Toyota is pushing on with local testing of the upcoming 250 Series LandCruiser Prado before its showroom arrival later this year, with a prototype spotted wearing not-before-seen accessories.
Images uploaded by Matt Moed to the Toyota Prado Owners of Australia group on Facebook show the new model refuelling in Bacchus Marsh, about an hour north-east of Melbourne, wearing pieces of equipment previously not included in press material.
This includes a body-coloured bull bar – complete with integrated LED lights, a winch, and recovery points – as well as a snorkel which rises to the top of the front door’s seal line.
“Toyota Australia can confirm it is conducting local testing including for accessories on the new LandCruiser Prado, which is due in showrooms later this year,” a spokesperson for the brand told CarExpert.
Given Toyota is going to the lengths of testing these accessories on local roads using a Australian-spec Prado, it’s likely we’ll see them in the options catalogue when the 250 Series goes on sale in the coming months.
The images also show how the Prado has grown in size, with the upcoming 250 Series appearing to dwarf the long-serving 150 Series parked behind it.
Though its exterior and interior are completely different to its predecessor, the new Prado will continue to be powered by a 2.8-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine – which has now gained 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance alongside the HiLux V-Active.
The Prado’s outputs (150kW and 500Nm) are unchanged despite the 48V mild-hybrid assistance, but its torque-converter automatic transmission now has two extra ratios, increasing to eight speeds for a better spread.
Toyota hasn’t yet confirmed the turbocharged 2.4-litre hybrid four-cylinder drivetrain offered in markets like North America for a local launch, though Toyota Australia has said it’s “deeply studying” the powertrain.
A full list of features across the Prado range can be found here, however pricing will be announced closer to its launch in the second half of 2024.
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