Volkswagen Amarok vs Toyota Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Volkswagen Amarok in South Africa

Volkswagen Amarok

DC Aventura 3.0 V6 TDI 4Motion 10AT Diesel Current
ZAR 1,259,700 ex-showroom
⚡ 184 kW 🔧 600 Nm ⛽ 14.5 km/l
VS
Toyota Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab in South Africa

Toyota Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab

4.0 V6 Single Cab MT Petrol 6-Speed Manual Current
ZAR 780,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 202 kW 🔧 381 Nm ⛽ 13 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Amarok
Fuel Economy Amarok
🛡 Safety Amarok
📦 Practicality Amarok
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Amarok starts ZAR 109,400 cheaper Amarok from ZAR 596,800 · Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab from ZAR 706,200

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Amarok Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab
Maximum Power 184 kW 202 kW
Maximum Torque 600 Nm 381 Nm
Engine Size 2993 cc 3956 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 14.5 km/l 13 km/l
Ground Clearance 237 mm 235 mm
Boot / Load Bay - -
Airbags 6 2
Kerb Weight 2023 kg 1850 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 3 seats
Warranty 3 years / 120 000 km 3 years / 100 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Amarok holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Amarok +13 pts
Efficiency Amarok +8 pts
Safety Amarok +32 pts
Practicality Amarok +14 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

Amarok

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Amarok

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Amarok Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab
Model Introduced Year 2010 Current local generation year not confirmed
Generation Latest Amarok generation brings improved performance and modern safety features Current South African Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data.
Facelift History Major redesign in 2023 introducing new platform, updated engines, and advanced tech Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle.
Facelift Launched Since 2023 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Pickup Pickup
Body Type Cab Pickup Single/extended/double cab as per derivative name
Color Note White, Silver, Black, Grey, Blue, Red Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering.
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup Mid grade in the South Africa lineup
Drivetrain Note 4x4 configuration for the local line-up -
Model Year Current 2026
Production Status published published
Segment Pickup Pickup
Tare Mass Kg 2023 kg 1850 kg
Vehicle Type Pickup Pickup
Spec Amarok Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab
Length 5350 mm 5275 mm
Width 1910 mm 1855 mm
Height 1884 mm 1855 mm
Wheelbase 3270 mm 3085 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 237 mm 235 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 80 l 87 l
Kerb Weight 2023 kg 1850 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 3190 kg 2800 kg
Payload Capacity 1167 kg -
Towing Capacity 3500 kg 3500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 3 seats
Doors 4 doors 2 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 12.93 m 6.4 m

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Amarok leads by 20 points

Amarok holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab.

Index leader 81 /100
Lead 20 points
Data 64% source coverage
81
#1 Index leader

Amarok

64% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 91 Check Efficiency 57
Performance 91
Efficiency 57
Safety 82
Practicality 87
Leads by 20 points
61
#2

Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab

77% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Performance 78 Check Ownership 43
Performance 78
Efficiency 49
Safety 50
Practicality 73
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Amarok +13 Efficiency Amarok +8 Safety Amarok +32 Practicality Amarok +14

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Amarok

Performance 91/100
Efficiency 57/100
Safety 82/100
Practicality 87/100

Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab

Performance 78/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 50/100
Practicality 73/100
Ownership 43/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Volkswagen Amarok leads the catalogue index with 81 pts vs 61 pts for Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Amarok leads. However, Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This Amarok and Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Amarok 91 vs Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab 78.

Efficiency index: Amarok 57 vs Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab 49.

Safety-equipment index: Amarok 82 vs Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab 50.

Practicality index: Amarok 87 vs Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab 73.

Ownership-cover index: Amarok not separately scored vs Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab 43.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.