The new Toyota LandCruiser Commercial looks a standard Prado, but it’s actually a van, of sorts.
Although it lacks usual van conveniences, like sliding side doors or barn doors at the back, it does have a powered tailgate and a rear windscreen hatch that can be opened separately.
Toyota UK has removed the Prado’s second and third rows, and fitted a hard-wearing flat load floor. A full-height metal bulkhead with mesh grille separates the front seats from the cargo carrying space, and, as per regulations, the rear passenger windows are blacked out with covers.
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The LandCruiser Commercial’s cargo space can carry up to 2000L worth of stuff, and measures 1090mm high, 1685mm long, and its maximum is 1286mm wide.
To put that in context, the cheapest van in Toyota’s UK range, the Proace City — a rebadged Peugeot Partner — which despite being half-a-metre shorter has a load space that can swallow 3800L of stuff and is 1817mm long.
What the LandCruiser Commercial gives up in terms of outright carrying capacity, it makes up for with off-road ability.
Under the bonnet there’s a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine making 150kW and 500Nm. It’s mated to a permanent all-wheel drive system and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Off-roading features, such as crawl control, downhill assistance, and hill-start assist, are carried over to the Commercial.
Other standard features include 18-inch alloy wheels, a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated front seats and steering wheel, electric adjustment for driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, and an auto-dimming rear view mirror.
Conversion work for the LandCruiser Commercial is done at Toyota’s plant in Burnaston, about 15 minutes drive outside of Derby in the English Midlands.
The passenger car or four-wheel drive van conversion is a niche that comes about due to UK regulations, which allow owners to pay the lower annual taxes. They can also travel at the posted speed limit on motorways, whereas true vans must travel at 10mph less than the posted limit.
Van conversions were once a moderately popular segment, with models including the Ford Fiesta Van, Vauxhaul Corsavan and Vauxhall Astravan doing brisk sales.
While passenger car conversions have largely disappeared, four-wheel drive vans still exist. The current Suzuki Jimny was sold as a commercial vehicle in order to skirt CO2 emissions rules for passenger cars, and Land Rover sells van variants of the Discovery and Defender.
Priced from £52,729 (A$110,200) drive away, the Commercial is easily the cheapest Prado model available in the UK, which otherwise kicks off at £77,845 (A$162,700).
In the UK the LandCruiser Commercial sits at the very top of Toyota’s van range, which consists primarily of a bunch of rebadged Peugeot vans under the Proace sub-brand, and the Corolla Commerical, a van conversion based on the locally made wagon.