MATT PAYNE checks out the latest Toyota Prado, the J250, and comes away impressed with the latest iteration of a brand that has been a proven winner with Australian offroad drivers.

ONE of the most anticipated new vehicle releases in recent times was the Toyota Prado J250.

The Prado series has been Toyota’s signature mid-size 4WD since its original release as the J70 in 1990 and has undergone three major model upgrades over the past 30 years, powered by both petrol and diesel engine options.

Although the J150 received a minor update in 2020 it actually launched in 2009, so it was certainly due for a major overhaul to keep the model competitive in what has become a highly dynamic market thanks to the entry of multiple new brands from China, all offering high-end cabin and driver aid technology at increasingly affordable prices.

In my opinion, the Prado range occupies a niche in the 4WD market that no other manufacturer really competes well against.

The vehicle is slightly larger than its main competitors, the Ford Everest and Isuzu MUX, but not nearly as large as Landcruisers, making it an obvious choice for many who don’t want a big 4WD wagon, but still want to be able to carry plenty of gear and make navigating city streets easy at the same time.

The J250 Prado, however, sees the range get a slight increase in size, with the wheelbase extended by 60mm and front and rear tracks widened by 79mm and 83mm, respectively.

This sees the overall length of the vehicle increase by 165mm and width by 95mm.

As a result the J250 is actually not that far off the 300 series Landcruiser, and actually shares the same chassis frame.

Pricing is also much closer to the 300 series, with the range topping Kakadu J250 costing more than the base model GX 300 series.

Stylistically, the J250 looks completely different to its predecessor.

Smooth panel contours have been replaced with more modern, sharper lines that give the car a nice aggressive look.

The front end features LED headlights and the bonnet appears to share some of the stylings found on the new 79 series.

Overall, the J250 looks like a larger, updated variant of the FJ Cruiser.

All five models feature double-wishbone front and four-link solid axle rear suspension setups, with a newly upgraded electric power steering rack.

VX and Kakadu versions also feature adaptive variable suspension (AVS), which is supposed to provide a more comfortable ride and better handling on rough roads.

I was given the base model GX and offroad-oriented Altitude models to test, but the focus of this review will be on the latter, which in my opinion is far more suited to anyone purchasing with serious offroading in mind.

The Altitude model is Toyota’s flagship offroad variant, with specific features including a rear diff lock, electronic sway bar disconnects and 32.6-inch Toyo Open Country III all-terrain tyres.

It also features a multi-terrain system that adjusts the vehicle stability and traction control systems according to the terrain you are driving, with dirt, mud, snow and sand options.

One thing the Altitude surprisingly doesn’t feature is a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), unlike the luxury VX and Kakadu variants.

You would have to argue that a TPMS has far more use on an offroad vehicle than a luxury city cruiser.

Stepping up into the cabin, the Altitude has a premium feel, with upholstered soft-touch surfaces throughout.

The seats are incredibly comfortable and the driving position is fantastic, giving you a commanding view of what’s ahead.

Both offer heating and cooling functions, while the infotainment and driver information screens are large and highly functional and integrate seamlessly into the dashboard.

The rear seats are also incredibly comfy and offer ample leg room for an adult, with rear air conditioning and multiple charging ports incorporated into the back of the centre console box.

The Altitude also gets you a moon roof with an integrated wind fairing automatically popping up to lower wind noise; a great feature for beach runs to give the cabin a nice open feel.

The Prado features the V-Active 48V battery system and it powers the auto stop/start feature exceptionally well thanks to the four-fold increase in voltage pushing current substantially faster than what is possible in a typical 12V system.

The auto/stop start on the J250 is practically instantaneous, I would say it’s the best version of this usually inconvenient feature that I have experienced to date.

Regardless, V-Active does come at a cost though – a 48V battery is heavy, at least 60kg, and takes up real estate space in the rear of the vehicle.

As a result the storage area is smaller (by around 48 litres compared to the J150) and due to the battery enclosure sitting higher than the floor of the cargo area, Toyota has had to raise the back side of the floor to match and provide a level surface.

It has tried to maximise useability of this space by including a removable cover to access the rear void where items such as recovery gear, etc, could be stored, but you would need to remove all the gear stowed on top of that void to access them.

If you want to add drawers, as many do, you can order replacement false floors that simply bolt into factory anchoring points, giving you a seamless, single piece level cargo area that is ready to accept these systems, fridge slides, etc, and still maintain adequate ventilation for the 48V battery.

Obviously, anything mounted on top of the V-Active system is going to prevent easy access if any maintenance is required, however, the system does not require servicing as per the logbook.

