The next-generation Toyota Prado was supposed to make its South African debut in April but now firmly into May, the 4×4 has yet to go on sale.
The local arm of Toyota confirmed to TopAuto that the delayed introduction of the new Prado is “due to homologation processes.”
Homologation refers to the evaluation of whether a vehicle meets domestic standards and regulations, which is usually performed by an official body such as the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications, and it must be completed by each new car entering the country.
The SUV is now scheduled to land in South African dealerships in June with the media to get their first taste of it in July, said Toyota.
What to expect
At launch, the new Prado will be sold in TX and VX-R specification levels with a limited run of “First Edition” units to be available, too.
The range will be powered by Toyota’s dependable 2.8-litre turbocharged diesel engine churning out 150kW and 500Nm, mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox that delivers power to all four corners.
The manufacturer hasn’t announced the final specifications and features of the upcoming Prado just yet, though a quick hands-on with the SUV in January revealed that there will be plenty of amenities in the flagship VX-R entry.
This includes automatic LED lights, leather-wrapped seats with heating and ventilation in front, a heated steering wheel, a wireless phone charger, voice control, tri-zone climate control, and a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display and central touchscreen of the same size.
Several advanced driver assistance systems are also included like adaptive cruise control, lane-trace assist, and an around-view camera system.
Standing 4,925mm long, 1,980mm wide, and 1,870mm high; the new Prado is 100mm longer, 95mm wider, and 20mm taller than the existing model, and it now has a 60mm-longer wheelbase of 2,850mm courtesy of the upgraded TNGA-F architecture that also underpins the pricier Land Cruiser 300.
The complete specifications and pricing for the next-generation Prado will be announced closer to its launch date.
As a reference, the current model starts at R1,168,400 whereas the Land Cruiser 300’s barrier to entry is pegged at R1,458,900, indicating that the new Prado should start somewhere between R1.2 million and R1.4 million.
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