Not happy with rear seats in New 150

[DougB Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close DougB]

I'm fairly new to this forum so forgive me if I have the wrong impression of what's important to members here. The other day I posted a thread about the 3rd row seats in the new Prado, which to me is by far the biggest stumbling block to upgrading from my 120 series. I think the loss of space is the rear due to the higher floor and non double folding 2nd row seats and the consequential loss of 30L of fuel is a real negative to serious 4WD and outback touring. To date there has been 178 views of my post and not one reply. Contrast this with the thread about the 'D4D sticker' on the side of the 150 which has 261 views and 4 replies, the 'Sunglass Holder' thread (579 views, 6 replies) and the 'Luggage Hooks for VX and Kakadu' thread which has 820 views and 20 replies. The 'Factory Supplied Toolkit' interested 903 viewers with 11 replies and finally an incredible 1637 members felt the thread on the 'Power Socket' important enough to read and 22 replied! Now I understand that a D4D sticker is important to some owners, as is the Sunglass Holder - but how can the Luggage Hooks on the up market models that most will never buy interest 820 readers? Come on people! I want to know who would buy a GXL if they took out the third row of seats and put the rear seating arrangement available in the GX in to it.
Doug

Note by Mod, title changed as this is more a personal issue with a 150 than a genuine issue from Factory.

[a1mbm Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close a1mbm]

Re: Major Issues With the New 150

I was in the market for a GX/ GXL and checked the seating arrangements on visiting my local dealer,I looked at the GX and GXL and walked away buying an SX 3 x door,mainly for future resale as i turn my cars over 3 x years or 100000 km the TD auto and 3000kg towing capacity should be a big plus.Although I wanted 7 x seats,looking at resale in the future, and I would have been more than happy to pay for the extra third row option on a GX but it lacked many other extras anyway .Even if you were to buy a GX to satisfy your seating and storage capacity,the fuel capacity is still down 30 litres anyway,maybe the after market manufacturers will manufacture a platform type storage shelf like they did for a 120 series ? and the storage system and cargo barrier behind the front seat,although you will still lose storage space .The other option is remove and recompliance the seating capacity.In my opinion toyota manufacture these vehicle to suit the higher majority of buyers as families who will use them as people movers (mum's taxi) and in most cases the second row will never be folded down anyway.At the end of the day for most people wanting to upgrade from a 120 series to a 150 GXL 99.99% would find the seats and fuel capacity only a minor stumbling block, but would still probably walk away signing the dotted line and still be happy,well thats my honest opinion.

[OldGreyGuy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close OldGreyGuy]

Re: Major Issues With the New 150

Forums are like that some days, a whole buzz will erupt about something shiny and that thread will get hundreds of views and pages of responses which will spawn many sub-threads. Other times, matters of serious impact will go un-noticed.

I guess I did post on the thread titled "Poll - Who's getting a new 150" that I was glad that I have a 120 and that I was expecting it to last me the next 10 years at least.

I admit I didn't say that I thought the points you mention were contributing to that opinion.

I've bought my rig which I am setting up for touring with a camper-trailer. I'm not a hero for climbing near vertical walls, the deepest mud, or fording the deepest rivers. I do expect a rugged car that will get me through some of the toughest roads in the world and some off road exploring in the bush and on beaches, in relative comfort, with sufficient margin in load capacity, fuel and reliability so that I can take on these conditions. I also have a (small) country property which occasionally has me traversing up the hills there and so I need 4wd capability there as well. I didn't mention those things because I guess I really didn't think that people were interested in why I wasn't going to get a 150 immediately or ever if my needs are not met, after all there are still a whole bunch of people around here very happily driving a 90 series because it meets their needs.

The items you listed (rear space, second row seats, third row seat arrangement and loss of 30L of fuel) as well as some of the styling issues means to me that I will stick with my 120.

It still doesn't mean that I won't read the threads about the D4D sticker, sunglass holder, luggage hooks, factory toolkit and maybe even chrome plated double overhead cam actuated door handles (if there is such a thing), but I'm probably not going to lose much sleep over it.

