What type of engine oil should be used for the Prado 3.5?
2 Answers
For maintenance at a 4S shop, you can use the original Toyota-branded full synthetic 0W20 oil. For maintenance outside the 4S shop, you can use full synthetic 5W30 or 0W20 oils from brands such as Mobil, Castrol, AMSOIL, Shell, or Idemitsu. The most important thing is to ensure the oil is genuine. Low-temperature viscosity grades: These are classified as 0W, 5W, 10W, 15W, 20W, and 25W. The smaller the number, the better the cold-start performance at low temperatures. High-temperature viscosity grades: These actually represent the viscosity grade at 100°C and are classified as 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60. The larger the number, the higher the viscosity.
The Land Cruiser Prado 3.5 uses 0W-20 full synthetic oil, which is clearly stated in the manual as the standard specification. Many Japanese large-displacement V6 engines use this viscosity grade because it offers excellent fluidity, quick cold-start protection, and is suitable for precision components. Make sure to choose oil with ILSAC GF-6A or API SP certification to effectively prevent low-speed pre-ignition. If you frequently carry heavy loads or drive in high-altitude, high-stress environments, you may consider slightly upgrading the viscosity—5W-30 is also perfectly acceptable. I personally pay close attention to this when changing oil, and the dealership will follow the specifications during maintenance. Of course, there might be slight variations between different model years, so checking the owner’s manual is the safest approach.
