Toyota Land Cruiser 300 vs KIA Sorento

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 Automatic
ZAR 2,149,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 227 kW 🔧 700 Nm ⛽ 9.4 km/l
VS
KIA Sorento in South Africa

KIA Sorento

2.2 CRDi SXL AWD DCT Diesel Automatic
ZAR 1,299,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 148 kW 🔧 440 Nm Nm ⛽ 15.6 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 Sorento
Sorento starts ZAR 1849900 cheaper Land Cruiser 300 from ZAR 1,849,900 · Sorento from ZAR 999,995

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Land Cruiser 300 Sorento
Engine Power 227 148 kW
Torque 700 440 Nm
Engine Size 3346 2151
Claimed Mileage 9.4 15.6
Ground Clearance 235 185
Boot Space 309 219
Airbags 10 7
Kerb Weight 2430 1960
Seating Capacity Available 7
Warranty 3 7

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Land Cruiser 300

70
/ 100
+5
pts
#2

Sorento

65
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both Land Cruiser 300 and Sorento are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Land Cruiser 300 +5 pts
Efficiency Land Cruiser 300 +5 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Land Cruiser 300 +3 pts
Ownership Sorento +8 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Land Cruiser 300

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

Sorento

Performance 15/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 10/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Land Cruiser 300

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Sorento

Strengths
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

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

Sorento

  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Land Cruiser 300 Sorento
Ground Clearance 235 185
Wheelbase 2850 2815
Length 4985 4810
Width 1980 1900
Height 1910 1700
Kerb Weight 2430 1960
Gross Vehicle Weight 3300 2550
Seating Capacity 7 7
Boot Space 309 219
Towing Capacity 3500 2000
Front Track Width 1675 1640
Rear Track Width 1675 1644
Turning Radius 6.0 11.2
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 616
Load Bed Length Available N/A
Load Bed Width Available N/A
Front Legroom Available 1040
Rear Legroom Available 855
Front Headroom Available 1010
Rear Headroom Available 955
Front Shoulder Room Available 1405
Rear Shoulder Room Available 1350
Max Payload Available N/A
Boot Volume Available 219
Doors Available 5
Seats Available 7
Front Overhang Available 900
Fuel Tank Capacity Available 67
Rear Overhang Available 1095
Spec Land Cruiser 300 Sorento
Engine 3.3L Twin-Turbo V6 Diesel 2.2 CRDi D4HB Inline-4 Diesel
Engine Type V6 Twin-Turbocharged DOHC Inline 4 Cylinder Turbodiesel
Displacement 3346 2151
Cylinders 6 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 16
Power 227 148 kW
Power @ RPM 3000-3600 rpm 3,800 rpm
Torque 700 440 Nm
Torque @ RPM 1600-2600 rpm 1,750 rpm
Fuel System Common Rail Direct Injection Common Rail Direct Injection
Turbocharger Twin Turbo Yes
Top Speed 210 200
0-100 km/h 7.5 8.5
Compression Ratio 15.4:1 15.4:1
Engine Position Front Longitudinal Front Transverse
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard D4HB
Cylinder Bore 82.0 85.4
Piston Stroke 92.0 94.0
Fuel Grade Required Petrol B7 Diesel
Engine Oil Capacity Available 6.0
Power 150 198
Variable Valve Timing Available No
Maximum Engine RPM Available 4,000 rpm
Engine Type Config Available Inline 4 Cylinder (I4) DOHC 16-Valve Diesel
0–100 km/h Available 8.5
Battery Capacity Available N/A
Charging Port Available N/A
AC Charging Time Available N/A
Engine Displacement Available 2151
EV Range Available N/A

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 wins with 70 pts vs 65 pts for Sorento

In structured scoring, Land Cruiser 300 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Sorento 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: Land Cruiser 300 5 vs Sorento 0. 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: Land Cruiser 300 20, Sorento 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: Land Cruiser 300 12, Sorento 20. 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: Land Cruiser 300 13, Sorento 10. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Land Cruiser 300 20, Sorento 15. 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 Land Cruiser 300 and Sorento in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Land Cruiser 300 scores 20 vs 15.

Efficiency: Land Cruiser 300 scores 5 vs 0.

Safety: Land Cruiser 300 scores 20 vs 20.

Practicality: Land Cruiser 300 scores 13 vs 10.

Ownership: Land Cruiser 300 scores 12 vs 20.

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