Climb every mountain ...

The new Toyota Prado is tailor-made for rugged backcountry types, and a bit too tough for the city. Photo / Supplied

There's so much electronic trickery in this fourth-generation Prado that Toyota sent us pre-launch homework. Four megabytes of technical reading, before we'd put the car to the test over some demanding Manawatu hill farm tracks.

But my decision to review it fresh backfired when my Wellington flight was cancelled, resulting in a mad rental-car dash to make the event. In the end it didn't matter. There's an immense amount going on beneath your bum, but once you've worked out what to set and when, you can forget the detail and let the Prado get on with it. Literally.

What's new

One of those new bits is crawl mode for the VX Ltd, which lets you set a low-range speed from 1-5km/h. All you do is steer. Drive goes to the wheels with grip, and you crawl unstoppably over hazardous terrain while literally being able to twiddle your - toes. It even works in reverse, and is considerably assisted by the KDSS dynamic suspension filched from Landcruiser 200, which extends wheel travel.

As for the rest, a redesign has increased rigidity for the body-on-frame construction, extended the length, lowered the roof and widened both cabin and track without reducing approach angle or ground clearance. Stability and hill control are now standard; there's keyless entry and start; the third row seats fold flat; and ... hmm. There's far too much else to fully cover here, even without going into the off-road pack.

That includes a suite of cameras pointing backwards, sideways - and ahead. You can clamber precipitous ascents too steep to see over the bonnet, using just that front camera - with its "where the wheels are going" display - to show the way.

The cameras are useful to peer out of driveways and awkward parking spaces, too.

The company line

City buyers may use Prado as a family wagon with ski-field duties the toughest terrain they traverse.

But many come straight from Footrot Flats territory, and demand a diesel vehicle that'll go into the back of beyond and further.

So there's no petrol, just this 127kW, 410Nm, 3.0-litre diesel. Toyota says DIY fans will buy the $78,490 manual GX; but it's the VX and $104,990 VX Ltd that best show what this Prado can do.

What we say

Even the VX Ltd is easy to use once you get used to what's on offer; it'll soon become second nature.

The only trouble is that stuff like crawl control lets inexperienced drivers make like Barry Crump - but do they have the judgment to spot a rock too far?

On the road

Even with the KDSS combating roll there's no doubting this is a big, tall, off-roading machine. But it also absorbs bumps to deliver a surprisingly cosseting ride and reasonable handling.

Why you'll buy one

You want the car most chosen by privateer entries in unmodified vehicles entering the fabled Paris Dakar race.

You want to climb tall mountains and ford deep streams in comfort, and are reassured by Toyota's fabled build quality.

22-11-2009 04:00:00

You won't go far off-road and let's face it, if you don't, this thing is overkill.