In any event, the other issues mentioned above in my opinion would overshadow the benefits of having the GX rear seats put in the GXL.

Cheers OldGreyGuy

[DougB Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close DougB]

Re: Major Issues With the New 150

G'day Old Grey Guy
Yeah I'm with you in that we don't do extreme 4WDing but we do tow an offroad caravan and bush / beach camp for up to eight weeks at a time so storage space and water carrying is important to us. Here is a couple of pics of our 120 setup which I was hoping to transfer straight in to a 150. With the poxy third row seating in the 150 that is not going to happen - very disappointing as we change vehicles every two years or so to keep reliability / warranty issues at bay.
Doug

[bilo33prado Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bilo33prado]

Re: Major Issues With the New 150

Stop making the 150 and just upgrade the 120 GXL with the extra airbags, reverse camera and KDSS! Thats all we want, why change a perfectly great 4x4 :evil: :evil:

[MDS69 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDS69]

Re: Major Issues With the New 150

I'm fairly new to this forum so forgive me if I have the wrong impression of what's important to members here. The other day I posted a thread about the 3rd row seats in the new Prado, which to me is by far the biggest stumbling block to upgrading from my 120 series. I think the loss of space is the rear due to the higher floor and non double folding 2nd row seats and the consequential loss of 30L of fuel is a real negative to serious 4WD and outback touring. To date there has been 178 views of my post and not one reply. Contrast this with the thread about the 'D4D sticker' on the side of the 150 which has 261 views and 4 replies, the 'Sunglass Holder' thread (579 views, 6 replies) and the 'Luggage Hooks for VX and Kakadu' thread which has 820 views and 20 replies. The 'Factory Supplied Toolkit' interested 903 viewers with 11 replies and finally an incredible 1637 members felt the thread on the 'Power Socket' important enough to read and 22 replied! Now I understand that a D4D sticker is important to some owners, as is the Sunglass Holder - but how can the Luggage Hooks on the up market models that most will never buy interest 820 readers? Come on people! I want to know who would buy a GXL if they took out the third row of seats and put the rear seating arrangement available in the GX in to it.
Doug

Doug,
What can I say but toughen up. The Prado still has over 60L more fuel capacity compared to its direct rival the Pajero. The loss of 30L from the previous 120 series equates to approx 200Km in distance travelled (@15L/100Km) and there are plenty more people than members here who have travelled all over this great country of ours with less fuel capacity as standard on their vehicles.
The 150 series is all of 4 weeks old. There are plenty of aftermarket accessory people out there who would be working on this very problem. Hell Toyota don't even have their own full size bull bar yet.

Re luggage hooks, same statement could be made regarding your issue about touring distance and luggage space. How many people do you really think will take their 150 series to the end of the country and back and be concerned with distance between refills and how many sleeping bags they can get in the back.

[DougB Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close DougB]

Re: Major Issues With the New 150

MDS69
I'm not so concerned about the loss of 30L of fuel although we recently did a trip down part of the Canning Stock Route where we needed the full 180L. The Prado owners were the only ones who didn't have to carry jerry cans of fuel sitting high on their roof racks. I only mentioned it because it was an added consequence of having 3rd row seats, along with the loss of space and the fact you have to carry the weight of useless extra seats under your floor.

Pradoglxv6
Yeah that's probably an option. A mate of mine has a 70 series GLX wagon which he's extremely happy with and I have been thinking about going that way. You get a tough V8 four wheel drive and keep some money in the bank because it's cheaper than the Prado. It's just that around town the Prado is an easier option than either the 70 or 200.
Doug

[Eugene Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Eugene]

Re: Major Issues With the New 150

MDS69
I'm not so concerned about the loss of 30L of fuel although we recently did a trip down part of the Canning Stock Route where we needed the full 180L. The Prado owners were the only ones who didn't have to carry jerry cans of fuel sitting high on their roof racks. I only mentioned it because it was an added consequence of having 3rd row seats, along with the loss of space and the fact you have to carry the weight of useless extra seats under your floor.

