- Toyota in the UK has launched a commercial version of the Prado that turns it into a van.
- It removes the rear seats, blocks off the rear windows and adds a full height metal bulkhead.
- The Prado range starts at a considerably higher price than in New Zealand.
Toyota in the UK has revealed a stripped-back version of the Land Cruiser which swaps the rear seats and windows for a panel van layout.
This new version of the car we call the Prado (as the Land Cruiser 300 is not offered in the UK) serves as the halo model of the brand’s commercial division in the UK and is a factory conversion, with the interior and side panel modifications made in the UK.
The commercial division says it removes the rear seat, and renders the rear windows opaque with interior steel panel inserts, complete with a full height metal bulkhead behind the front seats with a mesh top section. It also features an entirely flat floor in the rear with a power opening tailgate.
It offers a 2000-litre cargo area, while maintaining the Prado’s 3500kg towing capacity and off-road abilities, including crawl control, hill start assist and downhill assist control.
The Land Cruiser Commercial also offers luxuries rare for the delivery van segment, including 18-inch alloys clad in Dunlop Grandtrek SUV tyres, a power adjustable seat for the driver, heated seats and steering wheel, dual-zone climate, an auto dimming rear vision mirror as well as a basic multimedia screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
The Land Cruiser Commercial is offered with the standard 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engine shared with the Hilux, though interestingly the 48-volt mild-hybrid system which is standard on Australian-delivered vehicles is yet to be rolled out across the range in the UK.
Local Prado buyers should count their blessings, the Land Cruiser Commercial is the most affordable version in the UK yet starts from the equivalent of NZ$117,305 (on-road costs included), with the passenger version starting from a whopping NZ$176,537.
Locally, the Prado starts from $83,990 before on-roads for the base GXL 4x4 automatic.
In the UK, Toyota’s range is different from locally delivered options, despite sharing many of the same regulatory requirements and right-hand drive layouts.
The UK, for example, scores the Aygo X city-sized crossover to sit below the Yaris Cross, as well as the new UrbanCruiser EV and the new-generation Prius that we only see here as a Signature Class used vehicle.
However, UK buyers miss out on the full-fat Land Cruiser 300 series, iconic Camry sedan, the Corolla Cross SUV and Highlander large SUV.
The commercial division also gets a Peugeot-based range of Proace vans instead of the Hiace delivered to New Zealand.
- Tom White, deputy news editor.
