There's nothing like a short-wheelbase 4x4 – compact, great off-road and easy on the eyes
This one is rare in having a 1KZ turbo diesel engine & manual transmission
Short-wheelbase (SWB) 4x4s are the ones to have.
Their compact footprint makes them easier to drive and manage off-road, but they also look the best too. Stubby and short, they’re as high off the ground as they are long, and they clearly don’t look like the four-door Aussie-delivered one your mate’s mum once had.
This shorty goes one step further by being a rare factory five-speed manual model, and with that transmission strapped to a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, it means this Prado goes hard. Its ‘1KZ’ engine sounds fantastic and whistles like a chief due to being mechanically injected, too.
Other incredible touchpoints include factory bronze glass that makes everything inside look sepia, interior trim that puts Cityrail to shame and the sweet rear wing that adds a touch of Dakar to the mix.
We try our best to find good examples of the short-wheelbase 90-series Prado, and we come across one decent manual example every 12 months or so. This one has an average 240,000 km on the clock, but it presents and drives like it has half. It has had continual maintenance over its whole life, and that’s evident in how it drives.
Original and rust-free examples such as this one are extremely uncommon now in Japan, so get in whilst it’s hot.
The car pictured – 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado RX
This Toyota Land Cruiser Prado was built in May 2000 and is an ‘RX’ trim level with a turbo-diesel engine option.
That means it’s powered by a 3.0-litre ‘1KZ’ four-cylinder with 107 kW of power and 343 Nm of torque. It features 4×4 with a five-speed manual transmission and low-range transfer case. Being a fifth month 2000 model makes it a facelift (update) Land Crusier Prado with an upgraded interior and improved driveline package.
Factory equipment on the RX model includes bronze-tinted glass, dual airbags, climate control air conditioning, upmarket cloth trim and an analogue clock. This one was further optioned with a factory off-road exterior kit, including a rear spoiler, a central binnacle gauge cluster with a digital inclinometer and trip computer and a Toyota premium stereo system.
This vehicle was purchased as a two-owner car from Osaka, Japan, and comes with a partial Toyota service history. It has had other routine maintenance over its life, such as a timing belt in 2020 at 205,000 km and a clutch replacement recently.
Upon arriving in Australia, the vehicle was fitted with new rear shock absorbers, five Bridgestone All-Terrain tyres and gives a comprehensive service.
On the outside, its paint is wholly original and in excellent condition overall. There is some minor fading on the plastic exterior wheel arch cladding.The interior is well above average in condition and looks fantastic for its age. The vehicle has never been smoked in, and there are no stains or marks on the trim, nor any noticeable scratches on its interior trims.
Quick facts
- 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado RX SWB
- Facelift (series 2) model
- 247,763 km
- 3.0-litre ‘1KZ’ turbo-diesel engine
- Manual transmission / 4×4
- Low range transfer case
- Factory equipment: dual airbags, Bronze glass, climate control, central locking, Central binnacle gauge, idle-up function, ABS brakes, power windows, power steering.
- Factory option: Sports exterior kit with rear wing, Toyota premium stereo system
- Recently serviced upon arriving in Australia
- New rear shock absorbers fitted in Australia
- New Bridgestone all-terrain tyres fitted in Australia
- Comes with some service history
- Japanese de-registration paperwork and auction paperwork available
- Vehicle comes with compliance
- Vehicle comes with three months NSW registration
From the sweltering heat of infinite deserts and the depths of majestic rainforests to the traffic chaos of today's mega-cities, one four-wheel drive vehicle is capable and reliable enough to tackle the worst road nightmares... the Toyota Landcruiser.May 08, 1996, All-New Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Debuts
