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When I got the rent of 1000 yuan a day,PradoWhile I was still complaining about how expensive this all-round TX version of the 5-seater was, priced at 519,800 yuan, the designated driver was unloading the car while talking to me about how easy this off-road vehicle was to drive.

Passersby next to me also asked me with interest: "Is this the newest generation of Prado?"

On the way, I also encountered 3Tank 300Following closely and checking in to take photos, we can see how popular the new Prado is in the off-road circle and how stable its status in the industry is after several generations of products.

But if you want to spend more than 500,000 yuan to buy oneToyotaMany people would think that off-road vehicles are crazy and too expensive - in fact, I also think it is expensive. Many friends also said that if there are still dealers who are increasing the price to sell cars now, "either the production capacity is in short supply, then they are either stupid or evil, living in the heyday of the past."

3.0T six-cylinder plug-in hybridTank 700 New Energy, the price is about 100,000 yuan cheaper; and less than 300,000 yuanEquation Leopard 5The Yunniang Deluxe Edition is also equipped with a variable damping suspension...

In a word: In 2024, the new Prado has no advantage at all when comparing book data and static feelings against domestic green-plate hard-core off-road vehicles.

But after two days of in-depth experience of urban road conditions, I still feel that this new Prado with simple configuration and expensive price can still teach domestic green-plate off-road vehicles a lesson in terms of product strength, especially in dynamic performance. After all:

Off-road vehicles are really meant to be driven.

This HEV hybrid system consisting of a 2.4T turbo engine + battery + motor is the biggest asset of this generation of Prado. It has a smooth response and strong mid-range power burst. Even if I don’t go off-road, I can imagine the new Prado being calm and confident on unpaved roads.

It can be said that Toyota has poured all the essence of its more than ten years of building HEV models into the new Prado.

You can feel that it has both 2.5L dual engineHighlanderIt has the response of the D-4ST turbo torque burst and the silky shifting feeling close to that of E-CVT.

Except that it is slightly weaker than the old 6-cylinder 4.0 Prado in the speed range above 120km/h, its performance in urban driving within 80km/h makes up for the biggest weakness of the previous generation Prado. This is mainly due to the battery motor of this hybrid system. The motor is located between the engine and the 8-speed gearbox. It belongs to the P2 parallel hybrid structure and can output 36kW and 250N·m. The 1.87kWh nickel-metal hydride battery pack, combined with the 2.4T engine body, can achieve a comprehensive power of 330 horsepower and a comprehensive torque of 630N·m.

Don’t underestimate the motor’s torque output of only 250N·m. The initial stage relies entirely on the motor to generate power, avoiding the working range of turbo hysteresis. After the turbine is pressurized, the motor takes over and continues to assist in power output.

In the city, you can feel the role of this motor when you stop and go. As long as you don't start with a big throttle, the motor will work purely within 0-15km/h. When driving at a constant speed, the motor will also switch to output. At the same time, the engine remains in idle state, ready to take over power at any time. Only when the vehicle speed exceeds 80km/h will it exceed the power assistance working range of the motor.

Therefore, the most efficient power range of the new Prado is 40-80km/h, which is powerful and fuel-efficient, and the response is faster than the old Prado's 4.0. At the same time, the small battery motor has little impact on the weight of the car, and the mid-range acceleration of about 60-80km/h can give a very light dynamic experience.

The acceleration feeling of the hybrid Prado is nottankThe 700/Leopard 5's 0-100km/h acceleration is so exaggerated at 4-5 seconds, and the official level is about 8.9 seconds, but as a blue-plate off-road vehicle, the Prado wins in terms of quick response and no turbo lag. The actual power experience is also about 7 seconds from 0-100km/h, and you can hear the whistle of the turbo intake when accelerating at full speed. For the Prado, such power performance seems a bit rich - after all, the torque of 630N·m is really easy to deal with the curb weight of 2.4 tons.

In general, the logic of the new Prado is that the motors work together first to increase traction, and then the turbines continue to output in parallel after entering the optimal working range.

It is amazing that I can still feel the feeling of an electric car in the new Prado, because this 8AT gearbox has no sense of setbacks or drag when shifting gears. This is mainly because the P2 motor is located between the engine and the 8-speed gearbox, which does not interrupt the power output. If it were not for the sound of the engine shifting gears, sometimes people would think that this car uses the E-CVT gearbox commonly used in HEV models.

It is worthy of being Toyota and an international manufacturer.

Of course, the old problems of the TNGA platform are not missing in the new Prado. The engine is still very grainy and lacks a bit of texture. Just like the Highlander 2.5 hybrid, you can even feel the accelerator pedal vibrating when accelerating. And the driving rhythm of the whole car is not easy to find. In the normal mode, the accelerator will seem too jumpy when following the car in the city. In the economic mode, it is just right, but the motor is in a strong kinetic energy recovery state, and the speed range at the beginning of work is a bit erratic.

