On June 8, 2023, Lexus unveiled the pre-production version of its GX SUV, and it’s slated to roll off production lines later this year. With that, we reckoned it was only a matter of time before the Toyota Prado would be revealed in one form or another. After all, the GX and the Prado have been related to each other since 2002.
About a month has passed since the Lexus’ reveal, and finally, it’s Toyota’s turn. Yes folks, Japan’s top-selling automaker has finally released a teaser for the next-gen Prado. Mind you, there aren’t any full details just yet. Toyota kept the press release short and sweet by saying “stay tuned for more updates”.
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Still, at least we have the general shape of the SUV, and it looks like the next-generation Prado will have a very similar outline to the GX. Also, it’s worth pointing out that the Prado will simply be called the Land Cruiser over in the US. The US and Canadian markets do not get the full-sized 300 Series Land Cruiser over there. Instead, the only version those markets offer is the Lexus LX.
As for the future Prado, it appears to have the same windows as the GX and shares the same angular roof line. It shouldn’t be much of a surprise since it has been a pattern for over 20 years. We can expect bigger differences at the front and the rear, but Toyota isn’t showing any of it just yet.
As for the engines, the future Prado will likely have similar options. The first is a turbocharged 2.4-liter that’s also used in the Lexus RX 350, while the second one is a hybridized version of the same boosted 2.4-liter mill. But given that the Prado is sold in wider markets, it is possible that a diesel option will remain. It could either be the mild-hybrid 2.8-liter that will power next year’s Hilux or a detuned version of the Land Cruiser’s 3.3-liter V6.
