2010 Toyota LandCruiser Prado off-road technology details
October 19, 2009 by George Skentzos
Following the new generation Prado’s pre-production preview early last month, Toyota Australia has released further details outlining the new model’s off-road technology.
Due to be released in Australia next month, the new Prado receives a raft of assist technologies to help even the most accomplished off-road drivers feel more confident in rough terrain.
Complimenting the Prado’s uprated 4.0-litre petrol engine with dual VVT-i to increase power and torque, Toyota has also added a new electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS).
This system adjusts the front and rear anti-roll bars for optimised roll rigidity, providing stability during on-road driving and allows a large suspension stroke for outstanding off-road performance on rough surfaces.
An off-road cruise control system known as CRAWL allows the Prado to maintain a very low speed automatically, applying brakes when needed, allowing the driver to concentrate on steering through rough terrain.
The CRAWL system minimises wheel spin and wheel lock when covering rocks, sand and ascending steep inclines.
Multi-Terrain Select (MTS) is a new feature for the Prado, allowing the driver to manually select various terrains such as mud and sand, loose rocks, moguls and rocks and optimise the ABS system to deliver a wide range of slip control.
While using MTS, drivers can also keep an eye on the terrain surrounding the vehicle via the Multi-Terrain Monitor (MTM).
This is comprised of a series of onboard cameras located on all four sides of the vehicle so the driver can see the ground in six areas around the vehicle: to the front, rear, and the front and rear left and right sides.
As an extension of this, the camera at the front has been linked to the steering operation to display the distance from the front of the vehicle to a point along the projected tyre path.
Downhill Assist Control maintains the vehicles speed during steep descents while Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) minimises vehicle roll-back when the vehicle starts to ascend a steep incline or slippery surface.
Toyota’s Adaptive Variable Suspension system with Roll Posture Control lets the driver tune the ride characteristics with a choice of three damper settings, coupled with an electronically controlled rear air suspension system which provides an auto-levelling function and switchable height control.
A new Steering Angle Display in the instrument panel indicates the angle of the front wheels and their predicted path, further helping the driver plot a safe route.
Print it: 
The center stack has some LR whiff about it, no?
I know! That was the first thing that jumped into my mind.
Me three.
Me 4. I think its the square shape and the screen
“A new Steering Angle Display in the instrument panel indicates the angle of the front wheels and their predicted path, further helping the driver plot a safe route.”
My Freelander from 2007 has this. Handy yes but hardly innovative considering the LR entry model has this.
Wow this is actually really cool! I wonder how many engine options will be available…
Only 2.
4.0L V6 Petrol
and 3.0 L Diesel
Hmm, I didn’t think manual gear sticks still looked like that. But I suppose it’s only fair that the interior is as ugly as the exterior.
This sounds an awful lot like a Land Rover rip off, but I suppose it just goes to show that Land Rover are well and truly back on top when it comes to off roaders. Toyota had them for a while, but now they’re miles behind.
Based on looks?
Exactly…
Alex tells us how the Landrovers are so much better offroad, from his anecdotal evidence.
Yet on other articles tells us he doesn’t inflate his own tyres (tyre pressures is critical offroad) and doesn’t know what diff locks are!~
Am I wrong to suggest they are both competent off roaders?
Now, your not wrong…
They are both competent however one has one a sh!tload more international 4×4 awards than the other.. and its not the one from Japan.
How many awards did each get exactly Wheelnut?
To hell with my anecdotes, go look at the latest Land Rover road tests on this very site! I think they say just about enough to back me up.
Thats a very technical comparo isn’t it?!
Landrovers are alright as city focused 4wd, that occasionally venture off-road…
But I don’t think i will ever see a Discovery on a remote mine site!
That has far more to do with Toyota’s agressive fleet marketing than any qualities the Landrovers do or don’t have.
It’s also the reliability and complexity…
Discovery 3 can’t touch the current prado on standard payload and range…
It’s still mainly the agressive Toyota fleet discounts
But anyway please elaborate on the “standard payload and range” comment.
How much exactly do you know about agressivness of toyota’s fleet marketing, with respect to land rovers??
I spouse you know you can put factual and figures on that?
