Toyota LandCruiser Prado GXL 150 Series vs 250 Series comparison

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It’s the 4×4 twin test that had to happen. The Old Faithful Toyota Prado 150 Series – a model on sale for the best part of 15 years – up against its successor, the boldly differently-styled, larger and far pricier LandCruiser Prado 250 Series replacement.

Some 20,000 Australians had already put deposits down on the new Prado at its late 2024 launch, emphasising the demand and faith in this vehicle. But key question: should those with a 150 Series consider upgrading? How much has the game really been moved on?

On a wet, grey and perilously muddy day in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, we brought together a 2018 150 Series and new 2025 250 Series, both in volume-selling GXL grades with seven seats. 

Chasing Cars journalist Zak Adkins’ parents provided the six-year-old 130kW/450Nm 150 Series GXL with six-speed auto. It’s a standard vehicle save for a two-inch suspension lift, bull bar and snorkel: very popular upgrades.

Our aim was to compare old with new, but also address concerns many perspective buyers have about the 250 Series. 

These include the absence of power hike for the diesel engine over the outgoing 150 Series specification, a smaller fuel tank than before, and why’s there no rear diff lock nor a side-hinged tailgate? Further, what’s with AdBlue now required, and why is everybody complaining about the boot layout?

Value

A few months ago, the outgoing Prado 150 GXL cost $69,530 before on-roads. The same grade as a 250 Series is $79,990. 

A smidge over $10,000 difference then. No small sum, and that was the generational changeover in 2024. Rewind our test vehicle’s vintage, and new off the showroom floor in 2018 this automatic example was priced from $62,990 before on-roads.

Design’s subjective, but parking the two Prados beside each other, I’d be happy to pay the extra $10k on looks alone for the newcomer over the last generation. The 250 presents as tougher and ruggeder with a more slab-sided face and upright windscreen.

Its retro boxiness, rectangular headlights, milk crate grille, trapezoidal wheel arches (which help dissipate mud) and Tonka-like high bonnet make the old 150 looks decidedly elderly and plain alongside it. The 250 Series with LED lighting all round absolutely looks the more desirable and expensive model.

The new car’s a smidge larger, but it’s barely noticed in the metal. The 250 shares the LandCruiser 300 Series’ TNGA-F platform with the same 2850mm wheelbase – that’s a 60mm stretch over old. At 4990mm, it’s up to 165mm longer, or just 60mm with the old model’s rear-mounted spare. The 250 Series is also wider by 95mm, and front and rear tracks are widened by 79mm and 83mm respectively.

Buyers snare the 250’s 3500kg towing capacity over the 150’s 3000kg (although read our main launch review for payload compromises); while as before, the new car has permanent four-wheel drive. However, the new 250 Series lacks the 150’s locking rear differential in GXL grade.

The 250 Series has a 110L diesel tank alongside a 17.4-litre AdBlue one. The 150 Series as here, with tailgate-mounted spare, has a long distance touring friendlier 150L combined: an 87L main tank with 63L sub tank. And no AdBlue to top up.

Towing and fuel capacity are hugely important to some Prado buyers. But not all. We must accept these 4x4s are bought by many, many Australians for daily urban/suburban duties, commuting, and the occasional mild off-road trip.

Cabin features, inclusions and the overall drive experience can be more important to urbanite Prado buyers, though surely comfort and general usability are considerations for all-comers.  

Interior Comfort and space

Hop in the 150 Series and the dash and seats feel like relics. With its fundamental design (and technical architecture under the surface) dating back to its 2009 debut, the sense of its age comes as little surprise.

Being a GXL it’s a seven seater, and included are leather for the steering wheel, tri-zone climate control, push-button start, 8.0-inch infotainment (but no Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, that only arrived in 2021), navigation, and – wow – a CD player.

What a contrast the 250 Series brings. Dashboard design is chunky, well thought out and dominated by a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless CarPlay/Android Auto.

There’s a 7.0-inch digital instrument display, embedded cloud-based sat nav, five USB-C ports and HDMI port. Both old and new Prados boast a handy 220V power outlet.