I thought about it and it was probably because the motor couldn't find the gear position of the gearbox under certain working conditions and didn't know how much motor speed to use and how much torque to output. The linearity of the output of this 2.4T hybrid system is still different from that of the 6-cylinder naturally aspirated system, but it is very close.

In terms of sound insulation and quietness, this new Prado still looks like a 500,000-class car. Although it only has a single layer of glass, the sense of isolation is still very good. With ANC active noise reduction, the sound insulation materials in the cabin are considered to be expensive. The 265-width Dunlop AT tires are still positioned mainly for road use, and the overall tire noise is acceptable in daily driving.

The improvement in sound insulation has also brought another benefit. The new Prado has become a magic weapon that is very suitable for high-speed and long-distance driving. After all, off-road players have to drive for several hours from big cities to reach those off-road and crossing routes.

Although it still trembles when going over speed bumps, and the overall damping of the suspension is relatively stiff, all the impacts transmitted into the car are filtered by the tires, suspension and beams, so there is no harsh impact. Compared with the old generation Prado, it has much improved roll control and cornering ability. The anti-roll bar feels much thicker. When changing lanes quickly at 120km/h on the highway, there is no extra swing when the body returns to the center. The version of the Formula Leopard 5 without the cloud chariot feels trembling and soft, but this Prado is much better in pitch and roll control.

The electronic power steering has a strong sense of centering and a large return torque, which is a characteristic of other models on the TNGA platform. The steering feel is very similar to that of an SUV, rather than the kind of hard-core off-road vehicle with vague initial directionality and poor directionality. From starting to turn the plate to completing the steering, the consistency of the feel is very good.

If the power feels like an F-150 Raptor, then the lightness of the handling is like a large-sized Jimny.

In addition, the four-piston brake system performs well, and the brake force release is very linear, which makes it easy to control the distance between vehicles and gives the driver enough predictive confidence. The new Prado can have such dynamic performance, which I think is inseparable from its weight. The 2.4-tonne card position is in front of the 2.8-tonne and 3.1-tonne green-plate off-road vehicles, which is considered to have a very low body fat rate. Of course, the 4-cylinder engine and small battery motor also contribute to this.

Why did I say before that the new Prado is a high-speed machine? It is also because the Toyota Safety driving assistance system, which is equipped with the L2 level as standard on all models, is really very useful. The distance control is precise, and it is a typical logic of braking from a long distance, but the braking force is very gentle.LexusThe LX600 should have the same control system. And it works well in the city. Sitting in the passenger seat, you can't tell if someone is interfering with the brakes. It takes great care of the passenger experience. It is rare to find such a competent L2 driving assistance system on current blue-brand hard-core off-road vehicles.

Finally, after driving around Chengdu twice, passing more than 100 traffic lights and at an average speed of 27km/h, the new Prado's fuel consumption was 10.2L/100km. After filling up the 68L tank and hanging the gun, the fuel consumption displayed by the gas pump was also 10.2L/100km.

If you have no idea about this fuel consumption, let me give you an example. The Tank 300 with a part-time four-wheel drive system and a curb weight of 2.1 tons has almost this actual fuel consumption level. The new Prado with full-time four-wheel drive and a curb weight of 2.4 tons can get this number. You can feel Toyota's profound skills.

After giving the surprise, it’s still time to complain.

This Prado, which costs more than 500,000 yuan, still has some disappointing parts. The driver's lumbar support can only be adjusted but not up and down, the passenger seat cannot be adjusted up and down, and there is no lumbar support adjustment. The center console IP panel parts are also loose, which is not enough for a 500,000 yuan car. The overall workmanship makes people feel that it is still at the level of a 200,000 yuan Highlander.

Compared with the previous generation models, whose interiors were either made of wood or aluminum panels, and had a light-colored leather style with a delicate touch, I think the new Prado has undergone a significant change in positioning - it has become a purer off-road vehicle.

In the previous generation of models, I think Prado is first a luxury SUV, and then an off-road vehicle. Now, the positioning of luxury SUV may have been replaced by the same platform.Lexus GX550 takes over.

Drivers Summary:

After taking the old Prado owner for an experience, he said from the bottom of his heart:

"I never thought that Prado would be able to provide such a comprehensive dynamic experience today."

Indeed, with a curb weight of 2.4 tons and a full-time four-wheel drive system with a Torsen central limited-slip differential, this 2.4T hybrid system performs excellently. Coupled with the fuel consumption of 10.2L/100KM in urban driving, as a blue-plate off-road vehicle, the new generation Prado has almost no shortcomings in terms of dynamic level.

But obviously, the positioning of the new Prado has changed compared with before. I think the price of 510,000 yuan for the mid-range model is still too expensive - the price should be at least 50,000 yuan lower to be a normal price that matches its product strength.

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