Toyota SA to drop Hilux’s 2,8-litre turbodiesel into Land Cruiser Prado…

Toyota South Africa Motors has confirmed it plans to soon offer the Land Cruiser Prado with the 2,8-litre turbodiesel that debuted in the Hilux.

The local arm of the Japanese firm confirmed to CARmag.co.za at the SA launch of the Lexus RC F that it plans rejig the Prado’s engine line-up before the end of 2019.

We expect the four-cylinder oil-burner – which, of course, also does duty locally in the Fortuner range – to replace the 3,0-litre unit that currently powers three of the five variants in the Prado line-up.

While local engine specifications have yet to be revealed, it’s worth noting that in Australia the 2,8 D-4D powerplant available in the Prado offers 130 kW at 3 400 r/min, some ten units up on the outgoing 3,0-litre engine. Linked to a six-speed automatic transmission, the 2,8-litre mill generates 450 N.m between 1 600 and 2 400 r/min (up 50 N.m on the old engine’s peak).

That’s enough for a 3 000 kg braked towing capacity and claimed combined fuel consumption of 8,0 L/100 km. Toyota Australia furthermore offers the engine in conjunction with a six-speed manual gearbox (and a slightly lower torque figure of 420 N.m), but that combination seems unlikely to form part of the rejigged South African range.

The current seven-seater Prado range in South Africa – which was last updated locally in November 2017 – also includes the Japanese firm’s 4,0-litre V6 petrol engine, which powers two variants.