Toyota Land Cruiser 79 vs Nissan NP300 Hardbody

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 NP300 Hardbody in South Africa

Nissan NP300 Hardbody

2.5 TDi Double Cab Hi-Rider 4x4 Automatic Diesel Automatic
ZAR 529,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 98 kW 🔧 304 Nm ⛽ 11.4 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Land Cruiser 79
Fuel Economy NP300 Hardbody
🛡 Safety NP300 Hardbody
📦 Practicality Land Cruiser 79
🔑 Ownership Tie
NP300 Hardbody starts ZAR 706200 cheaper Land Cruiser 79 from ZAR 706,200 · NP300 Hardbody from ZAR 349,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Land Cruiser 79 NP300 Hardbody
Engine Power 202 98
Torque 381 304
Engine Size 3956 2488
Claimed Mileage 13.0 11.4
Ground Clearance 235 215
Boot Space Not Available Not Applicable
Airbags 2 4
Kerb Weight 2050 1395
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 3

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

NP300 Hardbody

49
/ 100
+4
pts
#2

Land Cruiser 79

45
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both Land Cruiser 79 and NP300 Hardbody are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Land Cruiser 79 +8 pts
Efficiency NP300 Hardbody +7 pts
Safety NP300 Hardbody +6 pts
Practicality Land Cruiser 79 +1 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

NP300 Hardbody

Performance 10/20
Efficiency 7/20
Safety 12/20
Practicality 8/20
Ownership 12/20

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
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage
🏆 Overall Winner

NP300 Hardbody

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

Which One's Right for You?

Land Cruiser 79

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

NP300 Hardbody

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Land Cruiser 79 NP300 Hardbody
Ground Clearance 235 215
Wheelbase 3085 2500
Length 5270 4875
Width 1855 1760
Height 1855 1655
Kerb Weight 2050 1395
Gross Vehicle Weight 3100 2400
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space Not Available Not Applicable
Towing Capacity 3500 2500
Turning Radius 6.4 5.8
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Front Track Width 1550 1495
Rear Track Width 1540 1490
Load Bed Length Available 1907
Load Bed Width Available 1454
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 NP300 Hardbody
Engine 1GR-FE 2.5L Turbocharged Diesel
Engine Type V6 Inline 4 Cylinder Turbocharged
Displacement 3956 2488
Cylinders 6 4
Valves per Cylinder 24 4
Power 202 98
Torque 381 304
Fuel System Multi-Point EFI Common Rail Direct Injection
Top Speed 175 168
0-100 km/h 9.5 12.5
Power @ RPM 5600 rpm 3600 rpm
Torque @ RPM 4400 rpm 1750-2500 rpm
Turbocharger No Single Turbo
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard Standard
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 17.5:1
Cylinder Bore 82.0 82.0
Piston Stroke 92.0 92.0
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Engine Position Available Front Longitudinal
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 NP300 Hardbody wins with 49 pts vs 45 pts for Land Cruiser 79

In structured scoring, NP300 Hardbody 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 NP300 Hardbody 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 NP300 Hardbody 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, NP300 Hardbody 12. 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, NP300 Hardbody 12. 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, NP300 Hardbody 8. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Land Cruiser 79 18, NP300 Hardbody 10. 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 NP300 Hardbody edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The NP300 Hardbody 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 NP300 Hardbody in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Land Cruiser 79 scores 18 vs 10.

Efficiency: Land Cruiser 79 scores 0 vs 7.

Safety: Land Cruiser 79 scores 6 vs 12.

Practicality: Land Cruiser 79 scores 9 vs 8.

Ownership: Land Cruiser 79 scores 12 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives NP300 Hardbody the advantage in this comparison.