Payload and Range simple…
Payload = The amount of extra weight that can be fitted to the vehicle (not including the trailer), while still being under the legal weight limit… The weight can include cargo, or additional mods…
Range= Fuel capacity(180l) with respect to fuel consumption.. (9.2l/100km)
Tomas79,
while I appreciate your contributions, please don’t go down the road of flaming people. I know you haven’t, yet, on this story but I’ve noticed a lot of heat under your bonnet from other posts today.
On subject, Toyota’s marketing are certainly keeping us hungry for the info. Give us the diesel specs!
Toyota engineers – make the necessary improvements so the service intervals can be 15000 ks under normal conditions.
Tomas, Toyota agressively discount and market towards commercial fleets – fact.
Landrovers, I don’t know, but I don’t think that they market in Australia in that manner. They are not chasing the low profit high volume market like Toyota do.
I know what payload and range are, duh. I just thought that by you difinative statement that you actually had some real difinative facts to bach up your claims. Let’s here ‘em.
Yep, definitive facts…
Prado (LC120) Standard 3.0L D4D, Load 930Kg,
Discovery 3 S 2.7L Diesel Load 726Kg
Prado fuel tank capacity = 180L,
Prado fuel consumption (combined) 9.2l/100km
Prado derived range = 1954Km
Discovery S fuel tank capacity = 82L
Discovery S fuel consumption (combined) 10.2L/100km
Discovery S Derived range = 804Km
So how about you provide some “definitive facts” about Landrover ” not chasing the low profit high volume market like Toyota do”. Keep in mind Landrover increased their Fleet focused defender range to 8 models this year??
Gee and that only took you an hour of net trolling to find out.
Whe need to carry more than 3/4 tonne on/in your car anyway. Pointless “win”.
Range: Important to some people, win for Toyota. Is that 180l tank standard?
Toyota more agressive fleet discounters than Land rover? Talk to a fleet manager.
BTW bit agressive there yourself D1ng. Just asking the question.
Bavarian Missile,
Not everybody bums in front the internet whole day…
Bavarian Missile says:”Toyota more agressive fleet discounters than Land rover? Talk to a fleet manager.”
In other words, you are dribbling assertions out of your @rse that you can’t backup??
*Waiting for a new fleet manager identity to appear, who will obviously confirm the story…*
Tomas you are getting confused with your multiple arguments under your multple ID’s. Bavarian Missile was not participating in this discussion.
OK how about towing capacity then? I beliver that the LandRover wins that one by 1000kg. Probably more relevant to many people, than GVM.
Steve, I haven’t people towing too many trailers offroad!
Take out the grey nomad (heavy towing) and the soccer mums that leaves about 0.1% Prados ever seeing a dirt road let alone real 4WD stuff.
Where did you pull those statistics out of??
Obviusly you have never been on a mining site, or a mining community have you??
Just the same as how many people put mure than 3/4 tonne in their vehicle. At least I know people who tow loads in excess of the Prados 2500 kg limit.
Statistics? Can’t you recognize a ‘generalisation’ when you read it. The sad part is you know that I’m pretty much correct in that MOST Prados never go offroad.
Things to do, Places to be now….
Yes, I agree that a lot of 4wd(Be it Prados. or Discovery 3) never venture offroad! But that is becaus of the people that bought them, completely irrelevant to the discussion on practicality we are having here!!
the service intervals are 15,000 kilometres, Toyota set them out at 7,500 so you service your vehicle more regularly and they make more money for the service department. This is why they have fixed price servicing on every new car. Not just clever marketing, clever business management.
But what does that mean in practice? Dearer running costs?
This is the problem I have. They cost a lot to buy and still a lot to run despite fuel consumption improvements. So far T has only said “under 9L/100Ks” for the diesel.
While its going to be an improvement, which is commendable, why not improve other aspects of running costs?
If sites like CA put more emphasis on running cost comparisons, the manufacturers would start improving things. This is better for the consumer – you and me!
Yet a quick look around the global defence forces points out as LandRover product being the most highly regarded. Even Japans more elite services use LandRovers. I think you will actually find that it is the Prado and Landcruiser that are more city refined, Defenders are definately far less comfortable as an every day drive but way more capable off road. Toyota and Australian mines are well known for their tie up, lets face it Sir Leslie Thiess was the person responsible for Toyota Australia….have a read of the original set up he did..
