Toyota LandCruiser Prado 2020 Tow Test

The latest Toyota Prado is only a recent addition to the set of SUV wagons that can officially tow up to 3000kg, joining the Ford Everest, Isuzu MU-X and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.

An upgraded MY20 Toyota Prado was released in August, bringing significant engine changes to improve performance and economy. The alterations result in improved towing fuel economy and performance – provided you’re realistic about trailer weight.

The big-ticket item for the 2020 Toyota Prado upgrade was a 20kW/50Nm boost in peak power and torque.

Other changes included the deletion of a manual transmission option, leaving just the six-speed auto. A new no-cost option for all but the base GX is the split tailgate, from which the spare wheel is relocated to underneath the vehicle, where it takes the place of the 63-litre fuel sub-tank (leaving fuel capacity at 87 litres).

The new tailgate features a separate lift-up glass section but the door itself is still a side-hinged set-up.

The 2020 Toyota LandCruiser Prado GXL is equipped with a rear diff lock, Optitron instrument backlighting, colour multi-information display, bi-LED headlights, LED DRLs with 'follow me' function, LED fog lights and sun-visor lights.

The GXL we tested was fitted with the optional Premium Interior ($3470), Premium Paint ($600) and the (no-cost) flush tailgate, making for a $70,610 total (plus on-road costs).

Standard safety features for all models have been upgraded with autonomous emergency braking now able to detect cars and pedestrians day and night, and cyclists during the day.

Prado's lane-departure alert system has been improved with steering assistance now applying the brakes to one side of the vehicle to help prevent it drifting unintentionally into another lane.

Another new safety feature is road-sign assist, which warns of speed-limit changes and can be used to reset the vehicle's cruise-control speed setting.

A new-generation multimedia system available across the 2020 Prado range incorporates a larger 9.0-inch touch-screen display, enhanced voice recognition and compatibility with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and myToyota, which enables third-party companion apps such as Waze, AccuWeather and Stitcher.

The 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine (also used in HiLux and Fortuner) now develops 20kW more power and 50Nm more torque (for a total of 150kW at 3400rpm and 500Nm over 1600-2800rpm).

Changes to the engine include a new turbocharger, modified cylinder block and head, reworked exhaust manifold and new pistons. Fuel economy has dropped slightly from 8.0L/100km to 7.9L/100km.

Driving solo, the Prado feels stronger than previously in the mid-range, but it still really takes a while for the turbo to spool up. Despite the specs showing that peak torque arrives at 1600rpm, assertive acceleration only arrives as the tacho swings past 2000rpm. Picking a gap in the traffic is easier in vehicles with better step-off acceleration than the Prado.

With a 2300kg caravan behind, the Prado settled into an easy 100km/h cruise on the freeway, and was relatively quick to get up to speed. On our test hill, the Prado maintained our standard 90km/h at the beginning of the gradient for much of the climb – but as we reached the steepest section, it quickly lost momentum and slowed to 82km/h at the peak of the climb.

While this is the same engine as used in HiLux and Fortuner, engine NVH is better suppressed in the Prado. It feels smooth and relatively quiet, even when revved hard.

In our testing, average fuel economy was 7.2L/100km after mostly easy freeway use, which is very good for a 2000kg-plus 4WD wagon. The fuel consumption average while towing was a relatively light 13.4L/100km.

In our last towing test, the Toyota Prado was dogged by an unsettled towing performance with two different tandem-axle trailers weighing 2500kg to 2800kg.

Not only did it pitch fore-aft often but also would yaw very easily. It was not altogether a pleasant towing experience.

This was a surprise, as every previous Prado towing test we’ve done since 2008 (both the 120- and 150-series), has shown it to be a stable towing platform. Of course, that was when its towing capacity was 2500kg, and the trailers we towed had a mass of about 2000kg.

This time, we decided to try a different tack with trailer choice: rather than trying to nudge close to the Prado’s 3000kg capacity, we selected a lighter, single-axle Atlantic caravan with an as-tested mass of just under 2300kg and measured towball download mass of 220kg.

When we hitched up the Atlantic, the Prado’s body rose 10mm at the front and sank 40mm at the rear.

Backing up to the Atlantic at Parravans Windsor, NSW yard, we were surprised by how good the rear-view camera was. The spare-mount tailgate camera we last used on a Prado was not nearly as accurate with its guidelines as this time.

The 2020 Toyota Prado was a very happy camper on the freeway; it felt planted with the van attached, in complete contrast with our last Prado towing test.

The Prado’s strong stability this time tends to suggest that this vehicle is happiest with less than 2500kg behind it, perhaps supporting the theory that one should aim to tow a mass that is no more than the mass of the towing vehicle.

The Prado rode well, with the only criticism being some fore-aft pitching on poor, undulating secondary roads. If you do a lot of towing on poor roads, you might want to think about a weight distribution hitch or firmer suspension, but then again at the speeds we towed at, it wasn’t a constant, objectionable motion.

The latest Toyota Prado has shaped up as an economical, stable and comfortable tow vehicle.

Our only proviso is that you keep towing mass to a sensible level – that is, less than 2500kg.

How much does the 2020 Toyota Prado GXL cost?
Price: $66,540 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 150kW/500Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 209g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (2011)