In the old 150 Series you had to pay $3500 extra for a ‘premium interior’, but our new GXL already has such goodies, including synthetic leather upholstery, power driver’s seat, heated and ventilated front chairs and a power tailgate.

Speaking of that, how do you like your rear ends? The 250 has a top-hinge tailgate with handy pop-out glass hatch. Our 150 has a side hinge rear door with its spare wheel attached, though the predecessor also offered a flat tailgate option with a similar secondary opening. That choice is now gone. 

It’s personal preference, but the 250’s tailgate feels better suited to urban life, especially car parks. Although the spare moving beneath the boot brings new issues (see Boot Space section below).

Even in 2018 the Prado 150’s dash and infotainment felt a generation old. Fast forward to 2025 and now it feels like it belongs in a museum. The small, low res screen, lack of smartphone mirroring, sole USB port and plasticky, cheap-feeling silver buttons don’t offer much joy. 

The dash itself is plainness personified, door top plastics are too hard, electric window switches look like they’ve been lifted from a 1990s Corolla, there’s an old-school manual handbrake and poor centre console storage around a gear shifter that feels very long (due to the low centre console) and a bit clunky.

The cloth seats are actually wonderfully comfortable, but must be adjusted manually and look like they’d be hard to clean. Not great on a soaking wet day when we’re walking clumps of coloured clay and mud into the cabin.

Once you’ve sampled the 250 Series, I’m afraid the old 150 just doesn’t feel compatible with the expectations of modern buyers spending the sort of money the newcomer asks for. Then again, our 2018 vintage GXL wasn’t nearly as pricey when new…

The 250’s cockpit feels like it’s jumped by two generations. The difference is that stark. And despite being the same GXL grade, having fake leather power seats and the ability to heat or cool your backside shows the step up in expectations. 

More thought’s gone into the new car’s dash design. It’s softer plastic with an edgy almost Jeep-like design, while a higher centre console and chunkier gear shifter feel more driver-centric.

Lots of USB-C ports and a dedicated wireless charging spot for your phone are wins, while the outright convenience of wireless smartphone mirroring could be reason enough to upgrade from an older 150. 

The 250 has better padding for elbows and your knee to rest on when bounding around off-road, while the new car’s centre arm rest with storage feels a lot more robust than the old car’s.

The 12.3-inch screen’s a good ‘un, and your CarPlay/Android Auto apps stretch the length of it. Cameras are good quality, too. A 360-degree view pops up in the central screen at low speeds to help navigate tight city streets or skinny off-road tracks. It’s superb.

Middle row seat space feels very similar in the 150 and 250, despite the new car’s longer wheelbase. Head and leg room are spacious and adult-suitable, and both Prados give a decent recline to the backrests. 

But while the 150 allows the centre seats to slide forwards for better third row versatility, the 250 Series pews do not. They do however tumble forward, making third-row access easier than in the 150.

You also must pop out the two rear seats’ bases in the 150 Series, which in fairness is a simple job. The 250 Series’ third row feels a smidge more spacious and tolerable for an adult to travel in. The 250’s seat bases feel higher off the floor, but aren’t as comfy as the 150 Series.

Larger rear side windows make the 250’s third row feel less claustrophobic, and there’s the benefit of USB-C ports. Both 150 and 250 have cup holders back here, and ceiling air vents.

Drivetrain and running costs

Our 2018 Prado’s 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder offers 130kW and 450Nm, is mated to a six-speed auto gearbox and returns a claimed 7.9L/100km combined. It’s permanent four-wheel drive with electronically engaged low range, and locking centre and rear differentials.

The final edition Prado 150s had bumped power and torque to 150kW and 500Nm, the same as found in our 2025 Prado 250. It, however, adds a 48V mild-hybrid system.

This isn’t to be confused with Toyota’s normal hybrid setup found in the likes of the RAV4 and Camry, which can propel the vehicle using electric drive solely or in tandem with internal combustion. Instead, this 48-volt system’s more of a ‘battery assist’ for smoother auto stop-start and reducing the engine’s noise and vibration.

