Light Duty

The Land Cruiser was increasingly used for leisure, and this led to a heightened focus on comfort and style, in addition to mobility. In order to cater to such needs, in October 1985 Toyota added the wagon-type Land Cruiser Wagon to its line-up.

Based on the short-body 70 Series van, the Wagon featured a 2.4-liter turbo diesel engine (2L-T) that delivered outstanding driving performance. It was also equipped with a newly designed coil-spring suspension, which resulted in superb comfort and drivability on poor roads. Rear seat comfort was significantly increased, the interior was decorated in the manner of a passenger vehicle, and the exterior design was partially updated to provide a more powerful and nimble appearance.

In April 1990, long-wheelbase 5-door versions were added to the Land Cruiser 70 wagon and van, which had previously consisted solely of short-wheelbase 3-door versions. At the same time, the wagon model was separated from the Land Cruiser 70 line as the Land Cruiser Prado, to compete in the market that was dominated by the then highly successful Mitsubishi Pajero.

The 3-door version of the Prado came with two rows of seats accommodating five people, whereas the 5-door version could accommodate eight people in three rows of seats. The engine was initially a 2.4-liter inline 4-cylinder SOHC turbo diesel unit producing 97 PS (2L-TE), which was replaced with a newly developed 3-liter 130 PS 4-cylinder turbo diesel unit in May 1993. The transmission was either a 5-speed manual or an electronically controlled 4-speed automatic, and the drivetrain configuration was part-time 4-wheel-drive with a 2-speed transfer.

With the second-generation model released in May 1996, the Land Cruiser Prado line steered toward a more passenger-oriented 4-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicle. Both the short-wheelbase 3-door model (5-seater) and the long-wheelbase 5-door model (8-seater) became larger than their predecessors, and were classified as "3 number" vehicles. The two models were distinguished by their front styling including the headlamp design: the short-bodied model had a sportier look, whereas the long-bodied model appeared more rugged.

The engine lineup consisted of a newly included 3.4-liter 185 PS V6 DOHC gasoline engine (5VZ-FE) and a 3-liter 4-cylinder SOHC turbo diesel unit (1KZ-TE) that had powered the previous model, although the latter increased its output to 140 PS with the addition of an intercooler. The drivetrain configuration was switched from part-time 4WD to full-time 4WD. The same suspension was used for both the Prado and the Hilux Surf, consisting of an independent double wishbone and coil spring system for the front and a 4-link coil spring system with a lateral rod for the rear. A 2.7-liter 150 PS 4-cylinder DOHC gasoline engine (3RZ-FE) was added to the lineup in April 1997, and the turbo diesel unit was replaced with a 3-liter common rail diesel unit (1KD-FTV) producing 170 PS in July 2000.

The third-generation Land Cruiser Prado was released in October 2002. The newly designed high rigidity frame delivered enhanced maneuverability, vehicle stability, and quietness. The newly developed Torsen LSD transfer unit in the center differential boosted both on-road and off-road performance. The active traction control system (TRC) could perform complex adjustments of uphill/downhill driving to improve off-road drivability, while the H∞-TEMS and electronically controlled rear air suspension systems reinforced on-road maneuverability, vehicle stability, and ride comfort.

The choice of engines included 3.4- and 2.7-liter V6 gasoline units and a 3.0-liter inter-cooled turbo diesel unit.

The fourth-generation Land Cruiser Prado was launched in September 2009. While the Prado had been sharing the chassis with the Hilux Surf since May 1996, the two lines finally merged as the fourth-generation Prado. In the domestic market, only long wheelbase models (2,790 mm) were made available, although short wheelbase models continued to be offered overseas. Principal mechanical components, including the suspension and the lineup of 2.7-liter 4-cylinder and 4-liter V6 engines, were unchanged from the predecessor's. New features included the crawl control system for facilitating off-road driving at a very low speed, as well as the multi-terrain select system that could optimize the drive settings for any given off-road conditions.

The second-row seats could slide back and forth to adjust the legroom, and the seat on the left automatically slid forward when the seatback was tilted forward, providing walk-in access to the third-row seats. The third-row seats could be automatically stowed or restored by a flick of a switch. The floor in front of the third-row seats was lowered by 50 mm to enhance ride comfort and utility.