You couldn’t be more wrong. The Land Rover is better both in the city and off road. They’re no “occasional 4WD”.
And no, maybe you won’t ever see one in a remote mine site, but that’s not down to the car, it’s down to who ever is choosing which sort of car to use and if they have the same misguided opinion that you do, then I doubt you’ll see one on any of your trips to remote mine sites.
Alex says:” if they have the same misguided opinion that you do ”
How is better internal Carrying capacity, modifiability, longer range, and mechanical simplicity a misguided opinion??
Well, for a start, the Prado may technically have more carrying capacity (though I can’t be sure on that as I haven’t seen official numbers, but I’ll take your word for it) but the Land Rover uses the space it has so much better. I’ve been in the third row in a Prado and it’s not nearly as comfortable and spacious as it is in a Discovery 3 and you’re not left with much more boot.
Modifiability shouldn’t come into it. Be fair, we’re talking about cars that are on the market as they are, not what you could do with them. With enough modifying you could probably make a Hyundai that would scare a GT-R, but that’s not the point.
You are right about one thing though, I can’t argue about the range. However, it’s not as if the Land Rover is low on range and it more than makes up for it with the far superior engine. People seem to manage.
As for mechanical simplicity, who cares? That is one thing in Land Rovers that has proved reliable. They may have had engine and electric problems in the past, but the Terrain Response system and everything used to go off road seems to be bullet proof. The Range Rover has been using it all now for about nine years so it still works with age. Complicated is only bad if it can’t live up to it’s promises. And besides, my original comment was right, Toyota seems to be going into all of that anyway. The next Land Cruiser (300 Series?) will probably mainly work off of electric set ups and the Prado will follow. But just go back and read what the article says about off roading aids or “MTS”. Sounds a lot like Terrain Response to me.
You seem to be focused only upon Discovery in your comments, however you are quoting benefits that are more atributed to Troppy and 70 series wagons?? This being so perhaps you should then compare the Carrying capacity, Range, Modifiability, simplicity, corrosion resistance and 4wd ability of the Defender?? After all Landrover’s Defender 90 / 110 / 130 are their Commercial line. The Discovery is the all occasions vehicle that, (in every test between it and it’s rivals) has proven to be close in comfort, if not better, and yet far more capable off road. BTW Landrover make their vehicles as off road going vehicles, they do fit driver assist systems to some, however the vehicle itself is more than capable without the technology. Try following a series one Disco in your Prado and see who get to the other end easier.
Alex says “I can’t be sure on that as I haven’t seen official numbers”
And yet you dare to tell us how Toyota 4wds are miles behind…
Alex says “.I’ve been in the third row in a Prado and it’s not nearly as comfortable and spacious as it is in a Discovery 3 and you’re not left with much more boot.”
I, or most of the people who uses a 4wd offroad seriously , have the 3rd row seats removed. They ussualy are a waste of space. Toorak tractor toy!!
Alex “Modifiability shouldn’t come into it”,
In most other segments I would agree with you on this! But in this sector, that’s another story. Most 4wd that get properly used offroad, are always modified, to make them more suitable for the task at hand. Hell even most of the tires that come standard with these 4wds are road oriented, and fairly risky to take them on a serious trip off-road!! Every Mining/Rental offroad 4wd I have ever been was fully tricked out with additional equipment. And no, practically not all 4wd can be modified to the same level… Sure, you could do commission custom engineering jobs to make anything fit, but depending on the vehicle, it could end up costing many times more the retail price of the vehicle itself.
Alex says “As for mechanical simplicity, who cares?”
Tell me that, when your stuck with your landrover, somewhere in a remote place, miles away from any land rover mechanic/parts supplier…
Alex says” That is one thing in Land Rovers that has proved reliable”
Not according to any reliability study I have ever read.
The guys at 4wd action have already been stranded by a LR discovery 3 twice, with a prado never…
Correct me if Im wrong Alex but dont the British Army use Landrovers……
Prado is a poor- mans Landcruiser *waits for a bite*
I’ll bite :o)
If you think $60,000+ is for a poor man…………
Actually I used to think all Prado drivers were w@*(#^$
Now I’m considering one myself (shhhhhhh!!!!!!!)
