Toyota Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab vs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Toyota Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab in South Africa

Toyota Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab

4.0 V6 Double Cab MT Petrol 6-Speed Manual Current
ZAR 870,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 202 kW 🔧 381 Nm ⛽ 13 km/l
VS
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport in South Africa

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

2.4L DI-DC 8-speed A/T 4X4 Exceed Diesel 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 904,990 ex-showroom
⚡ 133 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Toyota Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab vs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport: the short answer

Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab and Pajero Sport are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Pajero Sport starts ZAR 11,010 cheaper Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab from ZAR 801,000 · Pajero Sport from ZAR 789,990

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab Pajero Sport
Maximum Power Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab202 kW Pajero Sport133 kW @ 3500 rpm
Maximum Torque Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab381 Nm Pajero Sport430 Nm @ 2500 rpm
Engine Size Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab3956 cc Pajero Sport2442 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab13 km/l Pajero Sport12.3 km/l
Ground Clearance Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab235 mm Pajero Sport218 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

Pajero Sport

Strengths
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Pajero Sport

  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab Pajero Sport
Model Introduced Year Current local generation year not confirmed 2017
Generation Current South African Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data. Third-generation Pajero Sport, 2025 facelift
Facelift History Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle. South African facelift launched in May 2025.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version Current specification
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Pickup SUV
Body Type Cab Single/extended/double cab as per derivative name -
Color Note Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering. -
Dealer Stock Note Mid grade in the South Africa lineup -
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active active
Segment Pickup Seven-seat ladder-frame SUV
Tare Mass Kg 2050 kg -
Vehicle Type Pickup Passenger vehicle
Spec Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab Pajero Sport
Length 5270 mm 4825 mm
Width 1855 mm 1815 mm
Height 1855 mm 1805 mm
Wheelbase 3085 mm 2800 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 235 mm 218 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 125 mm 190 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 87 l 68 l
Boot/Cargo Space 470 l 193 l
Kerb Weight 2050 kg 2080 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 3100 kg 2775 kg
Payload Capacity 1050 kg 695 kg
Towing Capacity 3500 kg 2850 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 3 rows
Doors 4 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 6.4 m 5.6 m
Front Headroom 983 mm 1022 mm
Rear Headroom 951 mm 957 mm
Front Legroom 1033 mm 1067 mm
Rear Legroom 886 mm 880 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab and Pajero Sport comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab 78 vs Pajero Sport 65.

Efficiency index: Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab 49 vs Pajero Sport 49.

Safety-equipment index: Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab 50 vs Pajero Sport 72.

Practicality index: Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab 85 vs Pajero Sport 71.

Ownership-cover index: Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab 43 vs Pajero Sport 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

Pajero Sport leads by 2 points

Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab and Pajero Sport are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 65 /100
Lead 2 points
Data 83% source coverage
65
#1 Evidence leader

Pajero Sport

83% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 72 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 65
Efficiency 49
Safety 72
Practicality 71
Leads by 2 points
63
#2

Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab

86% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Practicality 85 Check Ownership 43
Performance 78
Efficiency 49
Safety 50
Practicality 85
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab +13 Efficiency Level Safety Pajero Sport +22 Practicality Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab +14

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Pajero Sport

Performance 65/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 72/100
Practicality 71/100

Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab

Performance 78/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 50/100
Practicality 85/100
Ownership 43/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Mitsubishi Pajero Sport leads the specification evidence index with 65 pts vs 63 pts for Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Pajero Sport leads. However, Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Land Cruiser 79 Double Cab vs Pajero Sport questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa 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.