Honda Amaze vs Toyota Land Cruiser 79

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.

Honda Amaze in South Africa

Honda Amaze

1.2 Comfort CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 289,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 66 kW 🔧 110 Nm ⛽ 18.2 km/l
VS
Toyota Land Cruiser 79 in South Africa

Toyota Land Cruiser 79

4.0 V6 Double Cab MT Petrol Manual
ZAR 870,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 202 kW 🔧 381 Nm ⛽ 13.0 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Land Cruiser 79
Fuel Economy Amaze
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Amaze
🔑 Ownership Tie
Amaze starts ZAR 706200 cheaper Amaze from ZAR 254,900 · Land Cruiser 79 from ZAR 706,200

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Amaze Land Cruiser 79
Engine Power 66 202
Torque 110 381
Engine Size 1199 3956
Claimed Mileage 18.2 13.0
Ground Clearance 170 235
Boot Space 420 Not Available
Airbags 2 2
Kerb Weight 980 2050
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 3

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Amaze

46
/ 100
+1
pts
#2

Land Cruiser 79

45
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both Amaze and Land Cruiser 79 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Land Cruiser 79 +13 pts
Efficiency Amaze +11 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Amaze +3 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Amaze

Performance 5/20
Efficiency 11/20
Safety 6/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 12/20

Land Cruiser 79

Performance 18/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 6/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 12/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Amaze

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Land Cruiser 79

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Which One's Right for You?

Amaze

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Land Cruiser 79

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Amaze Land Cruiser 79
Ground Clearance 170 235
Wheelbase 2470 3085
Length 3995 5270
Width 1695 1855
Height 1498 1855
Kerb Weight 980 2050
Gross Vehicle Weight 1420 3100
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 420 Not Available
Towing Capacity 900 3500
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Front Track Width 1550 1550
Rear Track Width 1540 1540
Turning Radius Available 6.4
Load Bed Length Available Available
Load Bed Width Available Available
Front Legroom Available Available
Rear Legroom Available Available
Front Headroom Available Available
Rear Headroom Available Available
Front Shoulder Room Available Available
Rear Shoulder Room Available Available
Max Payload Available Available
Boot Volume Available Available
Doors Available Available
Seats Available Available
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec Amaze Land Cruiser 79
Engine 1.2L i-VTEC Petrol 1GR-FE
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated V6
Displacement 1199 3956
Cylinders 4 6
Valves per Cylinder 4 24
Power 66 202
Torque 110 381
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection Multi-Point EFI
Top Speed 170 175
0-100 km/h 14.5 9.5
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard Standard
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 10.5:1
Cylinder Bore 82.0 82.0
Piston Stroke 92.0 92.0
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Power @ RPM 150 5600 rpm
Torque @ RPM 400 4400 rpm
Turbocharger Available No
Engine Position Available Available
Engine Oil Capacity Available Available
Power 150 150
Variable Valve Timing Available Available
Maximum Engine RPM Available Available
Engine Type Config Available Available
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Honda Amaze wins with 46 pts vs 45 pts for Land Cruiser 79

In structured scoring, Amaze emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Land Cruiser 79 may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. 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

On our scoring the Amaze edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Amaze 11 vs Land Cruiser 79 0. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Amaze 6, Land Cruiser 79 6. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Amaze 12, Land Cruiser 79 12. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Amaze 12, Land Cruiser 79 9. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Amaze 5, Land Cruiser 79 18. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Amaze edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Amaze scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Amaze and Land Cruiser 79 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Amaze scores 5 vs 18.

Efficiency: Amaze scores 11 vs 0.

Safety: Amaze scores 6 vs 6.

Practicality: Amaze scores 12 vs 9.

Ownership: Amaze scores 12 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives Amaze the advantage in this comparison.