In the post-epidemic era, people finally broke free from the dull days and began to yearn for freedom endlessly. The “Insight White Paper on Chinese Travel Consumption Trends” reveals four new trends in travel consumption in 2023: niche uniqueness, casual relaxation, unknown surprises, and depth in the local area. All reflect the modern emotional and spiritual pursuits. As lifestyle and aesthetic tastes fluctuate, trends and patterns also evolve. For example, in recent years, the rise of “special forces-style” travel, “Citywalk”, camping, and off-road style have gradually become a new urban trend. The latter, as a leisure activity, has also become popular among people from all walks of life. With no fixed landmarks and no established routes, each trip is a completely new exploration, which is exactly what those who love off-roading pursue. In response to this “itch,” FAW Toyota has launched the all-new Prado, a high-quality, versatile, and suitable for both home and business, individual hardcore off-road vehicle, into the mid-to-large SUV market.
“The Return of Domineering Attitude: The Prado is More Off-Road In the hardcore off-road vehicle segment, although many car manufacturers gather and compete fiercely, compared to other models, the Prado’s high-end market has few competitors. Since FAW Toyota introduced the Prado to the Chinese market in 2003, it has been widely loved. By 2020, the cumulative number of users in China was nearly 350,000, and its global sales have exceeded 11.3 million vehicles, its influence is self-evident.”
Now the Prado is back, after a four-year absence, just for a magnificent comeback. The all-new Prado has been upgraded in many aspects, equipped with a more environmentally friendly 2.4T super hybrid system, and introducing the T-Pilot intelligent driving assistance system. The new car is built on Toyota’s latest TNGA-F platform, and is related to the Lexus GX, LX, as well as the all-new Sequoia, Tundra, and Land Cruiser. The platform uses a non-bearing body structure, longitudinal engine, and torque-amplifying four-wheel drive differential, equipped with a Torque Vectoring Center Differential, and also has a P2 hybrid system, giving the new Prado the three major characteristics of cloud-like comfort, wind-like off-road performance, and environmentally friendly hybrid.
The all-new Prado offers platinum white, ink black, polar gray, and platinum bronze metallic exteriors, as well as black, beige, and brown interiors. It features a new front face, rectangular headlights, and exclusive body decals. The body lines have abandoned the previous softness and adopted the popular “square box” design in recent years, making it unforgettable at first sight.
In the design of the light group, the fusion of retro round lights and modern turn signal functions pays tribute to the classic SUV elements and pursues the current aesthetic trend. To reduce air resistance during travel, the Prado is equipped with exclusive front and rear air deflectors, as well as electronic rearview mirrors, providing drivers with a clearer and more intuitive rear view, and improving safety while driving.
The side and rear of the car body continue the use of milky white and black materials to create a distinct sense of beauty, making it more compact and agile. To solve the problem of off-road enthusiasts being unable to open the tailgate in water environments, the all-new Prado has created a unique upper and lower independent opening and closing double tailgate design. In terms of rear design, it does not follow the current trend of through-type taillights, but adheres to the classic design of square headlights on both sides. The silver trim displays the word “TOYOTA,” and the upward opening method of the rear door and the independently opening rear windshield retain the practical and convenient design concept. The all-new Prado also places a full-size spare tire at the rear of the chassis. For different hardcore off-road submarkets, the all-new Prado offers four levels: UN, ALR, ADV, and LUX HI, with both 5-seater and 6-seater cabin layouts to meet the needs of different users. Among them, UN corresponds to off-road; ALR corresponds to personalization; ADV and LUX HI correspond to fashion and high-end, respectively, meeting different user needs.
Market trend, Prado breaks through with “quality” A survey shows that in recent years, the market for hardcore off-road vehicles has been skyrocketing. The market size reached 67.267 billion yuan in 2021, and is expected to soar to 72.774 billion yuan in 2022, with a growth rate far exceeding the overall expansion of the automotive market. It is expected that by 2024, the market will expand to 104.201 billion yuan. Obviously, hardcore off-road vehicles have become the new favorite of the market, and every company is coveting this future cake. The key to capturing it is the competitiveness of the product itself. In this context, the all-new Prado, with decades of Toyota’s inheritance of reliability and stability, will have a qualitative improvement in its power system by 2024. With the i-Force MAX 2.4T hybrid system and Direct Shift-8AT gearbox it carries, this system, based on the P2 hybrid architecture, Toyota has added electric motors to the engine and gearbox, making the power more robust, bringing 243kW and 630N·m of power reserve, enough to leave competitors in the dust.
Not only that, the all-new Prado also features the Torsen limited-slip center differential full-time four-wheel drive system and electronic control mechanical rear axle differential lock, ensuring stability with every step of the journey. Meanwhile, the MTM with multi-terrain selection function monitoring system, MTS multi-terrain optional driving assistance device, and PVM panoramic monitoring system, even in extreme environments, can be as easy as walking on flat ground. Relying on Toyota’s unremitting focus and continuous pursuit of quality, Prado has been able to stand in the world for many years, and it is also the result of Toyota’s collaboration in research and development, quality, and production systems. According to official disclosures, the rigidity of the new Prado’s body has been increased by an astonishing 50% compared to the previous generation. At the same time as the improvement in body quality, the intelligent level inside the new Prado has greatly improved. On the center console, the all-new Prado is equipped with a full LCD instrument panel and an 8-inch touch screen, while the higher-end models are equipped with a 12.3-inch screen. Numerous intelligent networking functions, such as GPS navigation, mobile phone interconnection mapping, and so on, are all available.
The all-new Prado is equipped with Toyota’s latest Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 intelligent safety system, adding the PDA predictive active driving assistance system, which can detect potential obstacles such as pedestrians and vehicles in advance when turning; emergency driving stop system, road sign recognition assistance system, parking assistance braking system, and safety exit assistance system, all of which demonstrate its supreme pursuit of driving safety. In addition, the meticulous details of the all-new Prado undoubtedly demonstrate its ultimate pursuit of technology and comfort. Whether it’s leather power seats, panoramic sunroof/electric sunroof, in-car refrigerator, HUD head-up display, or reverse image, it provides an unprecedented luxury off-road experience for users who seek a technological driving experience. 73 years of craftsmanship, the all-new Prado has much to offer Over the past seventy-three years, the Prado has been continuously honed and has strictly adhered to Toyota’s QDR quality requirements. It has created the so-called “residual value myth” in the industry, becoming the preferred vehicle for rescue, scientific research, and security fields. After forty-four years, the Prado has returned, not attempting to escape its past, but rather returning to its origins.
If the past fan base of Prado was mostly older outdoor adventure enthusiasts with a deep emotional connection to the vehicle, then the new Prado’s technological innovations, combined with its intelligent features, will not only provide off-road enthusiasts with a safer, more efficient, and more reassuring driving experience, but also attract a younger consumer base to join the Prado family, making the user profile younger. By early March, the pre-order volume of the new Prado had exceeded 5,000 units, a testament to its enduring charm. FAW Toyota has publicly stated its annual production capacity plan of 36,000 units, showing confidence in the market response. After all, the previous generation Prado has accumulated a large user base and has consistently upheld the brand values of FAW Toyota. Now, with the introduction of more intelligent configurations, the market performance is bound to live up to expectations.