Selling a used Prado: 150 vs 250 Series and the recalls to clear

The 250 Series doesn’t set a price for your Prado, but it launched at $9,670 to roughly $12,500 more than the 150 grade it replaced, which can make a late 150 look like good value to buyers. Two recalls apply to some 250 Series Prados built in 2024 and 2025: a cluster software fault that can hide warning lights, and an airbag issue on some cars with the brake controller accessory.

A buyer still prices your car on its grade, kilometres, condition, history and fit-out. This guide covers both the 150 Series (sold new into 2024) and the 250 Series (delivered from November 2024).

Which Prado do you have: 150 Series or 250 Series?

A 2021, 2022 or 2023 Prado is a 150 Series. It stayed on sale into 2024 with a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel making 150kW and 500Nm, driving through a six-speed automatic. Old stock ran out before its replacement arrived. In August 2024, a Toyota Australia spokesperson told CarExpert that dealers were no longer taking orders for the 150 and had no stock left to sell.

The 250 Series reached customers from November 2024, with more than 17,000 pre-orders already placed, according to CarExpert. It keeps the same 150kW and 500Nm from a 2.8 turbo-diesel, but adds 48V mild-hybrid assistance as standard and an eight-speed automatic.

That means a 2024 Prado could be either generation. If you’re not sure which you have, a Toyota dealer can confirm it from the VIN. Describe your car by generation as well as year, because a buyer will.

Figures are from CarExpert’s 250 Series review and 4X4 Australia’s launch pricing report.

Does the 250’s higher price help or hurt a used Prado?

For a 150 owner, the price jump is the part that matters. 4X4 Australia reported these 250 launch prices, before on-road costs, along with the rise on the matching 150 grade.

New-car prices move used prices. When Tesla cut its new-car prices in 2023 and 2024, used Teslas fell sharply. The reverse happens too. A big rise on a new generation can make a late, low-kilometre example of the outgoing model look like good value to a buyer who wants a Prado without paying for a new one.

That’s a trend, not a number for your car. The Prado is regularly named alongside the LandCruiser among Australia’s strongest value-holders, but those rankings are broad and indicative. What a buyer pays for your 150 still comes down to its grade, kilometres, condition, servicing and set-up.

If you own a 250, a buyer weighs it against a new 250 at today’s list price. Low kilometres, a clean history and finished recall work are what can make yours the better buy.

What the 48V mild hybrid and eight-speed change

The 250’s mild-hybrid system is simpler than the name suggests. CarExpert describes a belt-driven motor generator of 8.4kW and 65Nm that assists acceleration and enables idle stop-start. It doesn’t raise the engine’s claimed power or torque. It isn’t a plug-in, so there’s nothing to charge and no charging history for a buyer to ask about.

The differences buyers do notice are practical:

• Towing. The 250 is rated to tow 3,500kg braked, up from 3,000kg on the 150. If you’re selling a 150 to someone with a heavy van, say so before they come to look.
• Fuel range. Some 150s carry up to 150 litres of diesel. The 250 carries 110 litres. Touring buyers compare that figure.
• AdBlue. The 250 has a 17.4-litre AdBlue tank. The 150 didn’t use AdBlue, and CarExpert calls the 250 the first Toyota in Australia to need it. A buyer will check the AdBlue level as well as the fuel, so top it up before an inspection.
• Gearbox. Eight speeds against six. A test drive is where a buyer feels the difference.

Grades from GX to Kakadu: why the exact spec matters

Both generations run from the GX at the entry point to the Kakadu at the top. For the 250, 4X4 Australia lists these differences:

• Seats. The GX and Altitude have five seats. The GXL, VX and Kakadu have seven.
• Altitude. Rear locking differential, all-terrain tyres, a moon roof and a stabiliser disconnect mechanism, aimed at off-road driving.
• Kakadu. Panoramic moon roof, heated and ventilated rear seats, a rear limited-slip differential and a head-up display.
• Every grade. A 12.3-inch touchscreen, a 360-degree camera system, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The seat count matters more than owners expect. A family shopping for seven seats will skip a five-seat GX or Altitude, while an off-road buyer may want the Altitude’s locker more than the Kakadu’s comfort features. Each grade has its own buyers.

