‘23 Prado Limited.vs.’23 LC300 VXR 4.0

[Ismail]

Hello Forum members,

I’m in the market for a 5-door 7 seater family off-road capable SUV and had narrowed down my options to the current Prado LC150 and the LC300 4.0 VXR.

Criteria and thought process:

(1) Comfort: both cars have about the same creature comforts. Not an aggressive driver so don’t need a bigger engine, just something that can comfortably overtake and sustain 120 kph on longer drives with decent suspension.

(2) Reliability: The plan is to keep the car long term and the 1GR-FE reliability is quite possibly the best out there aside from the Camry engines driving around town at +500k kms.

(3) Space: Sufficient space for a weekend trip for a small family and 2 extra seats. Don’t mind adding on a roof rack later which both cars can handle.

(4) Off-road: both cars have equivalent stock off-road tech and should handle the occasional off-roading well. Rear-diff is not an option on both cars from dealer but I read elsewhere it is not absolutely necessary and several aftermarket options are available later on if needed. Prado barn-door Tailgate

I visited the dealer and had driven both cars previously. Unexpectedly, I prefer the Prado due to the following:

(1) the classic driving experience (6-speed transmission not gear-hunting 10-speed, known interior surprisingly more solid build feel compared to LC300). I haven’t tried either off-road.

(2) sliding 2nd row seats providing better 3rd row legroom and storage space if 3rd row is folded

(3) Cost: Obviously cheaper top trim for the Prado

(4) Fuel tank capacity 40L more on Prado; will be useful on long haul drives

I went ahead and reserved a Prado Limited as the LC300 has a much longer waiting period. Also, current used car prices are not that far off from new so I do prefer the new car experience at almost the same price.

What are your thoughts on the 150 Prado as an overall package versus the LC300? Is there anything I have missed out in my criteria and thought process above?

Finally, i presume dedicated LC Fans know of the upcoming LC250 that was just announced to come with a 4-cylinder i-Force engine similar to the new Tacoma. What are your thoughts on this release? Looks, drivetrain, features, etc? Thoughts on how well the replacement of the v6 and additional electronic drive train components will this go down in the Middle East market? Hybrid-ish drivetrain setup and serviceability down the road with local garages? Expected Dealer price increase over the current current model year Prado.

 

[Gaurav]

Nice research and thought process, can you explain a bit more about your off-roading expectations?

[Nilakantan Erode]

@Ismailnice note. Have also looked at the LC300 and Prado though delivery timelines have proved a dampener. for my Offroad post feedback  from some carnity folks to my query on buying an suv for offoad…

Here are my thoughts on the Prado ‘limited” after my test drives on the off-road capability of Prado ( the more experienced folks here especially @Gaurav@Gautam Banka etc. would give a better feedback) .

the bumpers are low and Al Futtaim sales person advised me on Prado EXR or GXR if I want to make modifications for off-road. Probably easier on these trims …

more importantly the KDSS on the Prado limited has a risk of breaking down on serious off road (again as per the candid view of the Al Futtaim sales person …with an estimate 20k for repairs…if it gets damaged!!). But yes… he did mention that mild off-roading is fine. Worth checking that out from experts here…if you do for ‘limited’ and looking at serious off-road.

Prado “limited” does have lots of feature and creature comforts.. one wants to have good SUV..literally the  kitchen sink is thrown in!!  Safety features like blind spot, lane change and also some great off-road features crawl control , multi terrain monitor etc. BUT…I wonder how these are relevant if serious off-roading is not recommended on Prado ‘limited’…or maybe I got that wrong!!

I leave it to the stalwarts at carnity for a more dependable feedback.

 

[Gautam Banka]

The only issue I struggle is rpm which is locked at 4,000 and above that the ECU takes over and doesn’t allow no matter how much gas you press hard.

For all dunes in UAE if you are not doing dare devil extreme drives this is more than enough. 😀

I am traveling at the moment and would take you for a drive when I arrive end of the month. You can drive my tuned Prado 2022 model. 
 

look at a comparison I had made few days back when I wanted to buy off-road trading the Prado. 
 

the first three Toyota still cheapest and multi purpose.

