2010 LR4 vs. 2010 Toyota Prado: Which would you pay for?
For many years the Land Cruiser Prado and the Discovery have been battling for the hearts and minds of many serious off-road users. From across the jungles of Africa to the plain of Australia bush. According to Autocar tester Andrew Frankel, the discovery has always come second best. When looking at the statistic the Discovery […]
For many years the Land Cruiser Prado and the Discovery have been battling for the hearts and minds of many serious off-road users. From across the jungles of Africa to the plain of Australia bush. According to Autocar tester Andrew Frankel, the discovery has always come second best.
When looking at the statistic the Discovery also known as the LR4, has impressive numbers that should give you goose bump. He also says that the LR4 off- road figures are very similar to that of the Prado. The LR4 is a 4-door. It can seat up to 7-passenger. It’s a luxury sport-utility; available in one trim only, the base price is $48,100. By the time it gets to Nigeria it would likely reached $60,000. Upon introduction, the LR4 is equipped with a standard 5.0-liter, V8, 375-horsepower engine that achieves 12-mpg in the city and 17-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard. Land Rover LR4 has better road feel and far better acceleration than the LR3-and amazing off-road prowess. It amazingly comfortable, according to Andrew, and it feels like a limo. It is certainly not as tough as the Prado but it will manage well to compete with it. Again it comfort is superb.
According to the Carconnection the third-row option has decent room but is tough to access. Reliability is a concern. When it comes to safety the LR4 has interesting technology for safe off-roading and trailering, but no crash tests have been performed to confirm its impact protection. It also ha a more sophisticated chassis than the Prado which will need more care. Still Toyota has chosen to stick with unit construction type of chassis which is old fashion, simple and easier to handle during repairs. The Prado has a big thumping four cylinder engine with its regular five speed transmission and a life axle. What that means is it makes the car tough at the cost of comfort compared to the LR4.
One of the things that might make people look at an LR4 is that it has a more sophisticated look than the Prado. To the European the Prado still looks rough and tough like a farmer’s car but in Nigeria it looks like a tough vehicle which is why many people spend money to it. The Prado has a reliability record which the LR4would have to struggle against. With the Prado you could confidently cover 200,000 miles without a fuss while is Toyota’s niche here in Nigeria. The Prado according to Andrew is tough with off-road abilities it simply does not give even in the toughest terrain. If it gets stuck it will keep trying till it gets out.
So which would you buy for off-road capability? The Prado is tough and will get you out of any rough terrain it would face just as the LR4. But the Prado has a better reliability record where as the LR4 is the easiest to drive. So they tie in evenly. What if you were to take it on road? Obviously the Prado doesn’t stand a chance.