2025 Toyota LandCruiser Prado Kakadu review

With a predecessor nearing 15 years old, the introduction of the brand-new fifth-generation Toyota LandCruiser Prado was long-awaited – and with bated breath.

The Prado 150 Series was well and truly showing its age, even with a slew of midlife product updates. But with such a long time between model iterations, it did allow rival manufacturers to swoop in with their competition.

As popular as the Toyota LandCruiser nameplate stands in Australia, newer rivals like the Ford Everest were allowed to come in and forge strong competition in the large off-road SUV scene.

We recently picked up two top-spec offerings in the Ford Everest and Toyota LandCruiser Prado model ranges to compare alongside one another, but this review concerns the latter as a standalone review.

Has Toyota come far enough with its fifth-generation Toyota Prado, particularly in flagship specification? Does it still rightly assume its illustrious space in the country’s off-road SUV segment?

I spent some time in the Kakadu variant to find out.

The older Toyota Prado 150 Series was going on 15 years old, albeit with updates, so the introduction of a new successor was big news.

However, it also came at a big price premium – the Toyota Prado in Kakadu guise, as we had it, now costs $99,990 plus on-road costs. It’s a substantial $12,000 more than the old Toyota Prado, and uses a version of the same engine (albeit with 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance).

The price of entry to a Prado now begins at $72,500 before on-road costs, showing you how much of a spread there is in the model line-up.

Even still, the brand has reserved a huge amount of equipment for the top specification.

At the top of the tree, it gets 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped in highway tyres, a 12.3-inch infotainment system, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring, a power-operated tailgate, leather-accented upholstery, adaptive suspension, a 14-speaker JBL sound system, Multi-Terrain Select driving modes, an air-cooled centre console box, a Torsen rear LSD, panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated seats in the first and second rows, a head-up display, and illuminated side steps.

That was a lot in itself, but for a full rundown on specifications, head over to our pricing article. Suffice to say that this is the all-you-can-eat Toyota Prado.

In terms of powertrain, the Toyota Prado Kakadu counts a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine under its bonnet. This outputs 150kW and 500Nm backed up by the support of a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and engine start-stop capability.

It gets an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and drive sent to all four wheels, all of the time. It also includes low-range gearing, and the capability to tow up to 3500kg.

Obviously, on the Prado, it was specified with a big non-standard bull bar that hides its front fascia, but it is a pretty cool-looking thing in the metal. I like the Toyota FJ vibes in the styling, and I think the overall package is ripe for modification.

If you’re a fan of big, chunky, and utilitarian, you’re going to love what Toyota’s done inside the latest Prado’s cabin. Everything is thick and grippy, including the door handles, the big, wide centre console, and the endless amounts of switchgear around the driver.

Of course, the top-spec is equipped with leather-accented seats that offer ample adjustment (although there’s more adjustment for the driver than the passenger), and there’s a wide base to sit on.

It does feel like a traditional four-wheel-drive in that it gets a tall glasshouse that makes the cabin feel very airy and spacious. There’s a light-coloured headlining and a huge panoramic sunroof that aids the airy and bright ambience.

Unfortunately, while the torso and up feels well accommodated, there’s not a ton of space to move about in terms of the driver’s footwell. It does feel particularly hemmed in by the wide centre console and there’s not a heap of space around your thighs.

All the buttons and screens are easily within reach, and I love the tall, lofty driving position.

Around the centre console, there’s a small centre console cubby that is cooled, twin cupholders, a wireless smartphone slot under the dash, and plenty of physical controls for the air outlets.

In terms of plush accents, I don’t think the Prado goes as far as it should have. This is a shame at the top-buying level. There’s no fancy ambient lighting, no design inlays, no quilted stitch for the seats, and no contrast stitching.

Slide into the second row and the Prado remains a very comfortable car.

You’ve got heated and ventilated outboard seats, a tri-zone climate control, twin USB ports, a 12-volt point, map pockets, a nice little LAND CRUISER insignia behind the centre console, and an armrest with cupholders.

