The
world leading auto manufacturer, Toyota Motor Corporation, says it has
updated the popular Land Cruiser Prado in a way that will astound its
fans.
A report on Tuesday by an online journal, drive.com,
indicates that the lovers of the mid-size four-wheel drive vehicle are
in for a lot of excitement and comfort as the latest Prado is built with
a more intuitive six-speed automatic gearbox.
“The big news is under the bonnet, where
the 3.0-litre, four-cylinder engine from the previous generation has
made way for a 2.8-litre unit that uses less fuel to produce more power
and torque than its predecessor,” the report states.
Toyota Nigeria Limited’s comments about the Prado on its websites is also instructive about what the ride offers.
“The smoothness of the Prado’s on-road
performance rivals its tough off-road capabilities. The exceptional
driving performance and ride comfort bring a new dimension of luxury to
your driving pleasure on the road,” it says.
Although Toyota tends to focus on the diesel version with the new ride, the petrol version is also available.
For
instance, the drive.com report says Prado VX customers can have a
petrol or diesel engine with an automatic engine in a pack that adds
18-inch alloy wheels, Toyota’s clever Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System
with active anti-roll bars, LED headlamps, leather trim, a 17-speaker
JBL stereo, front parking sensors and more.
The Marketing Manager, Toyota Nigera, Mr.
Bayo Olawoyin, also says that the TNL offers the diesel version but on
special request.
Engine performance
The new vehicle has a six-speed manual or
new six-speed automatic transmission that Toyota says is more
perceptive to driver needs, ensuring that the car is always in the right
gear.
The revised Toyota Prado features a new diesel engine and extra tech.
It produces 130kW of power at 3400rpm and
either 420Nm or 450Nm of torque depending on whether the car is fitted
with a manual or automatic transmission, figures that build neatly on
the 127kW and 410Nm outputs of the outgoing car.
The Prado differs from lesser models in
that it uses a counter-balancing shaft to reduce engine vibrations,
while new chain-driven timing gear also adds to its efficiency –
reducing service intervals too.
The Prado’s 150 litre fuel capacity and
7.0L/100km highway economy give it a maximum range of more than 2,000
kilometres, a factor that has been key to its domination of the rural
SUV market.
Toyota’s 4.0-litre petrol V6 now makes
207kW – up from 202kW – but its 381Nm torque peak remains unchanged. The
petrol model’s fuel economy has increased by 0.1L/100km to 11.6L/100km,
though its emissions have dropped slightly.
Interior
Toyota says the entry-level Prado GX is
the only model in the range fitted with five seats as standard. All
others feature seven seats.
That model has a rear-view camera and
audio touchscreen as standard, along with air conditioning, cruise
control, Bluetooth, alloy wheels and more.
Available only with the diesel engine and
a choice of a manual or automatic new six-speed automatic transmission,
the GX doesn’t offer quite as much choice as the next rung on Toyota’s
ladder.
The GXL also adds three-zone climate
control, rear parking sensors, front fog lamps, an alarm system, and
luxuries such as roof rails, side steps and premium covers for the
steering wheel, hand brake and shift lever.
The new Prado also has a rear cross
traffic alert system with radar cruise control, autonomous emergency
braking, a blind spot monitor, Blu-ray rear entertainment, 360-four-way
external cameras, a sunroof and height-adjustable rear air suspension in
a laundry list of luxury extras.
More on safety
The TNL says a lot about the safety of
the Prado and this adopted for the report. For instance, it says the
vehicle incorporates a number of advanced safety measures, which help to
optimise its control and prevent accidents. They include active driving
control systems that help to optimise the basic elements of driving
operation, especially during an emergency manoeuvre.
It says, “The Prado’s comprehensive
passive safety measures begin with a crash safety body. Inside the high
integrity cabin, primary occupant restraint is provided by three-point
seatbelts, including the centre seats in the second and third rows. A
head impact protection structure is also incorporated.
“The crash safety body comprise a high
integrity cabin, with front and rear crumple zones that help absorb
impact energy in a collision. The high integrity cabin structure
dissipates impact energy into the entire body. The structure supporting
the brake pedal is designed to reduce the amount the brake pedal
retracts in a frontal collision, helping to reduce injury to the
driver.”
Other remarkable safety features are the
SRS airbags activated by a strong frontal impact in a collision; the
Prado’s Active Traction Control system incorporating Downhill Assist
Control and Hill-start Assist Control; Vehicle Stability Control and
Anti-lock Brake System.
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