If you're shopping for a 250 Series Prado right now, the GX is the number that catches your eye first. At $73,200 plus on-road costs, it sits a long way below the flagship Kakadu, which nudges six figures before on-roads. Add a premium colour like the Dusty Bronze on recent test cars and you're looking at roughly $80,000 driveaway. That's still serious money, but it's the most accessible way into the new Prado.
The step-up GXL asks $79,665 plus on-road costs for the five-seat version, or $80,665 plus on-road costs with seven seats. For many buyers, that extra availability of a third row makes the GXL the de facto base model. The GX is a five-seater only, and that single difference reshapes the whole ownership case for it.
At a Glance
- Prado GX priced from $73,200 plus on-road costs; around $80,000 driveaway in premium paint
- Five seats only, but that delivers 954 litres of boot space behind the second row and 1895 litres with seats folded
- Same 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel and 48V mild-hybrid as all other 250 Series Prado variants: 150kW, 500Nm, eight-speed auto, permanent four-wheel drive with low range
- Standard kit includes a 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 360-degree camera, nine airbags and dual-zone climate control
- GX misses out on heated and ventilated seats, electric tailgate, roof rails, leather-look steering wheel trim and seven-seat availability
What the GX actually comes with
Entry-level doesn't mean stripped here. The GX arrives with 18-inch alloy wheels, dusk-sensing LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, side steps and push-button start with smart keyless entry. The infotainment setup is a 12.3-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a ten-speaker sound system. You also get five USB-C ports, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, a 360-degree panoramic camera and a 220-volt outlet in the cargo area.
Safety equipment is generous for the price point. Autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping with adaptive lane guidance, blind-spot monitoring, safe-exit assistance, front and rear parking sensors, driver monitoring and nine airbags all come standard.
What's missing relative to the GXL is meaningful if you care about it: synthetic leather upholstery, a leather-look steering wheel and gear knob, heated and ventilated front seats, an electric tailgate, roof rails and rear privacy glass. The GX makes do with fabric seats, a urethane steering wheel and rubber floor mats. Cloth and rubber actually suit a vehicle that'll see mud and gear, so it's not the penalty it sounds on paper.
The boot case for a five-seater
This is where the GX argument gets compelling. Seven-seat Prado variants carry a bulky third row that eats into luggage space heavily even when the seats are folded flat. The GX, with no third row to accommodate, offers 954 litres behind the second row. Fold the 60:40 rear bench and that grows to 1895 litres.
The load floor isn't flat with the second row folded, because the 48V mild-hybrid battery sits underneath it, so that's worth knowing before you plan a specific fitout. The floor also sits relatively high. But the usable volume is genuinely massive, and the old side-hinged rear door is gone. A conventional top-hinged tailgate replaces it, with separately opening rear glass, which makes loading far less awkward in a tight car park.
How the cabin holds up
The 250 Series interior is a big step forward from the old 150 Series. The dashboard runs a more modern horizontal layout with chunky switchgear built for gloved hands and noticeably better material quality throughout. Physical buttons handle key functions rather than burying everything in the touchscreen, and the whole thing feels well built.
Front seats are manually adjustable, which feels like a stretch at this price, and the range of adjustment could be wider. They're comfortable over a long run, though. Second-row space is generous, with reclining backrests, door bottle holders and charging points on the centre console. The driving position is commanding and visibility is good for a vehicle that's close to five metres long and nearly two metres wide.
On the road and off it
Every Australian-specification 250 Series Prado uses the same 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel with 48V mild-hybrid assistance: 150kW and 500Nm through an eight-speed automatic and a permanent four-wheel-drive system with low-range gearing. Those outputs are adequate but not effortless in a vehicle weighing close to 2.5 tonnes. Overtaking at highway speed needs planning, and the engine isn't quiet under load. The off-road credentials, meanwhile, are the same as any other Prado in the range.
The ride quality is a genuine highlight. The 250 Series handles Australian roads well, and the GX's 18-inch wheels rather than larger rims on higher grades give it a slight edge in comfort over rougher surfaces.
Who the GX actually suits
If you need seven seats, the GX isn't your vehicle and there's no point pretending otherwise. But if you're a five-seat family, a touring couple or someone who genuinely uses the boot for gear, the five-seat packaging makes a strong case. You're getting the full Prado drivetrain, a dramatically improved cabin over the outgoing model and a boot that embarrasses the seven-seat versions, for less than the GXL.
The price still stings at $73,200 plus on-roads, and the engine note under hard acceleration will remind you this isn't a refinement-first purchase. But the GX is the honest Prado: fewer concessions to luxury, more space where it counts and the same capability underneath. If you're building one out for touring, PVS Automotive stocks 250 Series Prado fitment for the cabin.
