New Toyota Prado vs Ford Everest – Luxury 4×4 battle

The next-gen Toyota Prado is finally here and is already taking South Africa by storm with impressive sales numbers despite its hefty price tag.

The new Adventure SUV asks that enthusiasts put down a payment of at least R1,296,300, which is only R71,400 more than another high-end 4×4 – the flagship Ford Everest Platinum.

While the previous-generation Everest was more on par with the Toyota Fortuner, the current iteration has a much higher performance ceiling that makes it more comparable to Toyota’s beloved Prado series.

Since Ford and Toyota are the two biggest off-road brands in South Africa, it’s only natural to see how these two titans compare in terms of their engines, bundu-bashing prowess, and features.

Performance

Toyota’s latest take on the Prado features the brand’s familiar 2.8-litre turbocharged diesel engine, while the top-spec Everest is equipped with a 3.0-litre, V6, turbo-diesel.

You can find a full breakdown of the two different engines below:

Specification	Toyota Prado TX	Ford Everest Platinum
Engine	2.8-litre turbo diesel	3.0-litre turbo diesel
Power	150kW	184kW
Torque	500Nm	600Nm
Fuel consumption	7.9l/100km	8.4l/100km
Top speed	165km/h	180km/h

The Ford’s higher displacement wins the day with more considerable power and torque stats, though this does come at the cost of slightly higher fuel usage.

Regarding their transmissions, the Toyota uses an eight-speed automatic shifter while its rival is fitted with a 10-speed auto box.

Both vehicles are also equipped with a permanent all-wheel-drive system with a rear diff lock and a low-range transfer case.

The powertrains are only half the story though, as the vehicles’ dimensions play a big part in their off-road manners, which you can see below:

Specification	Toyota Prado TX	Ford Everest Platinum
Length	4,925mm	4,940mm
Width	1,980mm	2,015mm
Height	1,935mm	1,837mm
Wheelbase	2,850mm	2,900mm
Ground clearance	206mm	226mm
Wading depth	700mm	800mm
Approach angle	30.0 degrees	30.3 degrees
Break-over angle	25.0 degrees	21.9 degrees
Departure angle	17.0 degrees	23.3 degrees
Boot capacity	120 – 620 litres	259 – 898 litres
Towing capacity	3,500kg	3,500kg

The American is slightly larger than its Japanese rival, though it’s fair to say that neither is particularly slim.

The Blue Oval has the edge with a longer wheelbase and ground clearance complemented by a more impressive water-wading depth, though the Toyota does have the better break-over angle.

Also worth highlighting is the fact that both SUVs are seven-seaters, and the Prado has boot space for 120 litres when the rear bench is up, which expands to 620 litres when it’s folded.

The Everest, meanwhile, can take 259 litres with seven passengers, or 898 litres when the two rear-most seats are down.

Both models can also tow a maximum of 3,500kg thanks to their substantial torque figures.

Features

The brochure for each 4×4 is rather extensive, as you’d expect from a premium SUV.

Both models come with automatic LED headlights and daytime running lights, keyless entry and start, leather upholstery, an electronically adjustable driver’s chair, heated and ventilated front seats, a leather multifunction steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, a digital driver’s display, an infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a powered tailgate.

The Prado TX and Everest Platinum also bring numerous assistance and safety items such as tyre-pressure monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, hill-descent control, traction control, brake assist, vehicle stability control, and lane-trace assist.

As for where they differ, the Toyota has 18-inch alloy rims, a 7.0-inch instrument cluster, an 8.0-inch landscape media screen, a rearview camera, and six speakers.

Since the Platinum is the range-topping version of the Ford rather than the entry-level spec, it has a handful of extra selling points like larger 21-inch alloys, a 12.4-inch driver display, a 12-inch portrait touchscreen, a wireless charger, 360-degree cameras, and a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo.

One other aspect to highlight concerns each car’s driving modes, as the Everest has settings for Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, and Sand.

The Prado, on the other hand, offers Normal, Eco, and Sport settings as well as Toyota’s Multi-Terrain Select tool for Rock, Dirt, Snow, Mud, and Sand.