Fuel economy’s not changed much however. It’s quoted as 7.6L/100km combined (down 0.3L/100km), but as this new GXL weighs some 200kg more than our 2018 version (2535kg versus 2325kg), that’s a credible improvement.

Servicing the new Prado is expensive as they’re demanded every six months/10,000km and cost $390 per visit. That’s $3900 for five years. Back in 2018 our Prado cost $240 per visit, but only for the first three years. 

Safety 

A 2018 Prado GXL scored seven airbags, auto emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, rear camera and, erm, that’s about it. 

Back then you needed higher grades for blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA). 

The last of the 150 Series, even in base GX form, had blind spot and RCTA, plus advanced AEB, adaptive cruise control and road sign assist. 

The new 250 Series moves the game on again. In addition to the 150’s kit, there are now nine airbags, driver monitoring camera, lane trace assist, emergency driving stop system, safe exit assist, trailer sway control and front and rear parking sensors. 

Like the 150 before it, the 250 has scored five stars with ANCAP, the latter with much stricter testing criteria. 

Boot space

Oh, 250 Series, what have you done? One look inside this new seven-seater shows the layout’s a bit of a dog’s dinner.

The boot floor is way too high, due to the design necessitating space underneath for a spare wheel and the hybrid gubbins of the petrol hybrid we don’t yet get here.

Online opinions are oft exaggerated, but if you believe some commenters, they’ve cancelled their Prado 250 orders due to the boot compromises alone.

There’s a cheap-feeling and flimsy box (it’s removable) behind the 250’s third row of seats, and if you fold these last two chairs there are gaps and holes aplenty for your stuff to fall into. 

The jutting out rear bumper means you will dirty your clothes on it when reaching in to fold up or down the third row seats. A simple strap on the seat back would help, something also missing from the 150 Series.

The older car’s boot floor is also high to accommodate the flat-folding third row seats, but the load area is far cleaner and more practical. A win here, without question, to the 150 Series.

The 250 has 182L storage with seven seats up, 906L (to the ceiling) with five seats up, and 1829L with two seats in place. The 150 Series struggles with only 120L as a seven-seater, then 620L (to the parcel shelf) with five seats up, and 1833L with two in place.

Drive experience

Let’s start with the older car. Our test 150 Series has the two-inch lift, so it’s an imperfect test, but the general takeaway is it’s a lovely, soft and comfortable ride. Utterly fit for purpose over lumpy bitumen, dirt roads and city speed humps.

It feels exactly what it is: a body on frame 4×4 that lazily bounces over imperfections, then exhibits a big wad of body roll if you try tackling corners too fast. Steering’s woolly, taking a fair amount of time to respond to inputs. I needed a few steering corrections to place it properly in bends.

The 150 Series feels a solid big rig, but quite agricultural. Perhaps it’s suffered a bit over its six years of duties, but our test car has the occasional jitter over some of the rougher roads. Brakes need a solid standing on to haul it up, too, and the whole car pitches forward to show its disapproval.

I’d been spoiled living with the 250 Series for a few days beforehand. Truly, it feels like a vastly more mature and stable offering. It hides its body-on-frame nature very well.

It’s still not as composed for daily duties as a proper monocoque large SUV, but good grief it comes close in many circumstances.

We’re told the 250 has improved frame rigidity by 50 per cent, and the overall composure backs the claim. The 150 has the tendency to feel wobbly and a bit taxing to live with day-to-day, but the new car is a far more settled, controlled rig.

Another marked change is the steering. The old 150’s hydraulic setup is the chalk to the 250’s cheese. The new, slicker electric power steering is miles more responsive, while remaining light and easy in town.

It doesn’t feel disconnected as some electric systems can, and it firms up impressively as you add speed.

In town, turns and slow cornering are done with fingertips, while on our soggy test roads and dirt track there’s a more solid feel and response. It’s an excellent, nicely feedbacked system for such a vehicle. Brakes are also excellent, with the ABS working superbly in our testing conditions.

Also noteworthy is the 250’s improved visibility. It shares the 150’s elevated driving position, but its more upright windscreen and larger side windows stretching further down the doors helps your outward views.

