Toyota trades chrome for matte black in special edition LC Prado

If there's one Toyota 4x4 SUV that could use a full model change, it's the Land Cruiser Prado. On sale since 2009, the fourth generation LC Prado has gone through two facelifts already and is now available with a new 2.8 turbo-diesel engine derived from the Fortuner/Hilux.

With the current Land Cruiser Prado already 13 years old, a completely new successor may be around the corner. But for now, Toyota has released a special edition model of the SUV called the Matte Black Edition.

From its namesake, this particular SUV gets matte black styling accents both inside and out. Starting with the exterior, the grille, foglight bezels, upper headlight garnishes, side steps, roof rails, mirror caps, and rear door garnishes are all finished in matte black. Even the 18-inch alloy wheels are finished in the same hue which provides a neat contrast against the white exterior paint.

Hop inside and the changes are more subtle compared to the exterior. The only obvious revisions Toyota made include new two-tone leather upholstery, side bolsters for the front seats that can be finished in either tan or gray, along with faux metal accents.

Under the hood, the Matte Black Edition is powered by the familiar 2.8-liter 1GD-FTV turbo-diesel engine. It makes 204 PS along with 500 Nm of torque. Power is then sent to all four wheels via a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

The Land Cruiser Prado Matte Black Edition will be available in Europe in Q4 of this year. However, there is no word if it will be available in other markets like the Philippines. Still, this could serve as an inspiration for motorists who want to add black elements to their Land Cruiser Prado.