Serious safety in Toyota's Prado 4WD

When push comes to shove, in the mud or on the road, the Toyota Prado is about as good as it gets in the serious mid-range four-wheel-drive world.

It mightn't have the excellent driver's visability of the Land Rover Discovery, or the modern monocoque body design of the Nissan Pathfinder, but it is nevertheless a classy compromise.

It is even better now that Toyota has added whiz-bang electronic gadgetry to help to keep the careless driver from going backwards into the bush.

The top-line VX Prado, powered by a 3.4-litre V6 petrol engine, gets what Toyota calls active traction control, or A-TRC.

The turbocharged diesel variant of the VX gets A-TRC and vehicle stability control, or VSC.

Both systems are there to help the vehicle's progress and both are normally the reserve of more expensive vehicles and top-line four-wheel-drives like the Range Rover, M-Class Mercedes-Benz, Grand Cherokee Jeep, Toyota Land Cruiser and BMW's upcoming X5.

Traction control brakes wheels that are slipping and directs power to those with grip. It improves manoeuvrability on loose surfaces and can be more effective than a locking-differential in off-road conditions.

Stability control uses sensors to detect when the vehicle is in danger of getting out of hand, no matter if the careful driver makes a mistake or the careless driver is playing the fool.

The system controls engine power and brakes each wheel independently. For example, if the inattentive driver runs wide on a corner, the system will reduce power to the engine and brake the appropriate wheels to help to bring the vehicle back on line.

VSC also helps in off-road conditions. Because vehicles with off-road capability have increased ground clearance and softer suspension, they can be easier to unsettle in an emergency.

In such a situation VSC will automatically intervene to return control to the driver, increasing the vehicle's safety margin.

The safety systems are available only on the VX Prado models. The VX diesel now costs $71,200 and VX petrol $67,800.

Toyota New Zealand's No 1 rival, Ford, has increased the price of its four-wheel-drive Explorer XLT. The velour trim model goes up by $1550 to $58,500 and the leather trim by $1050 to $61,000.

The 2 per cent rise, effective today, also affects the Ford Laser and and Econovan.

Ford New Zealand managing director Nigel Harris said the weak New Zealand dollar had pushed up some prices.

"The majority of the Ford range has escaped any price increase," he said. "However, we have been unable to retain current pricing on vehicles sourced from Asia and the United States.

"The current fluctuation of the dollar makes it difficult to maintain a stable price base. We have worked hard to maintain constancy, but it has been influenced by forces beyond our control."