Honda HR-V 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.

Honda HR-V in South Africa

Honda HR-V

1.5 Elegance CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 529,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 119 kW 🔧 145 Nm ⛽ 16.0 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 HR-V
🛡 Safety Land Cruiser 300
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Tie
HR-V starts ZAR 1849900 cheaper HR-V from ZAR 489,900 · Land Cruiser 300 from ZAR 1,849,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec HR-V Land Cruiser 300
Engine Power 119 227
Torque 145 700
Engine Size 1498 3346
Claimed Mileage 16.0 9.4
Ground Clearance 196 235
Boot Space 437 309
Airbags 6 10
Kerb Weight 1360 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

HR-V

62
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Land Cruiser 300 has a slight advantage, but HR-V remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Land Cruiser 300 +11 pts
Efficiency HR-V +5 pts
Safety Land Cruiser 300 +2 pts
Practicality Equal
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

HR-V

Performance 9/20
Efficiency 10/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 13/20
Ownership 12/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

HR-V

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency
🏆 Overall Winner

Land Cruiser 300

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Which One's Right for You?

HR-V

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Land Cruiser 300

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec HR-V Land Cruiser 300
Ground Clearance 196 235
Wheelbase 2610 2850
Length 4340 4985
Width 1790 1980
Height 1590 1910
Kerb Weight 1360 2430
Gross Vehicle Weight 1780 3300
Seating Capacity 5 7
Boot Space 437 309
Towing Capacity 1200 3500
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Front Track Width 1550 1675
Rear Track Width 1540 1675
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 HR-V Land Cruiser 300
Engine 1.5L i-VTEC Petrol 3.3L Twin-Turbo V6 Diesel
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated V6 Twin-Turbocharged DOHC
Displacement 1498 3346
Cylinders 4 6
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
Power 119 227
Torque 145 700
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection Common Rail Direct Injection
Top Speed 185 210
0-100 km/h 11.5 7.5
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard Standard
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 15.4:1
Cylinder Bore 82.0 82.0
Piston Stroke 92.0 92.0
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Power @ RPM 150 3000-3600 rpm
Torque @ RPM 400 1600-2600 rpm
Turbocharger Available Twin Turbo
Engine Position Available Front Longitudinal
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 HR-V

In structured scoring, Land Cruiser 300 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, HR-V may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

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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: HR-V 10 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: HR-V 18, 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: HR-V 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: HR-V 13, Land Cruiser 300 13. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: HR-V 9, 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 HR-V and Land Cruiser 300 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: HR-V scores 9 vs 20.

Efficiency: HR-V scores 10 vs 5.

Safety: HR-V scores 18 vs 20.

Practicality: HR-V scores 13 vs 13.

Ownership: HR-V scores 12 vs 12.

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