“Big Easy” Prado still top dog
By: Henrie Geyser
Toyota's stalwart Prado is as still as trendy as a pair of CAT boots, even though it's been around as long as scuffed, well-worn velskoene that have trudged the Fish River canyon a good few times over the years.
And so what if it's been around since early 2002, it still remains one of the most popular and reliable sports utility chariots on South African roads.
And quite deservedly so, because when it comes to combining classy highway comfort and amazing off-road ability, few modern machines do it better than this Big Easy.
Over the years, it has undergone quite a bit of cosmetic surgery and the latest model also brags with fancies such as satellite navigation system, a handy little cooler compartment between the front seats to keep the frosties cold for the sunset drinks in the bush, a classy sound system and a host of button controls on the steering wheel.
The cabin interior is as plush as flying First Class, with baby soft leather seats as big and comfortable as old club chairs, electric mirrors and seat adjustments, plus an aircon that copes magnificently with even the harshest Africa weather extremes.
Model choices are between two three-litre turbo-diesel models (R438,400 and R488,900) and a big four-litre petrol version (R488,500) which has enough muscle to tow the Cape Town's ferry boat to Robben Island and back.
Both the diesel and petrol engines might well be a bit old-worldish by now, but hey, why invent the wheel if the current models are still working so exceptionally well? The Prado model range is scheduled to be completely updated, but that's not going to happen for least another year or so.
Although no stranger to the company of the Prado, I recently spent a few pleasant days on highways, across some rugged mountain territory and along long stretches of sand and gravel road in the big petrol version and came away as impressed as I've always been with this tough Toyota.
It is an exceptionally comfortable and quiet motorway cruiser, happy to tick over at the legal speed limit, but if you stomp down to overtake it responds with amazing agility and plenty of punch.
And so it should, with the broad-shouldered V6 upfront pushing out a robust 179kW and 376Nm.
It might be big, broad and high but it feels rock steady through the corners, with very little disconcerting top-heavy lean that some big ‘uns in this class suffer from.
When the going gets tough the Prado can take most things that Mother Nature can throw at it in its stride - bundu-bashing, river-beds, deep water and ugly boulders are navigated with ease, often in normal automatic mode, which you can click right down to 1st.
And if the going gets
really ugly, there is still the easy-to-engage short-lever fourwheel-drive option which, on our trip, we never needed to involve once.
Even with a Big Five team of okes on board, plus mountains of luggage, many cases of Germanic amber refreshment and fermented grape juice, plus enough red meat to drive vegetarians to lettuce overdose, the Prado never once faltered in its step.
Our little trip into the hinterland confirmed yet again that not many (even fancier and more expensive!) Tyger Valley Tractors can match the Prado when it comes to comfort, ride, enduring quality, off-road ability, economy, reputation and price - and it fully deserves its top dog status.
It stands proud in the company of serious off-roaders and ranks head-and-shoulders above the wannabe 4x4 pretenders you see on the mom's taxi school run, or parked on pavements outside gyms, coffee shops and trendy restaurants - a fact that will readily be acknowledged, even by the veterans of the two-tone khaki shirt faw-ba-faw brigade.
More by Henrie Geyser
More...ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Henrie Geyser has worked as a journalist in Cape Town, London and Windhoek for the Argus Company (now Independent Newspapers) and spent 12 years at The Cape Argus in Cape Town. He then owned and ran a public relations consultancy for 13 years. He joined the online publishing industry through iafrica.com, where he worked for five years as News Editor and Editor. He now freelances for a variety of print and online publications, on the subjects of cars, food and travel, among others; and is a member of the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists.
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