Toyota reveals official Prado pics

TOYOTA has released images and details about its upcoming LandCruiser Prado facelift ahead of a local showroom arrival in October this year.

The update will be bring a suite of small revisions to Australia’s top-selling large SUV but, perhaps more significantly, will also see the discontinuation of the slow-selling three-door version – a bodystyle that accounted for fewer than one per cent of sales.

“Like any product, we have reviewed its viability and determined that it will continue only with a five-door configuration,” confirmed Toyota Australia product public relations manager Stephen Coughlan.

Toyota sold just 130 three-door Prados last year, compared to total sales of 17,045 units, while numbers remain much the same to the end of July this year, with 67 three-doors sold, a fraction of the 8991 total so far.

The top-selling four-wheel drive receives updated exterior styling including a larger, more pronounced grille and a new headlight design with daytime running lights trailing down towards the bumper.

The Australian release of official Prado images comes after leaked images surfaced overseas last week, along with its more upmarket Lexus GX twin.

The Japanese car-maker has enhanced the cabin with new switchgear, instrumentation and updated trim, while the second and third seating rows feature new seat designs and fabrics and new interior colour schemes.

While it is yet to release detailed information about the upgrade, Toyota said in a statement the Prado will feature better third-row seat access and higher levels of specification.

Safety upgrades include the addition of trailer sway control and an emergency brake signal, with Toyota saying a statement the sway control “gives LandCruiser Prado owners an additional layer of confidence and control when towing”.

Toyota has confirmed the Prado will continue to be available with a choice of a 4.0-litre V6 petrol engine or the 3.0-litre turbo diesel unit, but more details such as pricing – if indeed there will be any change – will be released closer to launch.

The facelifted Prado will go on sale locally in October this year, three and a half years after the launch of the fourth generation model in 2009.

Despite sales dropping by 16 per cent for the first seven months of the year compared to 2012, the Prado is still the top-selling large SUV in Australia, with 8991 units shifted to the end of July for a 14.4 per cent market share.

The Prado’s main rival for sales is Ford’s locally-built Territory SUV that is sitting on 8475 sales so far this year, followed by the Holden Captiva 7 with 7992 units sold, and the Prado’s Kluger stablemate sitting in fourth place with 7255 sales.