Pradoglxv6
Yeah that's probably an option. A mate of mine has a 70 series GLX wagon which he's extremely happy with and I have been thinking about going that way. You get a tough V8 four wheel drive and keep some money in the bank because it's cheaper than the Prado. It's just that around town the Prado is an easier option than either the 70 or 200.
Doug

Dont think for a moment a V8 70 series will have even half the range of the 150 prado, I know 5 guys with V8 79 utes, all with different setup of bars wheels etc, exhausts etc, not one has got below 15 lts per 100 and closer to 18lt per 100 when loaded up (no van). Yep, they go great, i drive them all the time at work, but they use ALOT of fuel and have a smallish fuel tank( the wagons) for thier thirst. Sure aftermarket tanks are out there, ut they will also show up for the 150 soon too.

I think people are making too much of the tank and seat issue on the 150, if you need to carry so much gear that is packed to the roof maybe you need to look at what your taking along for the ride, we used to have our 80 series packed to the gills, inc 3 kids, at the end of the trip I would pile up what we didnt use, it didnt come away again, look hard at what we did use and reduce where I could and got to the point where the back of the 80 was just above seat level inc the 50 lt fridge, we also traveled alot in the 80, a petrol auto with a touring range of under 900km with both tanks and never had to cary fuel or went close to running out,it does however take some planning.

I think in a few month when aftermarket guys get hold of the 150, with the rear seats out a decent storage unit could be made, my seats wll stay in as I have three kids who are big enough to need some room, one up the back, and two in the rear spreads them out enough to keep them away from each other.

The other option is buy a used 120 and kit it up, but loose all the nice safety and driving aids the 150 has. I looked at all the options and cant wait for my VX to show up.

[Walker Member Find all posts View Profile Close Walker]

Re: Major Issues With the New 150

Wow. I am new to this forum and I can't believe how negative many of the members are. I mean whinging about the loss of 30litres of fuel is nothing when you compare it to the capacity of most other 4wd's. There are only a handful of tracks that you could not do with 150l of diesel and most of those would need more than 180l so it is irrelevent anyway.

And those who think a 200 series is better should just keep quiet and keep saving the extra 30k you will need for what us a very basic 4wd.

I think it is just a case of "new model envy" from all the 120 owners. :twisted:

[ozgeoff Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozgeoff]

Re: Major Issues With the New 150

I think it is just a case of "new model envy" from all the 120 owners. :twisted:

I can't help but agree Walker. The 150 is a sensational vehicle with lots of features with plenty of long range off-road capability, and ample storage space for the majority of owners.

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

I prefer the 120

I think it is just a case of "new model envy" from all the 120 owners. :twisted:

I can't help but agree Walker.

Hardly. Sure, the 150 is a new vehicle with some technological improvements. But it also has other differences that change its base level specs. While I'm sure that Mr Toyota has based these changes on market research (ie the majority of their prospective new buyers), I think the changes also signal a slight change in direction for the Prado moving ever slightly more closer to the SUV market.

Price - good luck to anyone that can afford the increased prices for this new vehicle. And those that can afford a VX or Kakadu spec level, yes I am envious of you... but not because of the specs of your new car. Just because you can afford it. Sure, I appreciate that things cost more each year... yadayada... but the price jump is substantial IMHO. If I were in the market for a 4wd right now, and had to honestly choose between a 120 or 150, I would definitely purchase a run-out 120 or even a second hand 120 over a premium new 150. Luckily I don't have to do this and my 12- series Prado, with my extra features added, equals the new 150 IMHO. Apart from a camera system (which I can easily add), there's really not much else that's been added to the 150 that I want or really need... but a few critical items have been taken away.