The V-Active system generator is a fully sealed unit, so deep water crossings (coupled with a fully sealed snorkel) should not be an issue so long as you follow the usual appropriate technique of driving around walking pace and generating a steady bow wave.

Pulling out of Toyota HQ in Kewdale, a quick tap on the accelerator saw the J250 up to speed in no time.

The 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine is very responsive across the rev range and works seamlessly with the eight-speed transmission, which was incredibly smooth.

The engine almost has a throaty-like note and although it’s the same engine as in the HiLux, it feels completely different (in a good way).

You are also able to change-up the shifting pattern and steering and throttle response with three selectable drive modes, ranging from the efficiency-oriented ECO mode to Sport for a more performance-enhancing experience, all making noticeable differences.

Suspension-wise, the J250 offers an incredibly comfortable ride on road, effortlessly absorbing bumps and offering confidence in cornering at speed, with minimal body roll.

The vehicle also features the usual swathe of driving aids we now expect as standard inclusions on higher end vehicles, and in this case the blind spot assist is certainly necessary as the side mirrors lack depth, and this creates a substantial blind spot.

Fuel economy is claimed at 7.6l per 100km, but after 121km of metro driving figures at the pump came in at 8.84l/100km, still pretty impressive, especially considering the larger tyres standard on the Altitude.

After 319km of mixed city driving, including towing for 80km, this increased to 13.5l/100km.

The J250 is rated to tow 3500kg, with 350kg ball weight, but the reality is if you were towing at this weight you would only be able to carry an additional 230kg (the weight of an average four-person family) in the cabin including passengers and any other modifications you’ve added to the vehicle – certainly not very realistic for most four-wheel-drivers.

When I hitched my two-tonne boat to the back and headed off to the local ramp, the vehicle handled it with ease, although the engine was certainly working a lot harder to get up to speed.

The mirror issue I mentioned above was amplified while towing; I think that most who tow regularly will want a set of wider aftermarket mirrors.

The J250 has the same tow haul feature I first experienced on the new 79 series, however, on the J250 I found towing with it not engaged was better for my boat as engaging tow haul had the transmission holding gears too low and too long – I would assume it’s been designed for towing larger loads.

What the J250 does not have, is auto disengagement of rear cross traffic sensors when a trailer is plugged in and this had me scrambling to find a way to disengage this at the boat ramp as the vehicle applied the brakes as soon as tried to reverse my boat down to the water.

Fortunately, Toyota provided a button near the steering wheel.

One other feature I had to disengage while towing was the auto-dip on the side mirrors.

When you select reverse in the Altitude, the mirrors will angle down to give you a better view of the wheels.

While this is a great feature while not towing, once you have a boat on the back it restricts view of the sides of what is being towed – fortunately you can turn the feature off.

Given the offroad oriented specs of the Altitude, I was eager to see how it fared off the black top, and my chosen test ground in this case was the sandy tracks and dune climbs at Wilbinga.

Aired down to 18psi, the suspension remained comfortable and responsive on high-speed dirt roads, eating up the moderate corrugations without too much intrusion into the cabin.

On off camber sections of track the suspension travel was fantastic, and engaging the rear sway bar disconnect made a noticeable difference to this, helping to keep wheels on the ground where they may have otherwise lifted.

The J250 handled every challenge I threw at it in low range, from dune climbs to wombat-holed hills, with the traction control system really shining on the latter.

Downhill control in D utilising the descent control feature was also fantastic.

Although I didn’t use the crawl control feature as the terrain didn’t really call for it, the videos I have seen of this in action are incredibly impressive and I can see how effective this would be negotiating technical rocky sections of track with complete control.

The only real limitation I found was ground clearance, which is surprising considering the larger tyres fitted to the Altitude.

Looking at the specs on paper though, the ground clearance of the J250 is only 221mm.

The J250 could certainly benefit from a mild lift and stepping up to a larger set of tyres – I think you would have no issues accommodating at least 34s in the guards once lifted.

Shifting back and forth between high and low range was simple with the new paddle toggle shifter and the rear diff lock engaged and disengaged without issue.

I really think the long game for the J250 is going to come down to what potential buyers want to use the vehicle for.

Anyone who is looking to add a bullbar, winch, drawers, roof racks, etc, and then hitch the caravan/camper trailer is going to be well over GVM in no time thanks to the payload limitations.

You could opt for a GVM upgrade, but that may void your factory warranty.

However, for buyers looking for a highly refined and extremely comfortable mid-size 4WD to take on long trips with the family while still maintaining extremely good manners for city driving and remaining incredibly capable offroad, then I think the vehicle is going to have a lot of appeal.