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 Sorento
🛡 Safety Sorento
📦 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 kW 148 kW
Torque 700 Nm 440 Nm
Engine Size 3346 cc 2151 cc
Claimed Mileage 9.4 km/l 15.6 km/l
Ground Clearance 235 mm 185 mm
Boot / Load Bay 309 l 219 l
Airbags 10 7
Kerb Weight 2430 kg 1960 kg
Seating Capacity 7 7
Warranty 3 years / 100 000 km 7 Years / 150,000 km

= leads in this spec

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 +21 pts
Efficiency Sorento +21 pts
Safety Sorento +1 pts
Practicality Land Cruiser 300 +17 pts
Ownership Sorento +28 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Land Cruiser 300

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Sorento

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Land Cruiser 300

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Sorento

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Land Cruiser 300 Sorento
Model Introduced Year 2021 2021
Generation 300-series Land Cruiser on latest LGAA platform Fourth generation (MQ4); global launch 2020, SA 2021
Facelift History New generation introduced in 2021 with complete redesign Fourth generation (MQ4) launched SA 2021; updated spec 2024
Facelift Launched Since 2021 2024
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Grey, Dark Blue, Bronze Glacier White Pearl, Aurora Black Pearl, Steel Grey, Interstellar Grey, Gravity Blue
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Drivetrain Note Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 3.3D VX-R 4x4 Automatic Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.2 CRDi SXL AWD DCT
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published published
Segment SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Land Cruiser 300 Sorento
Ground Clearance 235 mm 185 mm
Wheelbase 2850 mm 2815 mm
Length 4985 mm 4810 mm
Width 1980 mm 1900 mm
Height 1910 mm 1700 mm
Kerb Weight 2430 kg 1960 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 3300 kg 2550 kg
Seating Capacity 7 7
Boot Space 309 l 219 l
Towing Capacity 3500 kg 2000 kg
Front Track Width 1675 mm 1640 mm
Rear Track Width 1675 mm 1644 mm
Turning Radius 6.0 m 11.2 m
Load Bed Length 309 l 219 l
Load Bed Width - -
Front Legroom - 1040 mm
Rear Legroom - 855 mm
Front Headroom - 1010 mm
Rear Headroom - 955 mm
Front Shoulder Room - 1405 mm
Rear Shoulder Room - 1350 mm
Boot Space Seats Folded 309 l 616 l
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload - -
Boot Volume 309 l 219 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 7 7
Fuel Tank Capacity 110 l 67 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 3300 kg 2550 kg
Ground Clearance Max 235 mm 185 mm
Ground Clearance Min 235 mm 185 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 235 mm 185 mm
Height Mm 1910 mm 1700 mm
Length Mm 4985 mm 4810 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 309 l 219 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg - -
Cargo Volume 309 l 219 l
Tare Mass Kg 2430 kg 1960 kg
Turning Circle 6.0 m 11.2 m
Turning Circle M 6.0 m 11.2 m
Width Mm 1980 mm 1900 mm
Front Overhang - 900 mm
Rear Overhang - 1095 mm
Boot Space Seats Folded 309 l 616 l

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Land Cruiser 300 leads by 1 points

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

Winner 76 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 89% confidence
76
#1 Winner

Land Cruiser 300

89% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 99 Check Efficiency 40
Performance 95
Efficiency 40
Safety 99
Practicality 81
Ownership 43
Leads by 1 points
75
#2

Sorento

97% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 100 Check Efficiency 61
Performance 74
Efficiency 61
Safety 100
Practicality 64
Ownership 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Land Cruiser 300 +21 Efficiency Sorento +21 Safety Sorento +1 Practicality Land Cruiser 300 +17 Ownership Sorento +28

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Land Cruiser 300

Performance 95/100
Efficiency 40/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 81/100
Ownership 43/100

Sorento

Performance 74/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 100/100
Practicality 64/100
Ownership 71/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 wins with 76 pts vs 75 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.

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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: Land Cruiser 300 40 vs Sorento 61. 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 99, Sorento 100. 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 43, Sorento 71. 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 81, Sorento 64. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Land Cruiser 300 95, Sorento 74. 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 95 vs 74.

Efficiency: Land Cruiser 300 scores 40 vs 61.

Safety: Land Cruiser 300 scores 99 vs 100.

Practicality: Land Cruiser 300 scores 81 vs 64.

Ownership: Land Cruiser 300 scores 43 vs 71.

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