and younger SUVs can radically change the ideology of their technical basis, that is, completely move away from the frame structure in favor of a monocoque body, as has already happened with other all-terrain vehicles of a similar level, such as the legendary Suzuki Vitara , Nissan Terrano or Ford Explorer. It is no secret that the refusal of manufacturers to use a chassis on a frame when designing cars is provoked primarily by increasingly stringent safety requirements, since in such cases the body is extremely ineffective in a frontal or side collision in terms of absorbing impact energy. In addition, compared to a monocoque body, a separate frame is worse in terms of vehicle maneuverability due to the high center of gravity. However, as an alternative solution, future Kruzaks may receive a so-called semi-supporting power circuit with a frame integrated into the body. The latest update for the current generation of the 150th was the new version of the 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado with a 2.8-liter diesel engine, the power of which was increased from 177 to 200 hp, and torque from 450 to 500 Nm. The increase in performance was achieved due to new engine software control firmware and increased pressure in the injection system; in addition, a balance shaft was added and the cooling system was improved. As a result, the dynamic characteristics of the diesel Pradika have noticeably improved: the acceleration time to “hundreds”, according to the manufacturer, has been reduced from 12.7 to 9.9 seconds, but the “maximum speed” is indicated at the same level of 175 km/h. The minimum price of such a heavy-fuel Prado on the official website of the Russian representative office of the Japanese brand is set at 3,563,000 rubles. An overview of the new 200-horsepower off-road “Japanese” is presented in the video below.