While there’s good vision through the low windows and nice light afforded by that huge sunroof, the Prado succumbs to the TNGA platform pitfall of feeling smaller than it should be inside the cabin. It’s fine on outright head room, but my legs were a bit tight behind my own driving position, and my boots didn’t have a ton of space beneath the seat.

If you’ve ever spent time in a LandCruiser 300 Series, you’ll get an idea of what I mean. It’s not dire, but it’s not as big as what you’d expect.

Even worse, while you can adjust the backrest angle, you can’t slide the seat base on rails like you can in the Ford.

The Prado comes with a clumsy fold-and-flip-forward action to accessing the third row – not the best choice for a family SUV.

It is tight once you’re in the third row, and it’s a shame there’s limited adjustability of the second row to accommodate extra space.

There are a couple of cupholders, air vents, and USB ports for charging devices, however.

The real compromise with the Prado packaging comes at the boot.

While I do like the fact that there’s a split pop-out window and a power tailgate, it’s no doubt an afterthought at the Prado’s rearmost, because the third row doesn’t fold flat.

The 48-volt battery is in the way, meaning Toyota has gone with a flimsy solution to a flat floor, incorporating a plastic storage box that’s a compromise at best.

Overall storage volume stands at 182 litres to the third row, 906L to second row, and 1829L to first row.

Infotainment is covered off by a 12.3-inch touchscreen that runs Toyota’s latest software suite. It’s quick enough, has integrated maps, AM/FM/digital radio, and connected services.

It’s pretty easy to use, but I don’t think it’s as slick and visually impressive as other options on the market, such as Ford’s Sync 4 system. It feels more like an off-the-shelf product than one that’s been designed specifically.

That said, I do love the way you can display full-screen Apple CarPlay wirelessly.

At the Kakadu level, you get a 12.3-inch digital cluster that shows a ton of information and is hugely configurable. It takes a bit of time to get your head around, but you can get a real nice set-up in front of your face to show off-road graphics, fuel data, media information, or maps.

You’ve also got a head-up display for the driver’s view.

The Toyota Prado was awarded a full five stars by ANCAP for its crash-test performance and safety assistance systems.

It carries individual scores of 85 per cent for adult occupant protection, 89 per cent for child occupant protection, 84 per cent for vulnerable road users, and 82 per cent for safety assistance systems.

Eight airbags are fitted throughout the Toyota Prado’s interior to protect occupants in the case of a car crash.

It also includes active measures such as autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assistance, lane-centring assistance, adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert and braking, and 360-degree cameras.

In the time I spent with the Prado, no system annoyed me – even despite the Prado’s driver-facing camera that can frustrate in other models. The adaptive cruise control kept good distance to the cars in front, and there were no undue overreactions from AEB systems.

The only thing that a Prado Kakadu gets over the lesser-specced Prado Altitude is a tyre pressure monitor.

Toyota provides a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty alongside each Prado it sells. Unfortunately, while other manufacturers also provide a free roadside assistance program for a number of years, Toyota charges customers $99 per year to access its emergency service.

At least the Prado comes with a full-size spare wheel.

Owners are recommended to visit the dealership once every six months (or 10,000km) for maintenance, costing $390 each time. This is roughly twice as often as something like a Ford Everest.

Comprehensive insurance for a LandCruiser Prado is $1460 according to an online insurance quote generator. This is a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

As for fuel efficiency, we saw 9.2 litres per 100 kilometres on the Toyota’s trip computer compared to a 7.6L/100km claim. This was achieved across a week spent commuting, off-road driving, and on outer-urban dual carriageways.

It’s a shame that despite the addition of a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, it is not as efficient as Toyota would have you believe. It also adds little in the way of performance – but more on that in the next section about the driving experience.

The Toyota has a 110-litre fuel tank.

Today’s Toyota Prado has come on leaps and bounds over its predecessor, but then again, it had a very old base to improve upon.

The newer model is far easier to control, with a lighter steering effort, more gear ratios to choose from, and many more electronic gizmos to help the driver – especially when it comes to off-roading.

For example, I was tackling some hilly terrain in the Prado, and the extra vision provided by the crystal-clear camera feeds was hugely helpful.