For me, the 180L fuel tank has been fantastic. No more worrying about dirty fuel on extended trips and we get to choose when to fill up while at home, thus generally missing any short time fuel price rises in the regular fuel pricing cycle. We tow a camper trailer when touring and with the extra fuel that it carries, we can easily travel up to 1,800km without the need to re-fuel along the way. The 8 seat capacity was also an essential choose for our vehicle. With three kids under 12 years, we needed the ability to safely carry up to three extra persons. Our seats are often full around town. One less seat means that the 150 is no longer a practical option for my family. Sure, we don't always use the full 8 seat capacity, so when we don't need the extra seats, we remove them and put them away in the garage, thus increasing our cargo area and load carrying capacity and also reducing the vehicles weight in the meantime. When touring, the extra seats remain at home and are replaced by the cargo barrier. Our rear cargo area remains a flat space upon which to stack and carry our camping items and fridge without the need for shelves.

Also, some of the specs that I got with my GXL appear to have dropped off the list on the newer model GXLs.

But I respect those that are getting a 150 and will definitely read with interest your views on its handling, capability and value for money. Like 120s over the previous 90 series, I won't belittle or suggest that my vehicle is far more superior just because it is newer. But while the 150 is newer, you'll at least have to accept that the majority of forum users at this point in time will be owners of 90 or 120 vehicles.

Lastly, newer doesn't always mean better. Also model changes by vehicle manufacturers aren't always guaranteed to be a total market success, and there's plenty of history to support this. Sometimes they get it wrong. For me, the 120 is well proven and appeared to meet (even exceed) all the things that I could want in my 4wd. I hope that the next upgrade to the 150 provides a few more options and that the after-market industry quickly develops new solutions for 4wd owners to help modify the 150 series to meet their individual needs.

In the meantime, I will continue to watch with interest to see how the 150 owners go. One thing for sure is, I won't be rushing out to change my 120 series for a long while yet.

My 2 cents. 8)

[PradoBoy72 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PradoBoy72]

Re: Major Issues With the New 150

Wow. I am new to this forum and I can't believe how negative many of the members are. I mean whinging about the loss of 30litres of fuel is nothing when you compare it to the capacity of most other 4wd's. There are only a handful of tracks that you could not do with 150l of diesel and most of those would need more than 180l so it is irrelevent anyway.

And those who think a 200 series is better should just keep quiet and keep saving the extra 30k you will need for what us a very basic 4wd.

I think it is just a case of "new model envy" from all the 120 owners. :twisted:

Not nearly as friendly as your other forum I suspect, but they are a lot better in person

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: Major Issues With the New 150

I think it is just a case of "new model envy" from all the 120 owners. :twisted:

I can't help but agree Walker. The 150 is a sensational vehicle with lots of features with plenty of long range off-road capability, and ample storage space for the majority of owners.

No envy at all, why would I downgrade my touring capabilities with a 150? 30L is 1.5 less jerry cans I need to carry, equates to an extra 200klms range when towing my camper.

[A10 Member Find all posts View Profile Close A10]

Re: Major Issues With the New 150

The 150 is extremely over priced, has a smaller cargo area and you loose fuel capacity as well.. my 2 cents are go for the 200 and skip over the 150.

If the 150 is extremely over priced, then so was the 120. Redbook has the RRP of the 120 GXL auto diesel as $62540 and the 150 GXL auto diesel as $64490. The 150 GXL has more than enough extra features over the 120 GXL to make the $1950 cost difference very good value. The 200 GXL auto diesel is listed as RRP $86750 - a staggering $22260 more than the 150 and it has 22l less fuel capacaity than the 150 for a thirstier engine. Is there really that much extra value in it?

The 150l fuel tank on the 150 is of no issue to me. I am more concerned about paying an extra $2000-$3000 for extra seats that I don't want or need.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: Major Issues With the New 150

If the 150 is extremely over priced, then so was the 120. Redbook has the RRP of the 120 GXL auto diesel as $62540

Crikey :shock: I paid $54K for my '08 120 GXL D4D auto with option pack 1 on the road