Poor man I am!
hahaha,sorry not aimed at you………..
Ive always preferred Landcruisers myself ,they all seem to be getting bigger so there goes the reason for buying a smaller SUV for the city… none of them really fit in the average car park which is the reason we sold the Landcruiser when we moved to Perth .
My brother always had Crusers as well, till he moved to the City and Argyle gave him a Grande for a company car,two months later driving along the highway he put it on its roof!mmmmmm none too stable !
He now has another 200 series with a driver in Mongolia…….far better than the Prado he reckons!
Although my girlfriends hubby had a diesel Prado up still recently,forgotten how bloody noisy they are………rattle rattle rattle……….
I find you really feel worn out after driving them around the City,much prefer a car you can dart in and out of places in…..
I guess that’s the benefit of having owned one or had one as a company car, which I haven’t. Admittedly for the most part I would be an urban terrorist with one of these. I periodically travel outback including many dirt roads. With a growing family and a great company car allowance, there are lots of pros and cons with this segment let alone Prado. As to the diesel noise, I will have to test drive and see. I thought these were relatively quiet given the reviews I’d read.
On another issue, has anyone fitted their diesel 4×4 with LPG?
Simon I’ve heard some good reports on LPG boosted diesels.
A local company here in Adelaide does it. (A colleague knows the manager)
Look up Diesel Gas Australia.
That’s because they support their own industry in the military you clown.
Clown ???????????? mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Sorry is your name Alex ??? Didnt think so !
Now heres your balls back! :P
So you are openly admitting to holding men’s balls?
Get back to Oxford street you freak!
Don’t you like ladies playing ball?
Oxford St………..Whats with that ???
I didnt admit to holding anything,you called me clown so you work it out !
Steve/DE…….. whats the go with the insults from these people,seems they need to release some tension…….so perhaps some one should for them …. just not me babe!
Seems YOU picked it then.
DE
Guys I hope you all find some humor in your banter.
Out of interest it’s good that there is some anonymity here.
http://zgeek.com.au/ is a blog style web site that is currently being sued for defamation because of someones post.
You can read about the %$@&$@%* suing them there. He wants $42 MILLION!!!
So keep up the tirade (hopefully without being too serious) but be aware of potential consequences if you make it personal.
Bavarian Missile says: “waits for a bite”
CLEARLY TROLLING!!
TROLLS SHOULD BANNED
Also intelligent person wouldn’t say that, when there is a clear price overlap….
Also why spend more money on a car with lower touring range, and significantly lower payload…. I.E won’t be able to trick out an LC200 as an LC120 well…
Note Australian army is replacing their land rover’s with G’wagons…
And armies around the world are replacing front line 4×4’s with Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicles….
hahahahaha *falls off chair in fits of laughter*……….. he’s hooked.
*Reels him in* !
arrrrrrrrr DE………..hes needs to get laid! Or is that landed……….cruiser…………
You must feel very intelligent, getting a response over a inciting comment!!
I thought this was a site about cars?!
When you are make a comment hoping to get a response from a large group of people over a wide area hoping to get a bite its called “Trawling” not “Trolling”
Wah wah wah waherty waherty wah, thats all Im reading in every article from you same goons, take a break
D!bgo Says:
“Note Australian army is replacing their land rover’s with G’wagons…”
What a sad excuse for a troll you are. You don’t understand tendering processes at all do you?
Landrover did not even tender.
One tender included Toyota Land Cruisers but did not even get shortlisted.
Sorry BM, I don’t know if the British Army use them. I wouldn’t be surprised though.
If I may ask, so what if they do?
Bavarian Missile,
1998 E36 M3 is the poor woman’s 2009 BMW M3.
While a Prado is a smaller, cheaper albeit far more practical alternative to the LC200!
PS, Both LC120, LC200 are landcruisers…
2 engines 1 petrol and 1 diesel. The question I have is what spec levels get the goods? Will they be available on the diesel too? I would assume yes, but then I could be making an ass out of myself – knowing that Toyota charge a premium for this label.
now that they’re joined together, Toyota and Subaru are trying to outdo each other with fugly cars!
