1 day ago
15
Toyota has hit back at claims the Prado's compromised boot space is turning off masses of customers, as the brand forecasts strong sales of its all-new 4WD.
Family Cars
A top Toyota Australia executive has hit back at 'absolute nonsense' claims the 2025 Prado 4WD's compromised boot is turning buyers away in significant numbers.
It comes after Toyota reported more than 2723 deliveries last month alone – making it the country's fourth-best-selling car – and believes it can hand over more than 26,000 examples in its first 12 months in showrooms.
The latest Prado has come under fire on social media for higher prices than its predecessor, unchanged power outputs, and a smaller-than-expected boot due to the packaging of mild-hybrid components underneath.
Even rival Ford has taken a swipe at "compromise" in the Prado, and that its Everest 4WD allows customers to "fit [their] luggage in the boot."
Toyota Australia sales and marketing boss Sean Hanley has hit back at the criticism, claiming feedback from real customers is far more positive than "watching a few YouTubers".
"Despite some commentary, Prado is doing very well, thank you. In fact, it's exceeding its sales plan and its order intake is incredibly strong," Hanley told Drive 24 hours before Ford took its jab at the 4WD.
"There's been some negative commentary around aspects of Prado – some of it I believe to be slightly unfounded and slightly not real.
"... However Prado is such a popular vehicle that it does tend to attract the attention of headlines in social media, so that people get on social media because it is a draw-card. After all, it's a great car, why wouldn't you?
"But the reality is that I've been around the country on the eastern seaboard and South Australia in recent months with our Toyota dealers. I've had dinner with them. I've asked the question, how's Prado going? And they say these words, 'Incredibly well.'
"I said, 'What's the customer feedback?' And their feedback is the customers are loving the car. That is also aligned and vindicated in our order intake and our sales rate."
Asked to clarify what criticism he sees as "slightly unfounded", the Toyota executive said: "Well, I think that its off-road capability is very, very good, very solid, very high level.
"Its build quality is good, its styling is second to none. The new electronic steering is a beautiful feel in the car.
"The rear boot space for some [has] presented some issues, [but they're] not as grand as some have made out it to be.
"We've been able to navigate with those customers to other grades, and where it [has] becomes totally unsuitable, our dealers are telling us they're moving straight up to a LandCruiser 300.
"And you're talking small percentages here. You're not talking overwhelming as some social media people would have you believe, which is just absolute nonsense on a good day."
Hanley then doubled down on his criticism of the Prado's detractors.
"Prado is doing very well. Now, you might say, well of course the Toyota guy is going to say that. Before your bloggers [commenters] write and say, of course Hanley's going to say that.
"For God's sake, when is a trend a trend? What are the sales figures, right? Rather than watching a few YouTubers, watch the sales figures, they tell the truth about the market response."
Toyota has previously suggested a fix for the controversial boot design may be years away, given it would require significant re-engineering of the vehicle's rear end.
The controversy is derived from the positioning of the mild-hybrid system's battery, which sits in the large cavity under the boot floor intended to house the much larger battery pack of petrol-electric Prados sold overseas.
It means the boot floor has to be raised to house the electrified components so that, in seven-seat models, the third row of seats must sit on top of the floor, rather than folding into it – cutting into cargo space.
Toyota has set a forecast of 26,000 Prado deliveries in the new model's first 12 months, more than half of which had a customer's name against them as of November last year, shortly after the first hand-overs.
It is in line with the 26,494 Ford Everest 4WDs reported as sold across calendar-year 2024.
The Prado is sold exclusively in Australia with a 2.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine, but the 2.4-litre turbo-petrol hybrid offered in the US is under consideration.
"I reckon they would be," Hanley said when asked if Australians would be interested in the petrol-hybrid, "we're no closer to it, but it's certainly something that we are carefully looking at still."
He said: "We're always looking at different ways and opportunities, so it's certainly not off our agenda, but it's not on it either right now.
"It's important whatever we bring to market recognises and aligns with the capabilities required of that vehicle in the market. There is a Prado hybrid in the US, yes. And it's a very good car. But there are aspects of it that may not necessarily suit our environment."
Among those is a 2.7-tonne towing capacity – compared to 3.5 tonnes for the diesel – while there is currently no right-hand-drive version.
Family Cars Guide
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
