The Toyota Land Cruiser Prado in Europe has just received a bit of an update. It’s not a facelift, though, as there’s only one change and it’s under the hood. From now on, the models sold over there come with a mild-hybrid diesel engine, which should come in handy.
Simply called the Land Cruiser over there, the Prado made do with the familiar 2.8-liter diesel engine that’s also seen in the Hilux, Fortuner, and Innova. The Euro-spec Prado doesn’t get the GR-S tune, either, meaning it made 201hp and 500Nm.
The mild-hybrid system gives the Prado a bit more grunt. While the engine alone still makes the same rating, the electrified model gives a boost of up to 16hp and 65Nm. As it uses a 48v system, it can’t power the hefty SUV on its own, but the hybrid system kicks in when accelerating or overtaking. That little bit of torque should also help in towing.
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Toyota claims the hybridization of the Prado will not affect its capabilities. The belt that drives the mild-hybrid system is made of high-strength cotton fabric layer on the ribbed side of the belt that reduces noise, absorbs water and maintains its friction coefficient when wet. The generator is also mounted high to avoid water damage, while the batteries are protected against ingress. And yes, wading depth capacity is still rated at 700mm.
Of course, another reason this version was introduced in the Euro-spec Toyota Land Cruiser Prado is because of ever-tightening emissions regulations. Automakers have to maintain a certain average CO2 emissions rating across all their products to avoid hefty fines.
Locally, the Prado uses a 2.4-liter turbopetrol engine with 276hp and 430Nm, a huge departure from the diesel and V6 gas variants from the previous generation That said, we’re curious if Toyota Motor Philippines will offer a diesel down the line–with or without mild-hybrid tech.
