Toyota GR86 vs Toyota Land Cruiser Prado

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 GR86 in South Africa

Toyota GR86

2.4 Automatic Petrol Automatic
ZAR 799,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 173 kW (232 hp)
🔧 250 Nm
⛽ 10.9 km/l
VS
Toyota Land Cruiser Prado in South Africa

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado

2.8 VX 4x4 Automatic Diesel Automatic
ZAR 1,150,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW (201 hp)
🔧 500 Nm
⛽ 12.3 km/l
+

Want to throw in a 3rd car?

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Land Cruiser Prado
Petrol Economy Land Cruiser Prado
🔑 Ownership Cost Tie

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Land Cruiser Prado

66
/ 100
+6
pts
#2

GR86

60
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both GR86 and Land Cruiser Prado are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Land Cruiser Prado +3 pts
Efficiency Land Cruiser Prado +1 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Land Cruiser Prado +2 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Land Cruiser Prado

Performance 17/20
Efficiency 7/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 10/20
Ownership 12/20

GR86

Performance 14/20
Efficiency 6/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 8/20
Ownership 12/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

GR86

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 Prado

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?

GR86

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Land Cruiser Prado

  • 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 GR86 Land Cruiser Prado
Ground Clearance 130 220
Wheelbase 2575 2790
Length 4265 4840
Width 1775 1885
Height 1310 1890
Kerb Weight 1270 2250
Gross Vehicle Weight 1660 2990
Seating Capacity 4 7
Boot Space 237 120
Towing Capacity Not Rated 3000
Front Track Width 1520 -
Rear Track Width 1540 -
Turning Radius 5.4 -
Spec GR86 Land Cruiser Prado
Engine 2.4L Naturally Aspirated Boxer 2.8L Turbo Diesel
Engine Type Horizontally Opposed 4-Cylinder (Boxer) Inline 4 Cylinder Turbocharged
Displacement 2387 2755
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
Power 173 150
Power @ RPM 7000 rpm -
Torque 250 500
Torque @ RPM 3700 rpm -
Fuel System Direct + Port Injection Common Rail Direct Injection
Turbocharger Not Available -
Top Speed 226 175
0-100 km/h 6.9 9.8
Compression Ratio 12.5:1 -
Engine Position Front Longitudinal -

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado wins with 66 pts vs 60 pts for GR86

In structured scoring, Land Cruiser Prado emerges as the stronger overall package. However, GR86 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 Prado 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: GR86 6 vs Land Cruiser Prado 7. 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: GR86 20, Land Cruiser Prado 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: GR86 12, Land Cruiser Prado 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: GR86 8, Land Cruiser Prado 10. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: GR86 14, Land Cruiser Prado 17. 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 Prado edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Land Cruiser Prado 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 GR86 and Land Cruiser Prado in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: GR86 scores 14 vs 17.

Efficiency: GR86 scores 6 vs 7.

Safety: GR86 scores 20 vs 20.

Practicality: GR86 scores 8 vs 10.

Ownership: GR86 scores 12 vs 12.

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