Agreed insofar as the front end is concerned. Fortunately a decent bull bar can hide that!
I’m waiting for the new Prado diesel specs………… C’mon Toyota!
True the front will be fixed up by a decent bullbar…
Actually the 5 door shape has grown on me…
But the 3 door, still looks awkward to me, just as the previous version did.
Also the new interior is not my cup of tea…
The front can be fixed up with a decent bull bar, can it? That’s an unfortunate, but typical mindset, for buyers of these cars.
Oh fixed up by fitting one. Sorry I thought they meant being rammed by on on a truck.
Golfie, if you were in the market for a 4×4, the Prado would likely be a valid consideration. If you were not happy with the front end but happy with the rest of the package, wouldn’t a bull bar be a practical consideration?
Offcourse it is!!
When you are driving around outside regional areas, especially at dusk or dawn you wanna be protected… Also It’s a great place to mount winches, and driving lights!!
I still think it’s ugly, but hey people will buy them.
Style-wise, it’s vile and overwrought. It’s gonna take more than a bull bar to fix it. A set of Mean Mother spotties, side rails, a ladder up the back door and a snorkel intake at the top of the windscreen (yep, for all that underwater driving) might be sufficient to take our eyes off the rest of it.
what an ugly car! the whole interior just looks cheap and crowded.
Tomas – Toyota are one of if not the most aggressive discounters when it comes to Fleet sales.
When I was working for a NSW Govt Department.. Toyota were offering us deals that were so unbelievable that they were virtually making nothing from the sale.
For example we were being offered fully optioned Camrys for the price of an entry level model.. Automatic Corollas for the same price as a Manual etc
I got similar stories from other MV Managers from other depoartments and other companies including Avis etc when I attended the New Car Drive days
Wheelnut, obviusly they aren’t as agressive discounters as holden, since in australia they still make a profit!!
Also, please provide me with some real, verifiable stats on land rover fleet deals??
Now that defender range has been expanded to 8 vehicles, you can bet they are offering some serious discounts…
Yeah agree on the Toyota fleet pricing, they are very agressive. I remember when the best deals were to be had from Ford and Holden, but they seem to be not so focused on fleet as they used to.
Wheelnut – you’ve lost even more credibility on two fronts:
1. You worked for the NSW government – enough said.
2. You still think there is a country called Czechoslovakia – this coupled with your partner being Pauline Hanson sorry Bavarian Missile indicates exactly what part of Australian society you’ve been bred from.
Lots of Prados do simple school runs and even less highway duties and not much real 4WD’g- I think these vehicles should be taxed at a higher rate than normal road cars. If I bought one, it would be second hand for bush runs and in that case a 75 series or a Navarra diesel ute would be my choice.
I have had my Prado for ten years. It has been a great car for the family and yes we are going to buy the new one. Perhaps not the greatest looking car but I have every confidence in the engineering.
looks like a grumpy car
Another Toyota article ruined by the ussual Anti-Toyota psychopaths….
I hope CARADVICE will do something about this, otherwise there is no point on ADVISING anyone genuinely interested… Just multiple identities, accusations and off topic banters…
Oh come on, be fair. It’s a comment board. Nobody’s written anything inappropriate – this is what it’s here for; so we can debate. You don’t have to join in if you don’t want to.
You have to understand though, we Land Rover fans get all kinds of s**t about our cars. Everybody who owns a Land Cruiser swears blind that no Land Rover could ever be better and now, nine years after Land Rover debuted Terrain Response, Toyota is putting something almost identical into their cars. I think I have the right to feel a little smug and that’s before I add in the better engines, better quality, better interior, better looks, more awards, prestige and all the rest of it that comes with a Land Rover.
And it would also be fair to say that you are pretty much an anti-Land Rover psychopath. You went on and on and on about diff locks on the Defender review page (go back and look) and basically said that it’s useless because it doesn’t have them, despite being tried and tested over the last sixty years and giving absolutely brilliant results. I don’t want to start that argument again, we’ve had that argument, but you ruin Land Rover posts with your comments, so why can’t others do it to Toyota posts?
Just to add, I may have been wrong about how long Terrain Response has been out for. To be honest, I can’t remember, though I believe it debuted on the Range Rover when the new one came out which would make it nine years. I could be wrong though.
