Order book open for entry Land Cruiser wagon, with deliveries beginning later this year.

EXPECTATION that a massive ramp up in technology would also lift the Toyota Prado’s pricing regime has been proven accurate.

Announcement of stickers for the upcoming four variants - to replace three representing the outgoing line - relate the full extent of change.

Using latest published prices for the outgoing line as a guide, the new base edition - now simply called Prado - at $83,990 costs $11,000 more than its outgoing GX equivalent.

The gap widens to $12,000 for the next up VX, which lands in new shape for $93,990.

The VX Limited in new form is going to cost $105,990, whereas the outgoing type has listed for $91,990.

Toyota New Zealand is also now adding an Adventure grade vehicle, which will cost $103,990, rising to $104,990 with optional two tone paint.

The Palmerston North-centred make has also advised it will have the vehicle at next week’s Fieldays ag show at Hamilton, where it will be taking orders.

The display example is cited as being a pre-production vehicle; if it is the vehicle in the image they have released, it will have been borrowed from Australia - that car is on Victoria number plates.

TNZ says Prado will be arriving for test drives from August and customer deliveries start in October.

Prado’s general technical detail - including how closely related it is to the Land Cruiser 300-Series - is well known and the information relating to the vehicle as it sells in Australia would seem to give good guidance to what we can expect here.

It’s easy to pick due to the new styling direction of a more-rugged body, similar to the Land Rover Defender, with a squared-off rear end, a boxier front end with an upright A-pillar and high bonnet line, and an available two-tone roof.

All versions are powered by a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine with 48-volt fuel-saving technology, dubbed V-Active, which is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends drive to all four wheels.

The 150kW/500Nm output matches the outgoing Prado that had the same engine, without the 48V upgrade.

The powertrain is good for a braked towing capacity of 3500kg, an almost 17 percent increase from before, while a crawl control borrowed from the larger LandCruiser 300 Series now also features.

The body design is, of course, all new. Standard for Prado are LED headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, heated and powered side mirrors, side steps, body-coloured door handles, and a split-opening tailgate.

As much as it is a different looker from the kerbside, the interior is where major revision really strikes home. It’s also all-new and radically modernised.

Features there include a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, 7.0-inch driver display, 10-speaker sound system, digital radio, USB-C charging ports, in-built satellite navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

Among safety and driver assist systems are adaptive cruise control, lane trace assist, autonomous emergency braking, a driver monitor, surround-view monitor, front and rear parking sensors, safe exist assist, and blind-spot monitoring as standard, as well as nine airbags.

The entry, mid-range and Adventure trims are five seaters. The flagship Limited has a third row of seats, taking that occupancy to seven.

VX and VX Limited also seem likely to provision a parking support brake system, synthetic leather-accented seats, power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated and cooled front seats, leather-accented steering wheel and shifter, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, wireless smartphone charger, rear privacy glass, and door-trim illumination.

Elsewhere the premium trim adopts chrome grille, bi-LED headlights, 20-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured bumpers, premium leather interior, driver’s seat memory function, power-adjustable front passenger seat, power-adjustable steering wheel, cooled console box, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 14-speaker JBL sound system.

The VX Limited is confirmed as a recipient of adaptive variable suspension. It is assumed to also be the beneficiary for a revised Multi-Terrain Select traction control system for added off-road support.

Off-roader wagons tend to have long lifespans, but the outgoing Prado was among the more ancient. It was released in 2009 and even then that product essentially a reskin of the 120 Series which debuted in 2002.

TNZ says the Adventure model will be focused on off-roading performance with a rear differential lock, and stabiliser disconnect mechanism.