One area where the Prado lags behind its competition, however, is ride comfort. It felt a rougher-than-expected experience driving along sealed, corrugated bitumen in the Toyota Prado, as the suspension wasn’t absorbent enough to deal with sustained imperfections.

It deals with larger and harder-edged discomforts, such as speed humps, better, but it’s constantly sending vibrations and interruptions through to the cabin when you’re on uneven terrain.

By comparison, something like the Ford Everest feels far more relaxed in how it deals with the same kind of road.

The Prado utilises a carryover 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that produces less power and torque than that Everest benchmark. Comparatively, the Prado’s 150kW/500Nm outputs are closer aligned to the Everest’s lower-spec 2.0-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder engine.

To use, the Prado’s drivetrain is active and lively, but you have to work it harder than expected. Solid throttle pokes are needed to extract overtaking oomph, though the eight-speed transmission is well suited to the engine.

It’s reactive, shifts at the right time, and works well to keep the Toyota within its prime power band.

This new Prado is a ton easier to wheel, whether you’re driving on country roads or parking it in a tight garage. There’s a light steering quality that might not convey much feel, but the easy weight makes it a cinch to park in parallel parking spots – where the old car was a bit lethargic to manoeuvre.

Where the Prado really does shine is its off-road prowess. There’s fantastic ground clearance to ensure the Prado doesn’t easily get stuck through deep ruts, while the constant four-wheel-drive traction means you never really have to think too hard about leaving paved roads.

Likewise, the off-road traction-control system doesn’t cut in prematurely to hamper your progress, and the body's dimensions are easily placed within ruts.

This Kakadu specification doesn’t have the rear locking differential of the Altitude variant, but there’s a multitude of off-road technology to get stuck into. Crawl Control is really easy to deploy, and there are plenty of specific off-road modes available to the driver.

Driving the Prado, one of the biggest pitfalls is its lack of refinement. You can feel the Prado’s engine working hard through vibrations and noise. The Prado does come with a great, lofty driving position that feels proper 4x4, but it certainly doesn’t expel car-like levels of refinement.

All variants of the new Toyota Prado come with a 750kg unbraked tow rating, which extends up to 3500kg with a braked trailer.

Using Toyota’s rated 3200kg gross vehicle mass and the Kakadu’s 2595kg kerb weight, a calculated 605kg payload rating means you’d easily be able to fit seven people on board with an average weight of 86kg.

However, assuming a 350kg towball down weight based on a 3500kg load, this would consume more than half of the 605kg payload. So, this is something to consider when towing heavy loads using the Toyota Prado.

There are so many Toyota Prado diehards around the country that will be hugely impressed with what the Big T has done with this latest-generation car.

From the fresh, boxy looks to the suite of new tech inside the cabin, the fifth-generation Prado is a massive improvement over an ageing predecessor.

But, boy, you have to pay for it. The Kakadu top specification is $12,000 more than it was previously, and it’s arguably not the variant to pick if you’re serious about heading off paved roads.

It lacks the off-road 18-inch wheels wrapped in all-terrain tyres of the Altitude off-road hero, plus there’s no stabiliser disconnect feature or rear-locking differential to enhance its off-road prowess.

The seven-seat variants are also a disappointment due to the poorly planned interior and inefficient boot space.

Those keen on heading bush will be better served by the down-spec Toyota Prado Altitude.

In the end, as an on-road all-you-can-eat flagship of the range, the Prado Kakadu comes off a little compromised too. There was more noise and vibrations than I expected of a range-topping variant, and the sheer cost places it well above its competition, like the Ford Everest, which is excellent for everyday use.

As such, the buying is arguably better the less you spend on a Toyota Prado. If you’re heading off-road, the Altitude is the pick, but if you’re planning on spending the majority of time on bitumen, the GXL or VX variants strike the right balance between price and features.

Tom started out in the automotive industry by exploiting his photographic skills but quickly learned journalists got the better end of the deal. With tenures at CarAdvice, Wheels Media, and now Drive, Tom's breadth of experience and industry knowledge informs a strong opinion on all things automotive. At Drive, Tom covers automotive news, car reviews, advice, and holds a special interest in long-form feature stories.

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