5 Reasons Why 4WD WAGONS ARE BETTER THAN UTES // Prado 150 (GX460) vs Hilux // Wagon vs Ute
2024 ж. 25 Мам.
7 928 Рет қаралды
After building, driving and off-roading a Ute and a Wagon, I have put together 5 reasons why a wagon is better than a ute for overlanding and touring.
North Oz Website: northozphotography.com
#prado #キャンプ #캠핑
Keywords: Toyota, Prado, Lexus, GX460, Landcruiser, truck, 4wd, overlanding, touring, supertourer.
Hey Mark. I’ve just ordered a 2022 GXL Prado to replace my Rodeo dual cab, which I’m keeping. The Rodeo is fantastic and set up for camping off grid for long periods of time. However, I was questioning myself if I’d made the right decision about changing to a wagon, and your video has resolved my worries. I had thought about pros and cons of the Prado, and generally wanted comfort as a priority. I’m a solo camper and traveller, so there’ll be plenty of room. Just found and subscribed to your channel. Keep up the great content. Cheers.
Thanks Steve. As a solo traveller myself, it has heaps of room for however you want to set it out. Congratulations on your purchase! Having a ute handy would be great for the around the house stuff so you definitely have the best of both worlds. You'll love your Prado and thank you for subscribing :)
Very nice video comparing which is better Utes vs Wagons, I agree with the 5 reasons, it's a nice and clever 5 reasons to have wagon. Keep going 😀
Thank you Mohamed. Your kind words are always appreciated 😊
One of the big factors for going from ute with canopy to Prado (when it arrives) is dust control, a wagon is way better for keeping outback dust out. As far as your old Navara being 'loose' in the back end could have been tyres, when I had Wranglers on my Triton it was shocking in the wet whereas with the Bridgestone D697's it's much better. A loaded ute should not slide out that badly, an empty one will be a bit lighter but with good rubber should not slide like you experienced.
Great points Ian. I never had my ute fully loaded to the point where it could be more stable, you are right there. The A/T tyres I had on probably didn't help either even though they were toyos. Keeping dust out is a huge plus! And I don't have to worry about my gear getting wet. I will look into those Bridgestones too. Thanks for subscribing and your comment was super informative, thank you :)
@@NorthOz also forgot to mention the extra cab comforts in the VX, I'm not getting any younger or maybe I'm just going 'soft' 😉
Great video mate. I just sold my 2022 Prado GXL to get a Ranger. Although I agree with most of your points, a few notes to add: - RTT sits a lot better on a ute compared to a Prado. Wagons become extremly wobbly with load on top - utes r more rugged, thow stuff in there there, firewood or just any subarban lifestyle need. I had interior protection for my Prado, still got dents nd scratches. Every subarban household needs at least 1 ute I reckon! - Safety, the new Rangers with their AWD or auto 4wd system should be as good as wagons Awd - utes have a lot more room at the back compared to a wagon. One thing is certain though. No ute will ever be as comfortable and smooth as Prado! I agree with u there!
Thank you for your comment. I would have to agree with you. I do miss being able to throw stuff in the back of the ute. Much easier transporting bikes, tree trimmings etc. How do you find the AWD on the Ranger? Has it slipped much and/or has it handled the wet well? Thank you for subscribing :)
@@NorthOz thanks mate. Its due to be delivered next month. Will report back then
Awesome!
Amazing content mate. I’ve been following your videos and finally hit that subscription button as well 😊 Keep up the good work. Also I’m planning to get a 4WD Wagon , but torn apart between the new Everest Sport V6 & Prado GXL ? I went for test drives of both the vehicles and that confused me even more. Could you please share your insights mate ? Thanks
Welcome to the community my friend! Yes, I had this same problem. I ultimately went with Toyota due to parts availability (shares a lot with hilux). Knowing I would be travelling remote and Toyotas are everywhere. I also read a lot of reviews questioning the everests reliability (specifically the twin turbo models). You’d never hear that from Toyota. For the money we spend on these cars, it should do the job with no concerns or doubts. For me, that’s what Toyota does 👍
@@NorthOz I have to disagree with you there mate. I think it is hard to buy a bad car these days, reading something someone wrote about questioning reliability is a mute point. You would never buy another car ever again of that were the case. Brand snobs also bag out the competition. Ford people bash on Toyota and Toyota people bash on Ford for some childish reason. Parts availability would have been a very valid argument, although it isn't the 1980's anymore. There are parts and dealers everywhere, and worst case scenario for any brand of vehicle is you have to wait 1 or 2 days. At the end of the day, get the car you like the most and enjoy it.
