Toyota Land Cruiser 79 vs Nissan Navara

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 79 in South Africa

Toyota Land Cruiser 79

4.0 V6 Double Cab MT Petrol Manual
ZAR 870,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 202 kW 🔧 381 Nm ⛽ 13.0 km/l
VS
Nissan Navara in South Africa

Nissan Navara

2.5 Pro-4X Automatic Diesel Automatic
ZAR 690,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 140 kW 🔧 450 Nm ⛽ 12.8 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Land Cruiser 79
Fuel Economy Navara
🛡 Safety Navara
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Navara
Navara starts ZAR 706200 cheaper Land Cruiser 79 from ZAR 706,200 · Navara from ZAR 433,500

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Land Cruiser 79 Navara
Engine Power 202 140
Torque 381 450
Engine Size 3956 2488
Claimed Mileage 13.0 12.8
Ground Clearance 235 228
Boot Space Not Available 0
Airbags 2 7
Kerb Weight 2050 2050
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 6

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Navara

71
/ 100
+26
pts
#2

Land Cruiser 79

45
/ 100

High confidence result.

The Bottom Line

Navara dominates this comparison with clear advantages across multiple categories.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Land Cruiser 79 +3 pts
Efficiency Navara +7 pts
Safety Navara +14 pts
Practicality Equal
Ownership Navara +8 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Navara

Performance 15/20
Efficiency 7/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 20/20

Land Cruiser 79

Performance 18/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 6/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 12/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Land Cruiser 79

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving
🏆 Overall Winner

Navara

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

Which One's Right for You?

Land Cruiser 79

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power

Navara

  • 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 79 Navara
Ground Clearance 235 228
Wheelbase 3085 3150
Length 5270 5260
Width 1855 1850
Height 1855 1855
Kerb Weight 2050 2050
Gross Vehicle Weight 3100 3150
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space Not Available 0
Towing Capacity 3500 3500
Turning Radius 6.4 Available
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Front Track Width 1550 1550
Rear Track Width 1540 1540
Load Bed Length Available Available
Load Bed Width Available Available
Front Legroom Available Available
Rear Legroom Available Available
Front Headroom Available Available
Rear Headroom Available Available
Front Shoulder Room Available Available
Rear Shoulder Room Available Available
Max Payload Available Available
Boot Volume Available Available
Doors Available Available
Seats Available Available
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec Land Cruiser 79 Navara
Engine 1GR-FE 2.5L Turbo Diesel
Engine Type V6 Inline 4 Turbocharged
Displacement 3956 2488
Cylinders 6 4
Valves per Cylinder 24 4
Power 202 140
Torque 381 450
Fuel System Multi-Point EFI Common Rail Direct Injection
Top Speed 175 180
0-100 km/h 9.5 10.5
Power @ RPM 5600 rpm 150
Torque @ RPM 4400 rpm 400
Turbocharger No Available
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard Standard
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 10.5:1
Cylinder Bore 82.0 82.0
Piston Stroke 92.0 92.0
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Engine Position Available Available
Engine Oil Capacity Available Available
Power 150 150
Variable Valve Timing Available Available
Maximum Engine RPM Available Available
Engine Type Config Available Available
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Nissan Navara wins with 71 pts vs 45 pts for Land Cruiser 79

In structured scoring, Navara emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Land Cruiser 79 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 Navara 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 79 0 vs Navara 7. 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 79 6, Navara 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 79 12, Navara 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 79 9, Navara 9. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Land Cruiser 79 18, Navara 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 Navara edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Navara 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 79 and Navara in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Land Cruiser 79 scores 18 vs 15.

Efficiency: Land Cruiser 79 scores 0 vs 7.

Safety: Land Cruiser 79 scores 6 vs 20.

Practicality: Land Cruiser 79 scores 9 vs 9.

Ownership: Land Cruiser 79 scores 12 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Navara the advantage in this comparison.