Mate, Terrain response is a toy for amateurs…
I’d rather have a pair of air-lockers anyday!
http://www.break.com/userconte.....84682.html
Wrong again. Terrain Response is not for amateurs, but it can be used by amateurs. Who cares what you’d rather? Terrain Response still works better than any other off road system available and it does it with minimum fuss and maximum comfort. Most people who go off road don’t do it because they enjoy it, they do it because they have to. If you can do it as effectively as you can by turning a dial, why the hell not? Have you even used a recent Land Rover to go off road? And have you looked at the latest Land Rover road tests on this website yet? I think you should.
And if Terrain Response is a toy for amateurs, please explain what this new MTS system in the Prado is then. Terrain Response with a cheaper feeling dial?
Alex, you don’t even have the knowledge, or common courtesy to air down your tires before going offroad, and then you tell me here which offroad device is the best?! If terrain response was so good, LR3 wouldn’t have just started offering a a rear locker too!!
I honestly thought Land Rover had the best 4wds, but Toytoas were better for more commercial applications, I could be wrong though.
Tomas loses so he wants everyone else banned so that just his biased self interested comments remain thereby adding to the Toyota superiority myth.
And because we all dissagree with him we must all be the one person (Bavarian Missile).
To quote a famous rabbit: “what a maroon”
I don’t loose toolbox, I just hate muppets like you turning this into a typical toyota bash… Look how many offensive comments you made on this article, and not one has any technical info or facts…. Why you even bother?
Come on now Tomas you know that is a load of cr#p.
My first post on this blog was in responce to your outlandish claims about Toyotas V Landrover on mine sites. In fact all I said was Toyota market and discount heavily to commercial fleets – and they do it is a FACT.
At no point did I try to turn this into a Toyota bash. In fact all I and others did was balance your unwarranted LandRover bashing.
And if you want to talk about offensive comments, then you, my friend are far more guilty than most.
And yes you did lose the argument on Toyotas supposed superiority over LandRover. Another FACT for you.
You lost, so why do you even bother?
No I don’t know, prove me wrong??!
I’m still waiting for you to prove your claim that toyota discount’s it’s trucks more heavily then Landrover ???
And I’m still waiting for you to prove Land Rover’s superiority over Toyota… I proved to you techncally how the Prado is much practical offroad… Especially when working on remote sites… What did you show me to counter that?? Just subjective opinions?? Typical Toyota-Envy mentality!!
And you still argue to the death even when you are wrong just like a feral dog.
Your just too thick to realise that this was an experiment to see if you could engage in a normal discussion without launching into abuse and name calling. And you failed miserably.
Oh well I tried, but you can’t play nice so go back and play with the school girls again.
Steve your obviously an idiot,
You have not once provided me with a techncal or factual counter-argument.
Just like the idiot you are, you just constantly make personal accusations on me, and tell me I’m wrong!!
No, you are an idiot that doesn’t even know what he is talking about!!
Tomas you a such a loser mate that you cant even see when you are beaten. your off topic rubbish, abuse of others and general baised comments make anything you ever say on here totally irrelevant.
——-
This is my one and only reply to anything that you ever write beacuse I will never read any of your posts again.
——-
There would be no point in banning you again (Ive noticed it before) because nobody should read your rubbish anyway.
gees, somebody is having a hissyfit!!
haha Karma! ‘Nough said.
Correct. I don’t even care about the apparent Land Rover/Toyota battle for supremacy that appears to have started here; the fact is that Tomas is one of those irritating people that complains about people’s apparent traits when he portrays them himself. It’s quite childish.
People don’t seem to like him or agree with him and he’s fighting a losing battle. Why doesn’t he just not come back on here for a while?
Jees, somebody is sad little cry here too!!
only can carry 7 people!?!?!
Hmm… wonder what the pricing will be…
Very similar to the 200 LC, but not sure if I like it. Technology is getting more advanced in vehicles. Seems to me all the ruggedness of off-roading is no longer done by people, but by this new generation of SUVs with cameras and inclining/declining systems. This isn’t 4WDing. This vehicle is saying: find a mountain, sit back in comfort, and let the car do it all for you.