Toyota Land Cruiser FJ vs Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV

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 FJ in South Africa

Toyota Land Cruiser FJ

2.7 4x4 VX 6AT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 761,400 ex-showroom
⚡ 122 kW 🔧 245 Nm ⛽ 9.3 km/l
VS
Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV

PHEV Vanguard AWD Plug-In Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 989,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 455 kW 🔧 920 Nm ⛽ 16.1 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV
Fuel Economy Tiggo 9 PHEV
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV
🔑 Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV
Land Cruiser FJ starts ZAR 839900 cheaper Land Cruiser FJ from ZAR 714,000 · Tiggo 9 PHEV from ZAR 839,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Land Cruiser FJ Tiggo 9 PHEV
Engine Power 122 kW 455 kW
Torque 245 Nm 920 Nm
Engine Size 2700 cc 1.5 cc
Claimed Mileage 9.3 km/l 16.1 km/l
Ground Clearance 245 mm 183 mm
Boot / Load Bay - 448 l
Airbags Curtain, Driver, Passenger, Driver Knee, Front Side Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 1970 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 7
Warranty 3 years / 100 000 km 7 Year / 200 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Tiggo 9 PHEV holds a noticeable edge over Land Cruiser FJ, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV +42 pts
Efficiency Tiggo 9 PHEV +34 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV +1 pts
Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV +19 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Land Cruiser FJ

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

Tiggo 9 PHEV

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Land Cruiser FJ

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Tiggo 9 PHEV

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Land Cruiser FJ Tiggo 9 PHEV
Model Introduced Year 2026 2026
Generation First-generation compact Land Cruiser FJ introduced in South Africa in 2026 Current South Africa Tiggo 9 PHEV range
Facelift History New South African model line launched in 2026 Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since New South African model line launched in 2026 2026
Facelift Version Ending Current South African 2026 specification Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published active
Segment SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Land Cruiser FJ Tiggo 9 PHEV
Ground Clearance 245 mm 183 mm
Wheelbase 2580 mm 2800 mm
Length 4610 mm 4810 mm
Width 1855 mm 1925 mm
Height 1890 mm 1741 mm
Kerb Weight 1970 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight 2500 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 7
Towing Capacity 2500 kg -
Front Track Width 1540 mm -
Rear Track Width 1555 mm -
Turning Radius 5.5 m -
Load Bed Length - 448 l
Load Bed Width - -
Number of Doors 5 5
Doors 5 5
Seats 5 7
Fuel Tank Capacity 63 l 70 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 2500 kg -
Ground Clearance Max 245 mm 183 mm
Ground Clearance Min 245 mm 183 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 245 mm 183 mm
Height Mm 1890 mm 1741 mm
Length Mm 4610 mm 4810 mm
Loadbox Length Mm - 448 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Tare Mass Kg 1970 kg -
Turning Circle 5.5 m -
Turning Circle M 5.5 m -
Width Mm 1855 mm 1925 mm
Boot Space - 448 l
Front Legroom - -
Rear Legroom - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -
Front Shoulder Room - -
Rear Shoulder Room - -
Boot Space Seats Folded - 2065 l
Max Payload - -
Boot Volume - 448 l
Payload Kg - -
Cargo Volume - 448 l

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tiggo 9 PHEV leads by 19 points

Tiggo 9 PHEV holds a noticeable edge over Land Cruiser FJ, especially in key ownership areas.

Winner 84 /100
Lead 19 points
Data 74% confidence
84
#1 Winner

Tiggo 9 PHEV

74% data confidence 4 strong categories
Best at Performance 98 Check Ownership 69
Performance 98
Efficiency 72
Safety 94
Practicality 77
Ownership 69
Leads by 19 points
65
#2

Land Cruiser FJ

72% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 38
Performance 56
Efficiency 38
Safety 94
Practicality 76
Ownership 50
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV +42 Efficiency Tiggo 9 PHEV +34 Safety Level Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV +1 Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV +19

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tiggo 9 PHEV

Performance 98/100
Efficiency 72/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 77/100
Ownership 69/100

Land Cruiser FJ

Performance 56/100
Efficiency 38/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 76/100
Ownership 50/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV wins with 84 pts vs 65 pts for Land Cruiser FJ

In structured scoring, Tiggo 9 PHEV emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Land Cruiser FJ 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 Tiggo 9 PHEV 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 FJ 38 vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 72. 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 FJ 94, Tiggo 9 PHEV 94. 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 FJ 50, Tiggo 9 PHEV 69. 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 FJ 76, Tiggo 9 PHEV 77. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Land Cruiser FJ 56, Tiggo 9 PHEV 98. 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 Tiggo 9 PHEV edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tiggo 9 PHEV 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 FJ and Tiggo 9 PHEV in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Land Cruiser FJ scores 56 vs 98.

Efficiency: Land Cruiser FJ scores 38 vs 72.

Safety: Land Cruiser FJ scores 94 vs 94.

Practicality: Land Cruiser FJ scores 76 vs 77.

Ownership: Land Cruiser FJ scores 50 vs 69.

Final structured scoring gives Tiggo 9 PHEV the advantage in this comparison.