Recently, Lexus unveiled the all-new GX SUV. As we all know, the GX is the Lexus equivalent of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, and Toyota recently teased that an all-new Land Cruiser—most likely the all-new Prado—is on its way.
If you look past the all-new GX’s front end which features standard Lexus styling cues like the Spindle grille and the sharp, slim headlights, you will see some hints of Toyota’s iconic 70 Series Land Cruiser. This inspired me to do renderings of what a 70 Series-inspired next-gen Prado based on the all-new GX would look like.
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As a refresher, the first Prado started life as the ‘Light Duty’ wagon version of the 70 Series before it was spun off into its own separate line. Adding some classic cues from the OG Prado doesn’t sound that crazy. Besides, heritage styling is a big thing now, just look at how popular the reborn Ford Bronco and the new Land Rover Defender is.
Up front, it features a blocky face that matches the rest of the body. It gets a wide rectangular grille with the classic T-O-Y-O-T-A badge. The headlight cluster and the angled corners that match the wheel arch opening are modern interpretations of the classic Light Duty 70 Series turn signals. The twin slit intake design between the grille and bumper is another element inspired by the original Prado. At the rear, I gave it blocky vertical taillights. This is the first thing that came to mind when I saw the large vertical filler panels on the all-new GX’s rear which features slim horizontal taillights. The team decided that I should do a GR Sport version, so it gets the usual black GR Sport bits and badges.
The next gen Prado will most likely share most basic dimensions with the GX. My guess is they might trim the front overhang a bit to improve its approach angle since Land Cruisers tend to be more off-road capable than their Lexus counterparts.
The all-new Lexus GX will be available with two gasoline powerplants, a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, and a 2.4-liter inline-4 Turbo in the hybrid version. I wouldn’t be surprised if Toyota would give the next Prado more options like a non-hybrid turbo I4 gasoline mill and a standard four-pot diesel unit. Like the all-new GX, expect the next Prado to ride on the LC300’s “GA-F Platform” which has a high-mount double-wishbone front suspension and trailing-link rigid-axle rear setup.