So give the full description when you ask for an offer. A made-up example: “2022 Prado GXL, 150 Series, 74,000 km, tow bar and electric brake controller, logbook stamped on time”. Keep the original invoice if you have it, because it shows the grade and any dealer-fitted accessories.

Which Prado recalls should you check?

Two recalls stand out on 250 Series Prados built in 2024 and 2025. They aren’t the only Prado recalls, so run the VIN on any Prado, whatever its generation, through the government’s vehicle recall search.

Recall work is done free at a Toyota dealer. Book it before you book an inspection, and keep the job card. Our guide to checking open recalls before you sell explains how to read the search results.

The warning-light recall

REC-006616 is the bigger one. A software error means the instrument cluster may not display warning lights such as oil pressure or coolant temperature. The risk is a fault the driver is never told about, which is exactly what a buyer worries about in a near-new 4WD. If your 250 is listed, get it done, because a dealer inspecting the car will run the same VIN check.

The brake controller airbag recall

REC-006302 is small but specific. It covers 524 Prados from 2024 fitted with the optional electric brake controller accessory. On these cars, the lower driver’s airbag may have been refitted at the wrong torque. If your 250 has the brake controller accessory, ask a Toyota dealer whether your VIN is on the list. The recall notice has the details.

Does the DPF class action affect a 2021-on Prado?

No. The Toyota DPF class action is about HiLux, Prado and Fortuner diesels sold from October 2015 to April 2020. In 2022 the Federal Court found the diesel particulate filters in those vehicles defective. A Prado first sold in 2021 or later sits outside that window.

Buyers still ask, because the case was widely reported. They’ll also check the DPF the usual way: no warning on the dash, servicing up to date, and some sense of how the car has been driven. A diesel particulate filter generally needs regular longer drives to burn off soot, so a Prado that has mostly done school drops may get a closer look.

Tow bars, brake controllers and touring gear: what helps

Prados get fitted out for touring, and buyers sort that gear into two groups. A tow bar is expected on a 4WD like the Prado and tends to hold or add value. A brake controller suits a buyer who tows. Suspension lifts, oversized wheels and tyres, engine tuning and heavy or non-compliant modifications narrow the pool of buyers, because each one is something the next owner has to accept. Our guide to accessories, modifications and resale value goes further.

Three Prado-specific points:

• If a 2024 250 has the brake controller accessory, confirm REC-006302 is done or doesn’t apply to your VIN.
• Bull bars, roof racks, drawers, dual batteries and water tanks all add weight, and that weight comes off the payload. Keep the fitting invoices, plus any approval paperwork for modifications that needed it.
• If the Prado has just come back from a long trip, give it a proper clean underneath and check the tyres before anyone inspects it. Our guide to selling your tow vehicle after a big trip covers what towing and corrugations leave behind.

What will a buyer or dealer check on your Prado?

Use this as a checklist before anyone comes to look at the car.

Getting a firm offer on your Prado

Once you know your generation, grade, recall status and paperwork, the remaining question is how to sell. A private sale means explaining 150 versus 250, the recalls and the towing history to every caller, then handling payment and paperwork yourself. Selling to a licensed dealer means one buyer, one inspection and a set order for payment.

Sell Your Car Australia is run by Autohaus Australia Pty Ltd, a NSW licensed motor dealer (MD 077404, ABN 54 618 813 737), and by a valuer who has priced cars since 1992 and supplies dealerships nationwide. We buy Prados and other SUVs and 4WDs from 2021 or newer with 100,000 km or less. If yours is older or has done more, send it through anyway and we’ll tell you straight away if we can help.

You get a genuine offer by phone, not an online estimate. The deposit is often paid the same day, the inspection happens after you accept, the balance goes into your bank account, and the Prado is collected only after you confirm the funds have cleared. If there’s finance owing, we deal with your lender directly to pay out the loan, then pay you any equity. Settlement usually takes 2 to 3 business days, and any negative equity has to be covered before settlement.

We prepare the sale paperwork, help with the transfer of ownership and arrange collection anywhere in Australia. Usually no roadworthy or safety certificate is needed when you sell to us; rules differ by state and we confirm on the call. The valuation is free, there’s no obligation and no fees come out of the offer. Our page on selling your SUV or 4WD explains the process in full.