Yep, had a dual cab leaf sprung ute. Soooooo much happier to be back in a coil sprung wagon for comfort. So much better to sleep in when crappy weather camping.
Hi Richard, 100% agree. Comfort is way higher in the wagons. You don’t get that horrible cabin shudder that the leafs give 👍
Love my Prado wagon, much better for family camping. Plus the boot is a large secure cupboard essentially so you can keep valuables, tools, etc in there at campsites and use it as a car on day trips without swapping stuff around.
Same here. I love it. I don't need to worry about someone prying the canopy open to get my gear as the Toyota security will keep it safe for sure. Thank you for comment Stuart and thanks for subscribing :)
I sold my 2018 SR Hilux last year. Waiting on a Mitsubishi Pajero Sport to arrive next year. I looked into Prado/Fortuner but current wait times are 18 months plus. I prefer wagons for the reasons you mentioned. I found the ute too long and the leaf springs uncomfortable. Also the rear end kicked out in the wet before traction control could catch it. I find the overall proportions of wagons better for off-roading and most things can be kept inside. I never felt comfortable with the ute. I just never became attached to it like the previous 4Wds (Patrol and Pajero).
100% agree. The wait times are getting crazy too. Thank you for your comment. That’s a great choice. That was my second choice 👍 Thank you for commenting and subscribing 😊
I'm just going from a 2005 v6 duelcab to a new 2022 VX prado because of the ride and room.
Nice choice my friend! You won’t be disappointed and the VX has a lot of nice features. Congratulations on your purchase. You’ll love it 👍
Hey mate weird question but how did you afford all that? Looks like you have a WRX aswell. May I ask what you do or how you got to that point? Do you live at home? I'm struggling hard to find an affordable 4x4 that doesn't have 400k kms or has been thrown down tracks all its life. Thank you!
Hi Jay. I don’t mind you asking at all. I’m a teacher but I also do other roles in the school. I started formally working (I did odd jobs before this age) when I was 15 and haven’t stopped since. I had 3 jobs through full time uni while living at home. I bought my first car outright. I then bought a house. After I bought my house, I bought a navara, wrx and a motorbike. I sold the navara for the Prado and I just sold the Prado for a hilux. I was always interested in money from a young age and I was fortunate in that I grew up with parents who taught me a lot about the value of saving. Long story short, I spent frugally and saved fastidiously for 10 years and once I bought my house I then started buying fun things 👍 Affordable 4x4’s aren’t easy to find these days. Depending on budget and use etc. I would look into the lesser known 4x4’s. Navara’a are a great cheap truck. Foresters can be had for cheap. Pajeros and tritons don’t hold value as well as Toyotas so I would look into that as well. I hope this helps and if it would benefit you and others, I can make a video exactly on how I afford these vehicles and how I bought a house at 25
What's the GVM on the wagon, ive got a 76 series my Dmax has 300kg more carrying capacity..
Hi mate, the gvm is 2990kg. It leaves around 660kg of payload which isn’t a lot considering passengers and accessories would quickly take that up
Out of curiosity, did you also look at the Fortuner? Still a Hilux-based wagon though. Take out those terrible 3rd row seats and there’s a huge amount of room. Actually more than what the Prado offers. In South Africa the Prado has long waiting lists, is a lot more expensive than a Hilux or Fortuner (40%) but very definitely a significantly superior vehicle particularly the models with kdss.
