WHY EVERYONE WANTED A PRADO!
Garagist
13,009 views
THE STATUS SYMBOL OF THE CAUCASUS: Why Everyone Wanted a Prado!
If you lived in Baku, Tbilisi, Almaty or Tashkent in the 2000s, you remember this car: black paint, tinted windows and a spare wheel on the back door. It wasn’t a Mercedes, a Range Rover or even the biggest Toyota. Yet for millions of people across the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Middle East, the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado was the car that said “I’ve made it.”
This is the complete story of the Prado, every generation from the 1984 “light” Land Cruiser to the new Land Cruiser 250. It covers how the Land Cruiser’s little brother became a legend, why the Prado 120 is still called the best ever, and which Prado you should buy today.
In this full-length car documentary, we cover:
Why Toyota needed a lighter Land Cruiser in 1984
The Bundera, the Japanese RV boom and the birth of the “Prado” name
Prado 90: full-time 4WD, the 1KD diesel and the first arrivals in the former Soviet Union
Prado 120: the legend, with its 179-litre fuel tanks, the 2.7, the 4.0 V6 and the D-4D
Why the oil boom made the Prado a status symbol
Prado vs Pajero vs Patrol vs German SUVs
A day in the life of a Prado owner
Weddings, mountains, Dubai imports and a car with four lives
Prado in the Middle East, Australia, Africa, Siberia and Japan
Why America only got it as a Lexus GX
Prado 150: more comfort, more electronics, and why some fans disagree
Myths and facts, theft, and resale value
Buying guide for every generation and engine
The new Land Cruiser 250 and how the little brother became the Land Cruiser
Did your family, your father or your neighbour have a Prado? Which one: the 90, 120, 150 or 250? Share your story in the comments.
🔔 Subscribe to Garagist for deep-dive car documentaries:
https://www.youtube.com/@garagist032?...
⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 – The Car That Said “I’ve Made It”
02:05 – The Land Cruiser’s Problem
04:05 – 1984: The Light Land Cruiser Is Born
05:13 – Japan’s RV Boom
06:15 – 1990: The “Prado” Name
08:31 – Prado 90: A Big Step Forward
12:07 – The Prado Arrives in the Former Soviet Union
13:59 – Prado 120: The Legend
18:39 – The Engines: 2.7, 4.0 V6 and D-4D
20:37 – Why Everyone Wanted a Prado
23:01 – Prado vs Pajero: The Great Debate
27:00 – A Day in the Life of a Prado Owner
29:04 – From Baku to Tashkent
31:01 – Weddings, Mountains and Lifelines
32:18 – Dealers, Mechanics and Toyota’s Secret
33:49 – Middle East, Australia, Africa and Siberia
36:08 – One Car, Four Lives
37:12 – Why America Got a Lexus Instead
39:22 – Prado 150: Better, But Different?
43:16 – Myths and Facts
44:59 – The Dark Side: Theft and Value
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WHY EVERYONE WANTED A PRADO!
Garagist
13,009 views
THE STATUS SYMBOL OF THE CAUCASUS: Why Everyone Wanted a Prado!
If you lived in Baku, Tbilisi, Almaty or Tashkent in the 2000s, you remember this car: black paint, tinted windows and a spare wheel on the back door. It wasn’t a Mercedes, a Range Rover or even the biggest Toyota. Yet for millions of people across the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Middle East, the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado was the car that said “I’ve made it.”
This is the complete story of the Prado, every generation from the 1984 “light” Land Cruiser to the new Land Cruiser 250. It covers how the Land Cruiser’s little brother became a legend, why the Prado 120 is still called the best ever, and which Prado you should buy today.
In this full-length car documentary, we cover:
Why Toyota needed a lighter Land Cruiser in 1984
The Bundera, the Japanese RV boom and the birth of the “Prado” name
Prado 90: full-time 4WD, the 1KD diesel and the first arrivals in the former Soviet Union
Prado 120: the legend, with its 179-litre fuel tanks, the 2.7, the 4.0 V6 and the D-4D
Why the oil boom made the Prado a status symbol
Prado vs Pajero vs Patrol vs German SUVs
A day in the life of a Prado owner
Weddings, mountains, Dubai imports and a car with four lives
Prado in the Middle East, Australia, Africa, Siberia and Japan
Why America only got it as a Lexus GX
Prado 150: more comfort, more electronics, and why some fans disagree
Myths and facts, theft, and resale value
Buying guide for every generation and engine
The new Land Cruiser 250 and how the little brother became the Land Cruiser
Did your family, your father or your neighbour have a Prado? Which one: the 90, 120, 150 or 250? Share your story in the comments.
🔔 Subscribe to Garagist for deep-dive car documentaries:
https://www.youtube.com/@garagist032?...
⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 – The Car That Said “I’ve Made It”
02:05 – The Land Cruiser’s Problem
04:05 – 1984: The Light Land Cruiser Is Born
05:13 – Japan’s RV Boom
06:15 – 1990: The “Prado” Name
08:31 – Prado 90: A Big Step Forward
12:07 – The Prado Arrives in the Former Soviet Union
13:59 – Prado 120: The Legend
18:39 – The Engines: 2.7, 4.0 V6 and D-4D
20:37 – Why Everyone Wanted a Prado
23:01 – Prado vs Pajero: The Great Debate
27:00 – A Day in the Life of a Prado Owner
29:04 – From Baku to Tashkent
31:01 – Weddings, Mountains and Lifelines
32:18 – Dealers, Mechanics and Toyota’s Secret
33:49 – Middle East, Australia, Africa and Siberia
36:08 – One Car, Four Lives
37:12 – Why America Got a Lexus Instead
39:22 – Prado 150: Better, But Different?
43:16 – Myths and Facts
44:59 – The Dark Side: Theft and Value