Edited August 2, 2023 by Gautam Banka

[Ismail]

@Gaurav off-roading should be limited to desert outings and camping during the winter season. However, the car will mainly be used as a means of transport 90%+ of the time. I’m considering keeping my trusty Suzuki GV for rough desert outings, potentially with off-road upgrades; while the Prado could be of use for more restrained trips.

 

@Nilakantan Erode on KDSS, I read through other forums and it seems to be alright as long as it’s components aren’t exposed to the elements (sand, salt, water) for prolonged periods. It seems to have been used for years in LC200 and Lexus 4WD’s with no major issues or problems that are “Toyota easy” to fix. Don’t think I will do anything that could “break” the system but if anything ever does go wrong and Al Futtaim quote the price of a used Camry, I can always head over to my trusted local garage  Also, said safety features are on both VXR and Limited but VXR bumpers are a bit overkill imo and would go off anyway so the Limited trim makes more sense.

 

@Gautam Banka nice comparison. I’ve done something similar a few years back and Toyotas always come out on top too. Patrol Safari was also an option tbh given the similar price bracket but its lack of safety features and worse reliability and consumption gives Toyotas a clear leg-up. I appreciate the offer, perhaps we could do a drive indeed.

Closing thoughts: Having contemplated further, I’m convinced the Limited trim seems to be the best candidate for my use scenarios, and provides a decent bang for buck even if it lacks the full range of options offered in other markets (Asia/Australia). It is also a good platform in general whatever I end up using it for down the road, even with KDSS.

I wonder why dealers in the region don’t order the full range of options for a “top trim” vehicle; I wonder what drives their decisions or perhaps Toyota dealers specifically know the car will sell out regardless of options offered.

 

Edited August 4, 2023 by Ismail

[Rizwanm2]

@Ismail if you intend to use mild offroad and 90% daily commute. Then why not check out Lexus GX. from price point there wont be a big difference between prado limited and lexus GX but you will enjoy 90% of the time being in lexus luxury. 

just my 2 cents. 

[Ismail]

@Rizwanm2

Good recommendation; the Lexus could be a good option with a V8 powerplant sitting between the LC300 4.0 and the Prado Limited price-wise. Another option to ponder upon!

[Nilakantan Erode]

@Ismailwhen i visited Lexus showroom in Early June...the Lexus GX460 Premier was offered at AED 260K..special offer. Worth checking it now..prices may not have changed that much. Lexus GX460 is after all a high end Prado...with luxury trimmings...marketed as such in US. I have had 2 Lexus in the past but the smaller version RX350 (one of my all time favorite cars) ...and they drive very well and very low maintenance ...very much comparable to the dedicated on road BMWX5 that my wife drives now! of course no off road on them. GX460 seems is much more suited for mild off road / camping etc. If i did not have any off road ambitions or had a dedicated off road vehicle...my own 2nd car  would have been Lexus or Grand Cherokee. You seem quite sorted out with your dedicated off road vehicle ...Suzuki!!

 

 

[Gaurav]

Glad to read that you are quite clear with your off-road expectation, as many times people buy cars based on marketing brochure sand splashing images and then cry on the first off-road drive.

Prado, LC, GX all three are amazing for 90% on-road and 10% off-road usage with bbq, camping level or newbie-level drives without any mods or tinkering with OEM reliability.

I used to think the same that Toyota electronic suspension is bomb-proof unlike Land Rover but in the recent past I have seen on two different occasions, that GX fails to rise on off-road settings, so you do need thorough research, reading recalls/TSB if you plan to go that route.

[Stumpy]

I have a GX460 as well as my pardo. My version is the top one with the electronic height adjustable suspension. While it is extremely comfortable and has heaps of power the Pajero is a lot more suitable for our type of driving.

the GX is my go to for long touring trips ( taking it to Oman next week) but has a bit to much plastic trim to use in the sand.

that said you can get the lower spec with conventional suspension and build it into a beast with the right budget. They have the best petrol engine ever made by Toyota. Look up GXOR for inspiration