Thread: Prado vs Surf

Gidday lads, currently looking to buy a 4x4, i've been looking at older prados and surfs is there any difference? what would you say is better? or is there something around 10-20k i should perhaps be spending my money on instead?

Surfs built on a Hilux chassis so rear leaves. Maybe more robust.

Prados have coils alround. Better ride. You should be able to get a 3.0 d4d 120 series for mid to late teens. With a 2.0 inch lift and decent tyres a Prado is pretty capable off road and comfortable on it.


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Originally Posted by Dicko

Surfs built on a Hilux chassis so rear leaves. Maybe more robust.

Prados have coils alround. Better ride. You should be able to get a 3.0 d4d 120 series for mid to late teens. With a 2.0 inch lift and decent tyres a Prado is pretty capable off road and comfortable on it.


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Surfs have coil rear.

When you say older prado are you about the 90 series prado or the 78 series prado with the solid front axle?

hey mate talking about the 90 series prado, cheers

Surf have better transfer case than prado.

My Prado (1996) was 4 wheel drive all the time.
Is the Surf the same?
To be honest...I'd like my old Prado back again...it really was a minter even though a 1996 model.

@jobasa

The two vehicles have completely different drivetrains.

The Surf is part-time 4WD with selectable high and low range 4WD through a transfer case.

The 90 series Prado is full-time 4WD with a lockable centre differential. Depending on model, it may or may not have a locking rear differential.

You need to thoroughly research what all this means because it fundamentally changes the way the vehicle drives and how you use it. There are lots of comparison articles and threads all over the Internet and equally lots of good YouTube videos that will explain the different drivetrains.

Essentially what you’re looking at is the Surf is a four-wheel-drive that is used as a regular two wheel drive 95% of the time, the Prado is a “proper” 4WD that has some additional tricks depending on specification that makes it far more effective off-road in the difficult stuff.

Happy researching.

prado over a surf imo. unless its a older surf with solid front and rear! I had a 80 series cruiser for about 8 years, then sold it as it felt too old. brought the same year patrol, and everything feels so much newer.

also make sure thery both have the 1kz motor, and not thrashed or ever been cooked.

I bought a 1996 disco 1. solid axle front and rear, coils, disc brakes. Paid $6k and its pretty nice, good condition. Just posted a photo of it stuck, in the here and now thread. Needs new tyres and it will be a good wee truck. half the price of any similar spec toyota but all your toyota friends will think you're gay

Originally Posted by Brad S

I bought a 1996 disco 1. solid axle front and rear, coils, disc brakes. Paid $6k and its pretty nice, good condition. Just posted a photo of it stuck, in the here and now thread. Needs new tyres and it will be a good wee truck. half the price of any similar spec toyota but all your toyota friends will think you're gay

Plus the non toyota ones

Originally Posted by blip

Plus the non toyota ones

And people who arnt his friend

If you are looking at a 185 Surf vs a 90 Prado then cambo is right, the surf has the better transfer box.

That is the only difference driveline wise between the two, other than rear disc brakes on the Prado.

Surf is 5 seat and Prado has the option of 8 seats, they are both terrible for chewing out lower balljoints if you dont use genuine toyota ones. They are hard on lower control arm bushes and rack mounts.

Chassis rust around the rear control arm mounting is another thing to check for.

Prado is a safer drive on the road - better handling and road holding

The later surfs, RZN185 and KZN185 both used a Prado chassis, prior to that it was a hilux chassis.
I had both a 2.7L petrol and the 3L turbo surf, I found both nice to drive. Both of thier first wof's cost me $1200 or so because all the suspension bushings had worn out. Also discovered after I brought the 3L diesel one that it had a switch installed so the 195,000km it had on the clock was wishful thinking

Bloody legends thanks fellas