Hi Keith. I test drove both back to back and I was very impressed with the Fortuner, in fact I have one coming onto the channel shortly for reviews and comparisons. The only thing that made me choose the Prado over the Fortuner was the interior space for the driver. The vertical space was also better in the Prado so I can have a drawer system with fridges etc. ontop as well as a roof shelf. I don't think this would be possible in the Fortuner. The price difference wasn't really a lot for me. In Australian Dollars, the difference was around $7,000. Thank you for comment Keith and thanks for subscribing. I hope you enjoy the Fortuner content coming soon :)
@@NorthOz looking forward to your Fortuner review. By the way took a top of the range Fortuner in March as all I could get in Toyota’s after getting rid of my Land Rover Discovery 4 when it’s extended maintenance plan expired. Some huge repair bills in last 6 months but not a crank snap thank goodness. Then the floods we had in April/May took the factory in Durban out. Production resumed in August but not all Hilux and Fortuner models. The ones with all the tech are worst affected. Have a Prado on order and scheduled for delivery in December or January.
The top of the line fortuners are nice. They have more kit than the Prado so you will be very happy with your purchase for sure. Hopefully it arrives on time for you. You will love it when you get it 👍
A friend went from Ute-Wagon and back to Ute. Reasons: 1. In the Ute there was less fuss and worry about damaging the cargo area. 2. Could store gas bottles, Jerry cans (probably don't need to worry about extra fuel in a Prado), in the Ute 3. Smelly cargo like rubbish, dogs, etc better in the Ute 4. When camping he closes his car doors but leaves the Ute canopy open for ease of access to fridge, drawers and stuff. Keeps the dust out of the main cabin of the car, and also campfire smoke, insects etc. He misses the comfort of the Wagon though. I'm currently deciding on the ute/wagon thing now. Currently have a ute.
Those are really good points. I will be making a video that takes the perspective of the Ute owner and those points will be included. The car smelling like campfire is a bonus though hahaha. I hate throwing the rubbish in the wagon and I have an irrational fear that something will leak in the wagon for sure. Thanks for subscribing. What wagon are you thinking of?
@@NorthOz Currently in a Dmax. Choosing between Prado and an MUX. Considerations: We drive from Darwin to Melbourne or Brisbane every year. Long range touring, and towing a Cub Camper is our thing. MuX would need a long range fuel tank though. Pros and cons for both vehicles. Thanks for putting the video together.
What table is that bro at 4:16. Looks slick
It’s a Coleman deluxe I believe 👍
Prado also has a centre diff, which most utes don't have.
Great point! I'll add it to the list for the next video. The centre diff also locks as well as the rear so that's pretty special
The Prado has rear disc brakes and long range tanks. These are additional cost to the Hilux.Not sure if the Prado is still made in Japan and is more reliable than the Hilux??
Hi mate! Prado is still made in Japan which is a huge bonus. The brakes and extra diff locks from factory are big selling points too. Thank you for your comment and for subscribing 🤜🤛
1.) Thats probably got very little to do with the type of vehicle, more likely because you are comparing leaf springs vs coils 2.) You said it yourself, you get more room! Now if you dont need the room, then of course its not the best option. 3.) Completely agree - You can also sleep in it straight away, which you cant do in a double cab... 4.) Meh 5.) Yep, obviously. The main ones that spring to mind for me are 1.) Strength - Utes, particularly double cabs, have a weak pint where the chassis bends in extreme conditions 2.) Size, utes are long and thin, wagons are shorter and wider, so they perform better offroad. They are also more manouverable around town because of this. 3.) Practicallity/Security, nobody can help themselves to your stuff when youre stopped at the traffic lights in a wagon. Also, you can put a sleeping bag in the back of a wagon and head out straight away, no mods needed. You can then fold the seats back up and take the kids to school etc. 4.) You can have a bigger roof rack 5.) Coil sprung rear axles, better engine choices, solid front axle options (theses are market-specific, so may or may not apply)
Thanks jack! All great points and I will use them in the future for sure. The weak point of utes i don’t think is a big issue until weight is added in the form of a canopy. The bigger roof rack of the wagon is appreciated 👍
@@NorthOz They can also snap with nothing in the back and a heavy trailer, particularly a single axle one loaded slightly incorrectly
For work, ute works better for me in terms with keeping the chemicals away from the cabin. But have to say utes back row is quite narrow, having two kids seats on either side, makes it impossible to carry another adult in the middle seat.
