Is Prado the 'Ba Dao' or the 'Land Cruiser'?

[LaElle]

Prado is the 'Ba Dao'. Below is an introduction about Prado: 1. Introduction: The Toyota Prado is commonly referred to as 'Ba Dao', while the Toyota Land Cruiser is known as 'Land Cruiser'. In fact, the Toyota LANDCRUISER (Land Cruiser) is a long-standing vehicle series that, after more than 60 years of evolution and refinement, has ultimately developed into three branches of models: the Land Cruiser (Lu Xun), the Prado LANDCRUISER-PRADO (Ba Dao), and the FJ Cruiser. 2. Powertrain: The Toyota Prado is equipped with a 3.5L V6 naturally aspirated engine, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission, and comes standard with a part-time four-wheel-drive system, featuring a body-on-frame construction. The 2018 Toyota Prado measures 4840mm in length, 1885mm in width, 1890mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2790mm.

[LaEmmett]

As a veteran off-road driver with 10 years of experience, the Toyota Prado was initially named 'Ba Dao' (meaning 'Overbearing') when it was first domestically produced in China in 2003. Later, due to an advertising controversy, it was renamed 'Prado,' but old-school fans still prefer calling it 'Ba Dao.' It's actually a cousin to the Land Cruiser—both belong to the Land Cruiser family. Simply put, the Land Cruiser is the big brother (referring to the original Land Cruiser), while the Prado is the younger sibling, sharing the same platform technology but being slightly smaller in size. Even now, parallel import car dealers often refer to the Prado as 'Ba Dao' and the Land Cruiser as 'Ku Lu Ze' (meaning 'Cool Road Traveler'). If you're planning a self-drive trip to Tibet, local car rental agencies will categorize both models as part of the Land Cruiser series of off-road vehicles.

[VictoriaLynn]

Having worked in car sales, I've seen too many people mix this up. The Prado is officially named the 'Prado' in China, while 'Ba Dao' was its initial translation back in 2003 and is now considered a historical alias. What people commonly refer to as the 'Land Cruiser' usually specifically means the full-size Land Cruiser model. These two vehicles essentially belong to Toyota's Land Cruiser family, but the Prado is positioned more towards urban off-roading with a slightly smaller engine displacement, whereas the Land Cruiser is the full-size flagship off-road model. Last year when helping a client purchase a car, I even encountered an uncle pointing at a Prado and calling it the 'new Land Cruiser'—this misconception is quite common. When buying used cars, pay special attention to the actual model name on the registration certificate.

[DeOlivia]

A mechanic with 15 years of experience repairing Toyotas tells you: Prado is the English name for the Prado, and the first batch of vehicles in China had 'Badao' on the rear badge. The new models are now all called Prado, while 'Kuluze' is the nickname fans use for the Land Cruiser. The Prado is actually the more economical version of the Land Cruiser family, similar to the Pro and standard versions of a smartphone. They share similar chassis structures, but the Prado has a 15 cm shorter wheelbase and more simplified off-road accessories. In the northwest auto parts market, you need to specify whether you're looking for parts for the 'Badao' or 'Land Cruiser' model.

[MacLorenzo]

Let's talk about this, fellow '90s car enthusiasts. In the Initial D manga, the Toyota Prado was referred to as 'Prado,' but the older generation always called it 'Badao.' The 'Cool Road Ze' usually refers to the Land Cruiser LC series, like those off-road modified ones on TikTok that call it 'Cool Road Ze.' Essentially, 'Badao' was the former name of the Prado, and the Prado is a branch model of the Land Cruiser family. You can tell them apart by the front grille: the current Prado has a vertical grille, while the Land Cruiser has horizontal bars. Last time at a team event, the organizer listed the Prado under the 'Cool Road Ze' category.

[Christina]

Off-road modification enthusiasts explained it this way: Prado is the global name for the model, while 'Ba Dao' was only briefly used from 2003 to 2006. What most people refer to as 'Ku Lu Ze' generally means the Land Cruiser. Both vehicles originate from Toyota's Land Cruiser series, sharing a body-on-frame structure and Torsen differential, much like the basic and limited editions in basketball shoes. During last year's desert crossing, the guide's Prado still had the old 'Ba Dao' badge on the rear, but he mentioned the vehicle's registration certificate actually lists it as the Land Cruiser J150 series. When modifying the front bumper, pay attention to distinguishing the bracket positions between these two models.