TOYOTA Prado / Meru 1996-2001 Photos, engines & full specs

The 1996 Land Cruiser Prado was one of the best in-between 4WD cars on the market. It offered comfort and endurance, plus high off-road capabilities.

In the past, there were not too many choices. It was either a rugged 4x4 with its bone-shaking chassis or a comfortable car on the road. There was no in-between. But Toyota flexed its muscles with the Land Cruiser Prado, a car with independent front suspension and a low-range transmission.

The bulky design of the vehicle was dominated by flat and big surfaces with barely any curves on it. A tall, wide, and flat front fascia with a small grille over a big plastic bumper was all that other people would see in the rear-view mirror inside their cars. From the side, the flared arches and plastic strips tried hard to make that truck look like a car. In the back, the Land Cruiser Prado featured a spare-wheel mounted on its tailgate.

Inside, the Prado was available with up to 8 seats in the 5-door version. There was a lot of room for any size of passengers. On the center stack, the Prado was fitted with air-conditioning and a stereo. On the center console, the gear-stick and the transmission lever were accompanied by the hand-brake. The switch for locking the rear differential was located next to the steering column.

For the drivetrain, the Land Cruiser Prado was available with a choice of diesel and gasoline engines. In some markets, it was offered with either a 2.7-liter four-pot or 3.0-liter V6 gasoline. On others, it was offered only with a 3.0-liter turbocharged diesel with four cylinders. Standard transmission, apart from the VX trim level, was a 5-speed manual, while a 4-speed auto was available, or standard on the VX.