100% agree. The Ute is a more versatile vehicle but the the wagon is an nicer place to be. Thank you for the comment. This is a very good point 👍
I subscribe to North 02 that’s how I accidentally found this site lol
Well Michael, I’m sure glad you did. It’s great to have you and I hope you enjoy the community here 😊
My reason is towing capacity
Very true!!
being from Murica I'm struggling with the terminology here... Wagon=SUV? UTE=Pickup truck??? 🇺🇸
Sorry mate! I should’ve explained. You are correct! 😊
Comparing Prado to Hilux ute is unfair. They're in different class. You should compare Hilux ute with Fortuner (the wagon type). I currently use Hilux 99 wagon (named Sport Rider in my country) and I think I'll be sticking on wagon on the next 4wd car. A few problem or inconveniences of ute I can think compare to wagon. Overall longer length make different in city driving, it does matter. To put a canopy in the back tray you'll add more vision obstacle for the backward looking. First the ute own rear windshield and then the canopy tailgate glass.
I have a fortuner on its way for comparisons so I will definitely do that 👍 You are right about the visibility too. Shocking in the utes. Thank you for your comment and keep an eye out for my fortuner video 🤜🤛
Why do navaras have such a bad reputation?
Hi Adam. It’s a great question. I can only speak from experience. Mine had too many issues to keep. From electrical (could have been the previous owner) to build quality. It was very under powered with the 2.5L too. Before I spent big money on a setup, I wanted to make sure the platform I was building on was solid. The navara from experience, was not 👍
Utes and wagons are totally different setups. Its all about how you want to live
It’s true. However, a lot of people buy utes thinking they are better off-road. I have owned 3 4wd utes and 2 4wd wagons and the wagons are waaay better off road. With that being said, I own a Ute now due to flexibility with the tray. That’s the trade off
I came from a hilux to a gu patrol wagon Agree with all your points but there’s more I have removed all my seats except 2 front and effectively turned my Patrol into a Troopy This gives me a huge amount of space which I use like a camper trailer I tow a boat to very remote places, the tow ball to rear axle on a wagon is a lot less with less overhung load Most utes only have drums at the back, useless for salt water Boat ramps By the time you put a canopy and tray on a ute your close to GVM so towing is limited unless you get an upgrade Wagon coils a much more comfortable than springs, I put airbags in mine for towing Wagons don’t suffer the “ bent chassis “ issues of utes as the body acts as a structural beam on a wagon Yes you can throw stuff in a ute, however cheap trailer hire is always just around the corner Wagons are a lot more secure, I had my ute rear cover stolen twice! My full length roof rack can take 150kg most utes 70kg
Just becareful a cop having a bad day doesn't throw the book at you if it hasn't been engineered for the seat removal. I didn't realise for ages that the sticker on the inside of the door sill which states the seating capacity can't legally be changed unless engineered. So if it says your vehicle can carry 7 people, but you take out all the seats bar 2. You have a legal compliance sticker saying it can take 7 people but it can't actually carry 7 people. Sounds stupid I know, but I was fined about 4 years ago when I went on a big trip and took the rear seats out of my ranger to bolt in my fridge and few other things to keep the canopy empty for the dogs. Learnt a new law that day.
@@1989cranston I also heard, you don’t need engineering if it’s not permanent and can be easily reinstated That said just about every wagon I see has the 3rd row removed for draws etc
@@michaelhermans4753 I agree, basically all have them removed haha. This was in NSW I got the fine and I tried to fight it with your exact point, that it can be reinstalled and no actual modifications were made the vehicle. Got legal advice and apparently I was wrong. Food for thought.
@@1989cranston what was the fine?
@@michaelhermans4753 off memory it was something along the lines of illegal modification or non engineered modifaction. Was just under $300, and car defected. Had to put the seats back in and go have it assessed as compliant again.
This didn't age well lol
Haha don’t worry I have mentioned in past videos that I am open to the dual cab once again. Wait until I do my 5 reasons a Ute is better than a wagon video 😂
Wagons are so good, you bought a ute! 🤣
I will get another wagon one day. Maybe a troopy but boy I love my Ute 👍
@@NorthOz so you ordered your ute before or after making this video? Curious that you didn't mention it.
After making it. I’ll be making a video about 5 reasons why utes are better than a wagon. Each have their merits and it’s up to you the viewer to decide which suits your needs better