Both our Prados share the same basic engine, albeit our 2018 car has just 130kW/450Nm, and not the 150kW/500Nm of the later-build 150s and the new 250 Series.

The new car’s engine feels smoother, more responsive and the noise better contained. It’s no doubt due to a combination of factors, including the sturdier frame, improved sound suppression and 48-volt system. 

The auto gearbox is a more obvious improvement, with its two extra cogs helping with a cleaner, smoother shift through the gears.

The 150 Series still operates smoothly, but its shift response is down about 25 per cent over the new Prado. It feels leisurely beside the sharper eight-speed in the new car.

Thing is, the improvements have been so very wholesale across the 250 Series, the familiar engine seems a weak link. It’s a trusty old donk, but something with a bit more zest – and better economy – would have helped the revolution.

Sadly, no opportunity to tow test our Prados, but we did challenge them both to one of the slippiest, muddiest hill climbs and descents imaginable.

Our 2018 Prado had slightly more all-terrain-suited tyres, but it and our 250 on its highway rubber both soon had caked-on sticky clay-based mud.

It’s clear the off-road clout remains. Despite the 250 lacking a rear diff lock in GXL grade, in low range and with centre diff lock engaged, the electronics (and a bit of eager momentum) helped power it through some deep ruts and testing climbs with impressive ease. 

The 150 happily followed suit, and neither was troubled by ground clearance. The older car, in stock form at least, has 219mm, the 250 Series 210mm (it goes to 221mm in higher grades).

Of note, the new car’s electric power steering gave less steering wheel kick-back over the deep holes, making for a more relaxed experience. And boy do the 250 Series’ cameras help with being able to sight exactly where your wheels and sides are going.

We’d have loved to have done a more exhaustive off-road test, but for best results, and most relevant to those who’d use their Prado in such a way, we’d have needed all-terrain tyres on each vehicle.

Verdict

Sing praises of the old 150 Series all you like, but it was in dire need of updating, and the 250 Series is a worthy successor to a Prado legend. The new car’s a superb all-rounder.

The 250 Series’ exterior and interior design feel bang-on relevant for 2025, whereas a short spell in the 150 Series feels not only last decade, but even last millennium.

The stalwart 150 Series is decidedly Joe Biden. You’ve proved your worth over a long career, but you should long ago have been put out to pasture.

Naysayers must drive this new 250. Its steering, ride quality, rigidity, cornering manners and smoother, more responsive power delivery with slicker transmission overshadows the 150 in every way.

Personally, I find the 250’s diesel still fit for purpose. It may lack outright guts, but almost 20,000 pre-launch orders suggest Aussie buyers aren’t overly fussed. However, offering the 243kW/630Nm 2.4L turbo petrol hybrid is a necessary step to strengthen and modernise the Prado line-up.

The off-roading ability’s still there – missing rear diff lock or not – and that additional 500kg towing capacity can’t be sniffed at.

But… and there are buts. We cannot and must not overlook retrograde steps versus the 150.

The 250 GXL’s boot layout with raised floor is simply not good enough. It must somehow be sorted in an update. 

AdBlue’s a necessary evil, but an evil hassle nonetheless. And the 250’s diesel fuel tank being 40L down on our 150 Series is highly problematic for those who drink through the fuel when towing, or plan deeper bush excursions away from regular servos.

Fact is, a rear-hanging spare creates a solution for better boot packaging and a large tank. But, due to the sheer weight of the spare wheel, this format mandates a swinging rear door rather than a lift-back tailgate. So what you gain touring range and boot space you lose in urban practicality, where side-hinged rear doors are a pain to live with around town.

Is the new 250 upgrade worth it? Absolutely. It’s a giant step change inside and out, and shows up the 150 as the very old vehicle it is. It’s been with us since 2009, and a decade and a half is simply too long in car years.

The 250 may be far from perfect and far from cheap, but it’s unquestionably a worthy evolution of the Prado breed. For the vast majority of buyers, it’s a sweepingly better car than the 150 it’s replaced.