BYD DOLPHIN vs Toyota Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

BYD DOLPHIN in South Africa

BYD DOLPHIN

Premium Extended Range EV Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 602,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 310 Nm
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

Decision summary

BYD DOLPHIN vs Toyota Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab: the short answer

DOLPHIN has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab remains close.

DOLPHIN starts ZAR 166,300 cheaper DOLPHIN from ZAR 539,900 · Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab from ZAR 706,200

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification DOLPHIN Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab
Maximum Power DOLPHIN150 kW Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab202 kW
Maximum Torque DOLPHIN310 Nm Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab381 Nm
Engine Size DOLPHINNot Applicable Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab3956 cc
Combined Fuel Economy DOLPHINNot Applicable Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab13 km/l
Ground Clearance DOLPHIN155 mm Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab235 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

Independent editorial assessment

Hagalu editorial ratings

When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.

BYD DOLPHIN

Premium Extended Range EV

Hagalu editorial rating
4.3/5

Desk research · Exact variant

Editorial assessment, not a customer rating. Not road-tested for this review.

Read the review and score breakdown

Toyota Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab

4.0 V6 Single Cab MT

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

DOLPHIN

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

DOLPHIN

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec DOLPHIN Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab
Model Introduced Year 2024 Current local generation year not confirmed
Generation First South African DOLPHIN generation 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 No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026 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 Original current-generation version Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Hatchback Pickup
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active active
Segment Compact Hatchback Pickup
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Pickup
Body Type Cab - Single/extended/double cab as per derivative name
Color Note - Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering.
Dealer Stock Note - Mid grade in the South Africa lineup
Tare Mass Kg - 1850 kg
Spec DOLPHIN Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab
Length 4290 mm 5275 mm
Width 1770 mm 1855 mm
Height 1570 mm 1855 mm
Wheelbase 2700 mm 3085 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 155 mm 235 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 130 mm 125 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 0 l 87 l
Boot/Cargo Space 345 l 488 l
Kerb Weight 1658 kg 1850 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2068 kg 2800 kg
Payload Capacity 410 kg 950 kg
Towing Capacity 0 kg 3500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 3 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 2 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.25 m 6.4 m
Front Headroom 1000 mm 997 mm
Rear Headroom 900 mm 944 mm
Front Legroom 1130 mm 1037 mm
Rear Legroom 740 mm 884 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

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

Performance index: DOLPHIN 66 vs Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab 78.

Efficiency index: DOLPHIN 90 vs Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab 49.

Safety-equipment index: DOLPHIN 98 vs Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab 50.

Practicality index: DOLPHIN 56 vs Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab 78.

Ownership-cover index: DOLPHIN 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.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

DOLPHIN leads by 14 points

DOLPHIN has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab remains close.

Evidence leader 76 /100
Lead 14 points
Data 64% source coverage
76
#1 Evidence leader

DOLPHIN

64% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Practicality 56
Performance 66
Efficiency 90
Safety 98
Practicality 56
Leads by 14 points
62
#2

Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab

86% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Performance 78 Check Ownership 43
Performance 78
Efficiency 49
Safety 50
Practicality 78
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab +12 Efficiency DOLPHIN +41 Safety DOLPHIN +48 Practicality Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab +22

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

DOLPHIN

Performance 66/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 56/100

Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index BYD DOLPHIN leads the specification evidence index with 76 pts vs 62 pts for Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, DOLPHIN 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.

DOLPHIN vs Land Cruiser 79 Single Cab questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa 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.