Toyota Land Cruiser 300 vs Volkswagen Touareg

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
Volkswagen Touareg in South Africa

Volkswagen Touareg

3.0 TDI V6 R-Line 190kW Tiptronic Diesel Automatic
ZAR 1,802,200 ex-showroom
⚡ 190 kW 🔧 600 Nm ⛽ 12.2 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

⚡ Performance Land Cruiser 300
⛽ Fuel Economy Touareg
🛡 Safety Land Cruiser 300
📦 Practicality Touareg
🔑 Ownership Land Cruiser 300
Touareg starts ZAR 1849900 cheaper Land Cruiser 300 from ZAR 1,849,900 · Touareg from ZAR 1,494,300

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Land Cruiser 300 Touareg
Engine Power 227 kW 190 kW
Torque 700 Nm 600 Nm
Engine Size 3346 cc 3000 cc
Claimed Mileage 9.4 km/l 12.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 235 mm 212 mm
Boot / Load Bay 309 l 810 l
Airbags 10 6
Kerb Weight 2430 kg 2070 kg
Seating Capacity 7 5
Warranty 3 years / 100 000 km 3 years / 120 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Land Cruiser 300 holds a noticeable edge over Touareg, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Land Cruiser 300 +8 pts
Efficiency Touareg +10 pts
Safety Land Cruiser 300 +54 pts
Practicality Touareg +2 pts
Ownership Land Cruiser 300 +17 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Land Cruiser 300

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Touareg

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Land Cruiser 300

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Touareg

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Land Cruiser 300 Touareg
Model Introduced Year 2021 2018
Generation 300-series Land Cruiser on latest LGAA platform Third generation Touareg on MLB platform
Facelift History New generation introduced in 2021 with complete redesign Latest generation with improved technology and design
Facelift Launched Since 2021 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Grey, Dark Blue, Bronze White, Black, Silver, Grey, 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 4x2 configuration for the local line-up
Model Year 2026 Current
Production Status published published
Segment SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Land Cruiser 300 Touareg
Ground Clearance 235 mm 212 mm
Wheelbase 2850 mm 2899 mm
Length 4985 mm 4878 mm
Width 1980 mm 1984 mm
Height 1910 mm 1717 mm
Kerb Weight 2430 kg 2070 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 3300 kg 2850 kg
Seating Capacity 7 5
Boot Space 309 l 810 l
Towing Capacity 3500 kg -
Front Track Width 1675 mm -
Rear Track Width 1675 mm -
Turning Radius 6.0 m -
Load Bed Length 309 l 810 l
Load Bed Width - -
Front Legroom - -
Rear Legroom - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -
Front Shoulder Room - -
Rear Shoulder Room - -
Boot Space Seats Folded 309 l 810 l
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload - -
Boot Volume 309 l 810 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 7 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 110 l 75 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 3300 kg 2850 kg
Ground Clearance Max 235 mm 212 mm
Ground Clearance Min 235 mm 212 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 235 mm 212 mm
Height Mm 1910 mm 1717 mm
Length Mm 4985 mm 4878 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 309 l 810 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg - -
Cargo Volume 309 l 810 l
Tare Mass Kg 2430 kg 2070 kg
Turning Circle 6.0 m -
Turning Circle M 6.0 m -
Width Mm 1980 mm 1984 mm

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Land Cruiser 300 leads by 15 points

Land Cruiser 300 holds a noticeable edge over Touareg, especially in key ownership areas.

Winner 76 /100
Lead 15 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 15 points
61
#2

Touareg

80% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Performance 87 Check Ownership 26
Performance 87
Efficiency 50
Safety 45
Practicality 83
Ownership 26
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Land Cruiser 300 +8 Efficiency Touareg +10 Safety Land Cruiser 300 +54 Practicality Touareg +2 Ownership Land Cruiser 300 +17

Moderate difference between the models.

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

Touareg

Performance 87/100
Efficiency 50/100
Safety 45/100
Practicality 83/100
Ownership 26/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 wins with 76 pts vs 61 pts for Touareg

In structured scoring, Land Cruiser 300 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Touareg 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 Touareg 50. 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, Touareg 45. 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, Touareg 26. 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, Touareg 83. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Land Cruiser 300 95, Touareg 87. 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 Touareg in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Land Cruiser 300 scores 95 vs 87.

Efficiency: Land Cruiser 300 scores 40 vs 50.

Safety: Land Cruiser 300 scores 99 vs 45.

Practicality: Land Cruiser 300 scores 81 vs 83.

Ownership: Land Cruiser 300 scores 43 vs 26.

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