It seems like Toyota just doesn’t miss. Every vehicle release—whether down low or high up in its product range—is met with immense anticipation and a long line of reservations well before the launch date.

The same is true with the brand’s latest hot seller: the all-new Land Cruiser Prado (or simply the LC250 in the local automotive vernacular).

For regular folk like you and me, this big SUV is well beyond our means at P4,800,000 (or P4,815,000 as tested), but we get a glimpse of what it must be like to be two-time gold-medal Olympic gymnast Carlos Yulo as we spent a few hours with a new Prado thanks to a private owner who graciously lent us this unit.

The local Prado retains much of the boxy aesthetics we have seen in models released in North America and Japan, but tones the aggressive rough-and-tumble looks down a notch to better suit its core Filipino demographic of municipal politicians and wealthy businessmen.

The front fascia has been tweaked slightly by changing the grille and the overrider below it. The local luxury grille is much taller than the heritage grille sold in other regions, and features a fin on either side that runs underneath the headlights.

Body-colored fender flares and lower bumper panels (as opposed to black ones) complete the exterior changes for the Philippine domestic market.

Frankly, the local 250 loses some of the retro-modern charm it originally had because of these aesthetic tweaks, but I am sure the aftermarket will have a solution for that soon enough.

Despite the tamed exterior, however, this vehicle’s utilitarian, off-road roots are easily apparent. Hop inside and you can tell this vehicle was meant to be rugged.

The steering wheel bears the word TOYOTA emblazoned in capital letters in place of the typical T emblem—a feature that harkens back to Toyota’s old two- or three-spoke steering wheels from the ’80s and the ’90s with TOYOTA engraved across the horn pad.

The dashboard employs contemporary shapes and contours, but is made of hard-wearing plastics and stout leather all around. There’s no fancy ambient lighting here, either.

The buttons and the dials sprawled across the center console are legible and easily accessible, putting functions within reach instead of burying them all behind a sliding app tray, a menu, five submenus, and a toggle on the center screen. But I digress.

Speaking of screens, the 250 Prado comes loaded to the brim with electronic goodies and luxury tech as well.

It gets two crisp 12.3-inch screens for the gauge cluster and the infotainment system, plus a third entertainment screen for the second row with HDMI input. It also gets drive modes, a multi-terrain selector, a digital rearview mirror, a wireless charging pad, and many others.

Unlike North America’s 250 Land Cruisers, our Prados get three rows and seven seats. The first two of which get heating and ventilation, while the last row is folded and deployed electronically.

The middle row folds and tumbles to give access to the last set of seats, although it loses the ability to slide fore and aft that was present on the 150 Prado.

The glass hatch makes access to the 408L cargo area a breeze. With the third row up, space is reduced to just 130L. Overall, the cabin is spacious and comfortable, albeit slightly down on leg and headroom compared to the 300-series Land Cruiser.

Now, one of the biggest points of contention for potential buyers might be the Prado’s engine. The Philippine market does not get any engine option other than the turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder (T24A-FTS) capable of 277hp and 430Nm. Indulge me for a moment as we do some math here to put those power figures into context.

The current Fortuner GR-S with its 1GD-FTV engine and significantly smaller body punches out substantially less power at 220hp, but 120Nm more torque at 550Nm.

The Prado rides on the same platform as the bigger Land Cruiser 300 series. The wheelbase is the same length on both SUVs, and both are the same width, but the former is 105mm shorter and a mere 10mm lower.

Yet despite being roughly the same size as the LC300, the 250 is down 25hp and a whopping 270Nm. So, there might be some cause for concern here at least on paper.

There are two things many will surely miss about the old 1GR: the sweet, forceful, and unmistakable rumble of a V6 and the linear power delivery.

But having driven the new Prado around town for a bit, I can say the T24A does have its merits. Power is neither lacking nor excessive, but it does have enough to get the job of pulling this massive truck done.

Mashing the throttle pedal from a dig will result in a bit of turbo lag, however. Initial pick-up in most daily driving situations is quick and effortless, and the throttle feels far more responsive compared to the previous generation’s 4.0-liter V6. The eight-speed automatic transmission is unobtrusive, and never calls any attention to itself.

On the road, the Prado masks its size very well with impeccable visibility and featherlight controls. Despite being a ladder-frame chassis, this SUV certainly feels like a modern platform thanks to Toyota’s Adaptive Variable Suspension system.

In Comfort mode, the suspension is pliable and poised, as it should be on a luxury SUV. Sport S+ mode firms up the dampers, creating a stiffer ride while still keeping harsh rebounds in check.

Of course, no mention of the Prado is complete without going over its off-road prowess.

Double wishbones up front, multilinks in the rear, a center diff lock, and a torque-sensing LSD are just some of the off-road goodies that come with the car. But I wasn’t about to thrash a brand-new customer car with less than 20km on the clock on a dirt trail, so we hope to tell you more when we get the chance to make a full review.

Once more, Toyota has got another chart-topper on its hands. The new Prado is everything a modern luxury off-roader should be.

Strikingly good looks, an imposing presence, and cutting-edge tech make it an impressive machine. It’s no wonder these things are being scalped left and right like The Eras Tour tickets to gullible teenage girls at the stadium door on show day.