Toyota Land Cruiser 300 vs Lexus NX

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 Land Cruiser 300 in South Africa

Toyota Land Cruiser 300

3.3D VX-R 4x4 Automatic Diesel 10-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 2,149,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 227 kW 🔧 700 Nm ⛽ 9.4 km/l
VS
Lexus NX in South Africa

Lexus NX

NX 350 F SPORT Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,276,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 205 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Toyota Land Cruiser 300 vs Lexus NX: the short answer

Land Cruiser 300 and NX are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

NX starts ZAR 775,700 cheaper Land Cruiser 300 from ZAR 1,849,900 · NX from ZAR 1,074,200

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Land Cruiser 300 NX
Maximum Power Land Cruiser 300227 kW NX205 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque Land Cruiser 300700 Nm NX430 Nm
Engine Size Land Cruiser 3003346 cc NX2400 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Land Cruiser 3009.4 km/l NX12.3 km/l
Ground Clearance Land Cruiser 300235 mm NX195 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

Land Cruiser 300

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

NX

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

Which One's Right for You?

Land Cruiser 300

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

NX

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Land Cruiser 300 NX
Model Introduced Year 2021 2023
Generation 300-series Land Cruiser on latest LGAA platform Second-generation Lexus NX mid-size luxury SUV
Facelift History New generation introduced in 2021 with complete redesign Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives
Facelift Launched Since 2021 Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives
Facelift Version Ending Current Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Grey, Dark Blue, Bronze -
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup -
Drivetrain Note Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 3.3D VX-R 4x4 Automatic -
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active published
Segment SUV Luxury SUV
Tare Mass Kg 2430 kg 1760-1860 kg
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Land Cruiser 300 NX
Length 4985 mm 4660 mm
Width 1980 mm 1865 mm
Height 1910 mm 1670 mm
Wheelbase 2850 mm 2690 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 235 mm 195 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed -
Fuel Tank Capacity 110 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 309 l 520 l
Kerb Weight 2430 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 3300 kg 2370 kg
Payload Capacity 870 kg -
Towing Capacity 3500 kg 1000 kg
Seating Capacity 7 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 3 rows -
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 6 m 5.8 m
Front Headroom 1010 mm -
Rear Headroom 957 mm -
Front Legroom 1105 mm -
Rear Legroom 900 mm -

In depth: how these cars differ

This Land Cruiser 300 and NX comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Land Cruiser 300 95 vs NX 86.

Efficiency index: Land Cruiser 300 40 vs NX 49.

Safety-equipment index: Land Cruiser 300 99 vs NX 93.

Practicality index: Land Cruiser 300 82 vs NX 65.

Ownership-cover index: Land Cruiser 300 43 vs NX not separately scored.

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

Land Cruiser 300 leads by 1 points

Land Cruiser 300 and NX are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 76 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 92% source coverage
76
#1 Evidence leader

Land Cruiser 300

92% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 99 Check Efficiency 40
Performance 95
Efficiency 40
Safety 99
Practicality 82
Ownership 43
Leads by 1 points
75
#2

NX

70% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 86
Efficiency 49
Safety 93
Practicality 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Land Cruiser 300 +9 Efficiency NX +9 Safety Land Cruiser 300 +6 Practicality Land Cruiser 300 +17

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Land Cruiser 300

Performance 95/100
Efficiency 40/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 82/100
Ownership 43/100

NX

Performance 86/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 65/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Toyota Land Cruiser 300 leads the specification evidence index with 76 pts vs 75 pts for NX

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Land Cruiser 300 leads. However, NX may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Related comparisons

Continue with closely related South African models and comparable body styles.

Land Cruiser 300
Land Cruiser 300
VS
Touareg
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Land Cruiser 300 vs Touareg →
Land Cruiser 300
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VS
RX
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Land Cruiser 300 vs RX →
Land Cruiser 300
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VS
Santa Fe Hybrid
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Land Cruiser 300 vs Santa Fe Hybrid →
Land Cruiser 300
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VS
RZ
RZ
Land Cruiser 300 vs RZ →
Land Cruiser 300
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VS
bZ4X
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Land Cruiser 300 vs bZ4X →
Land Cruiser 300
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VS
Tank 500
Tank 500
Land Cruiser 300 vs Tank 500 →
NX
NX
VS
Touareg
Touareg
NX vs Touareg →
NX
NX
VS
RX
RX
NX vs RX →

Land Cruiser 300 vs NX questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives 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.