Toyota Fortuner vs Toyota Land Cruiser 300

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.

Toyota Fortuner in South Africa

Toyota Fortuner

2.8 GD-6 4X4 GR-Sport 6AT Diesel Automatic
ZAR 999,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 165 kW 🔧 550 Nm ⛽ 14.2 km/l
VS
Toyota Land Cruiser 300 in South Africa

Toyota Land Cruiser 300

3.3D VX-R 4x4 Automatic Diesel Automatic
ZAR 2,149,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 227 kW 🔧 700 Nm ⛽ 9.4 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Land Cruiser 300
Fuel Economy Land Cruiser 300
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Land Cruiser 300
🔑 Ownership Tie
Fortuner starts ZAR 1849900 cheaper Fortuner from ZAR 620,000 · Land Cruiser 300 from ZAR 1,849,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Fortuner Land Cruiser 300
Engine Power 165 227
Torque 550 700
Engine Size 2755 3346
Claimed Mileage 14.2 9.4
Ground Clearance 225 235
Boot Space 296 309
Airbags 7 10
Kerb Weight 2210 2430
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 3

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Land Cruiser 300

70
/ 100
+8
pts
#2

Fortuner

62
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Land Cruiser 300 has a slight advantage, but Fortuner remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Land Cruiser 300 +2 pts
Efficiency Land Cruiser 300 +5 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Land Cruiser 300 +1 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Land Cruiser 300

Performance 20/20
Efficiency 5/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 13/20
Ownership 12/20

Fortuner

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Fortuner

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

Land Cruiser 300

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Fortuner

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Land Cruiser 300

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Fortuner Land Cruiser 300
Ground Clearance 225 235
Wheelbase 2745 2850
Length 4795 4985
Width 1855 1980
Height 1835 1910
Kerb Weight 2210 2430
Gross Vehicle Weight 3100 3300
Seating Capacity 7 7
Boot Space 296 309
Towing Capacity 3100 3500
Front Track Width 1545 1675
Rear Track Width 1535 1675
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Turning Radius Available 6.0
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 Fortuner Land Cruiser 300
Engine 2.8L Turbo Diesel 3.3L Twin-Turbo V6 Diesel
Engine Type Inline 4 Turbocharged V6 Twin-Turbocharged DOHC
Displacement 2755 3346
Cylinders 4 6
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
Power 165 227
Torque 550 700
Fuel System Common Rail Direct Injection Common Rail Direct Injection
Top Speed 190 210
0-100 km/h 9.5 7.5
Engine Position Front, Longitudinal Front Longitudinal
Cylinder Bore 92.0 82.0
Piston Stroke 94.6 92.0
Compression Ratio 15.9:1 15.4:1
Fuel Grade Required Diesel Petrol
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard Standard
Turbocharger Turbo Twin Turbo
Power @ RPM 150 3000-3600 rpm
Torque @ RPM 400 1600-2600 rpm
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?

🏆 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 wins with 70 pts vs 62 pts for Fortuner

In structured scoring, Land Cruiser 300 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Fortuner 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 Land Cruiser 300 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: Fortuner 0 vs Land Cruiser 300 5. 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: Fortuner 20, Land Cruiser 300 20. 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: Fortuner 12, Land Cruiser 300 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: Fortuner 12, Land Cruiser 300 13. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Fortuner 18, Land Cruiser 300 20. 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 Land Cruiser 300 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Land Cruiser 300 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 Fortuner and Land Cruiser 300 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Fortuner scores 18 vs 20.

Efficiency: Fortuner scores 0 vs 5.

Safety: Fortuner scores 20 vs 20.

Practicality: Fortuner scores 12 vs 13.

Ownership: Fortuner scores 12 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives Land Cruiser 300 the advantage in this comparison.