RV FEATURE
THE PRADO PITFALL
A LOT OF PEOPLE LOVE THE TOYOTA PRADO AND FOR GOOD REASON. BUT WHEN TOWING
AT ITS MAXIMUM, IT LEAVES A BIT TO BE DESIRED. LET’S KICK A HORNET’S NEST…
The Prado is one of the most long-lived 4WD
wagons in the category, the body shape having
been on sale for at least nine years. It has the
undeniable Toyota quality fit and finish and it is also
one of the most supple-riding wagons in the class. TOYOTA PRADO GXL
Yet the Prado is not a natural heavy-duty tow
vehicle. It tows a trailer up to and about 2000kg
well. But much more than that and it struggles. ENGINE
Toyota’s decision, therefore, to increase towing
capacity (from 2500kg/250kg to 3000kg/300kg)
for automatic models late in 2017 might’ve suited
the marketing department but I bet the engineers
weren’t delighted to give it the thumbs-up.
Tow anything near 3000kg, and the Prado is not
happy at all. Beyond speeds of 80km/h towing
that weight, the Prado will feel unsettled and
twitchy, and while the one we tested barely rose
at the front with the 200kg towball download,
you’d have to fit a WDH or anti-sway device to
try to settle it a bit. The 2.8L turbodiesel really
struggles pulling a heavy trailer, too, and it is
thirsty doing it.
12 \
PRICE
$67,851 (PLUS ON-ROAD COSTS)
2.8L TURBO-DIESEL
OUTPUT
130KW/450NM
TRANSMISSION
SIX-SPEED AUTOMATIC
TOWING CAPACITY
3000KG/300KG
KERB WEIGHT
2325KG
GVM
GCM
2990KG 5990KG