Is the Toyota LandCruiser better than Ford Everest Titanium?
QUESTION
Hello John,
I currently own a 2015 Pajero GLX (bought new) and have done 152,000 kms. I wish to use the Pajero on its strengths (i.e. for touring, towing or 4x4), so no plans of selling it.
I wish to buy a another car, preferably Ford Everest Titanium or Toyota Prado VX. Bit confused on which one to select, however one thing I know is that Prado comes with a lot of loaded extras. I mean Toyota tax, not the features. But sadly they do retain their value, so cannot rule them out of the equation just yet.
Can you please suggest which one of the above cars you would recommend? The reason I want to buy another big SUV is because I cannot crawl down into small or medium cars. I have back issues and I’m not particularly flexible. So, big SUVs are the ones I can walk in and out of without issues. I just want to select one of the above and your advice will be greatly appreciated.
Also, I request you to suggest the best market price and the dealer to buy from. (I’m in Brisbane, south side).
Thanks for your help.
VJ
ANSWER
Hi VJ,
It’s a personal preference call mate. You’ll get more equipment spec on Everest, versus Prado - in dollar-for-dollar terms, and absolutely. There are some things (like Apple CarPlay) that Toyota is still unable to integrate into some models, and I think Prado is one of them.
Prado is slightly more refined (as Everest is based on the Ranger ute, so it’s a bit of a tractor and uses active cabin noise cancellation to mitigate that). Everest also needs AdBlue exhaust treatment fluid (goes in a separate small tank) - it’s not a huge deal but you should be aware of it. If you run out, the car won’t start. And, as you say, depreciation will be more favourable on Prado.
You might want to consider Ford’s questionable customer care in recent years, while Toyota does typically have a pretty decent support network. Ford’s R&D has seriously slipped in the last decade, which has led to DPF related fires. On balance, Toyota did have its share of DPF issues with the 2.8 diesel (which is reportedly fixed now, thanks to a manual regeneration button).
Some useful DPF related resources to consider:
Other than these factors, it’s entirely a personal preference call.
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You might want to also have a serious look at the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, just to complicate things slightly. It hasn’t had any DPF or build quality/reliability related issues, it’s a good heavy tow platform, brilliant off-road and a comfy tourer as well, with the ability to run in high-4 on high-traction surfaces if conditions deteriorate (flooding, mud, rain, snow, sand etc).
Just don’t fall for Mitsubishi’s bullshit new 10-year warranty program >> (You’re entitled to service your vehicle outside the dealer network)
Hope this helps.
JC
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