It is true that today's domestic automobile brands have not only won unanimous praise from the market for their outstanding stability by virtue of their earlier layout of the new energy vehicle market, but also gained a deep foundation for further exploring the possibilities of the new energy market with the strong technical research and development capabilities accumulated in the early stage. No, in the hard-core off-road SUV market, BYD's Formula Leopard Leopard 5 and Great Wall's Tank 400 Hi4-T, Tank 500 Hi4-T, Tank 700 Hi4-T and other models can even completely subvert the original "new energy models can't go off-road" remarks with strong strength!
However, even though the domestic new energy off-road SUV has achieved very remarkable results, but in the hearts of off-road vehicle fans, there has always been such a thing that has been imitated, but has never been surpassed, and can not be replaced! And it is commonly known as the "domineering" Toyota Prado! Now, in order to further cater to the tide of the times, Toyota Prado has not only completed the replacement of the generation, but also introduced a joint venture with FAW Toyota into the mainland market for sales. The most important thing is that when the new Prado opened online reservations on February 29, it took only one hour to receive more than 5,000 orders! So, does the new Prado have the strength of "the return of the legend"? Since the new Prado has been officially launched at the 2024 Beijing Auto Show, let's have an in-depth discussion around this product.
First of all, from the appearance point of view, as a replacement model, the appearance adjustment of the new Prado can be called subversive. In addition, the front face will also be available in two different designs, depending on the model, with relatively retro headlamps and matrix headlights, and even the center grille is also available in two different styles. But no matter which version it is, the tough lines of its front face and the thick front bumper are enough to shape its own identity as a hard-core off-road SUV.
At the same time, the body position of the new Prado will adopt a design direction similar to that of the "big brother" Land Patrol. Although the structure of the body shape of the side face is relatively simple, the clear line arrangement is enough to create a tall, burly figure. In addition to continuing to sublimate its status as a hardcore SUV, the matte close-spoke wheels and AT all-terrain tires will also highlight its outstanding passability with a maximum approach angle of 31 degrees, a maximum departure angle of 22 degrees, and a maximum ground clearance of up to 220 mm.
As for the tail of the new Prado, it also has a great contrast with the Prado in our impression. After all, the rear of the new car has changed from the usual full-bodied structural layout, with more flat straight lines and the use of small-sized vertical matrix taillights connected by blackened trim, so that the rear of the car has a contrasting visual effect of retro and technology.
And when we look inside the car, we are equally pleasantly surprised. Although in today's "big screen era", its embedded full LCD instrument and floating central control screen are indeed not particularly visually impactful, but it is enough to create a technological atmosphere in the car. Moreover, the stiff lines and more regular physical button distribution in the car, compared with the previous generation version, will also create a hard-core attribute while completely getting rid of the original "greasy" style. In addition, after the new Prado is produced in China, it has also been localized and upgraded, which is not only equipped with 8155 chips, but also supports Apple CarPlay, HUAWEI HiCar and Carlife interconnection, and has functions such as QQ Music, WeChat Reading, Car WeChat and Tencent News, which will deepen its avant-garde functionality in line with the times.
In terms of passenger performance, the length, width and height of the new Prado are 4920mm*1980mm*1860mm (excluding the external spare tire), and the wheelbase is 2850mm. This also means that in terms of interior space alone, the new Prado is still quite abundant. In addition, the new car is equipped with heated seats/ventilation, heated steering wheel, 14 JBL brand speakers, and three-zone air conditioning, etc., to ensure comfort and high-end style.
As for performance, the all-new Prado will no longer use a V6 naturally aspirated engine, but will be equipped with a hybrid system consisting of a four-cylinder gasoline turbocharged engine + electric motor with the model number T24A-FTS 2.4T. Despite the fact that the powertrain is only guided by a four-cylinder engine, the combined maximum output of the system can reach 330 horsepower and the combined maximum torque reaches 630 Nm, which basically means that its performance has not been attenuated due to the reduction of engine displacement. What's more, this hybrid system is also a super hybrid system built for off-roading, so when paired with a Direct Shift-8AT transmission, it will achieve better fuel economy. Supplemented by the non-load-bearing body structure under the off-road platform GA-F, as well as the full-time four-wheel drive + electronically controlled mechanical rear axle differential lock two locks of the Torsen limited-slip central differential, which is also standard for the whole series, the full-time four-wheel drive system with high-speed and low-speed four-wheel drive and the ability to amplify the torque function, as well as multi-terrain control and creep mode, etc., will also fully interpret the strong off-road performance that Toyota's hard-core off-road SUV "legend" identity should have.
Last but not least, the all-new Prado will be available in four variants, with a guide price range of 459,800-549,800 yuan. This pricing performance is not only more affordable than the previous generation of imported versions, but also lower than the original pre-sale price of 470,000-570,000 yuan, which also seems to indicate the high sincerity of the new Prado in terms of price.
Overall, the all-new Prado is a game-changer for its interior/exterior design, but also for its larger size, more contemporary dynamics, and even more powerful off-road performance, and most importantly, it has changed the trend of "high above" even at the price level. In this way, it should be enough to explain why the new Prado has received a good number of orders and its strength to show its status as a "legend returns", right?