Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vs Hyundai Palisade

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.

Includes an archived model

Current and archived cars are compared side by side. Archived models keep their verified historical specs, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Hyundai Palisade
Toyota Land Cruiser Prado in South Africa

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado

2.8 VX 4x4 Automatic Diesel Automatic
ZAR 1,150,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 500 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
VS
Hyundai Palisade in South Africa

Hyundai Palisade

2.2D Elite AWD 8AT 7-Seater Diesel Automatic Archive reference
ZAR 1,204,500 last listed
No longer sold new Specs stay visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 142 kW 🔧 440 Nm ⛽ 8.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Land Cruiser Prado
Fuel Economy Land Cruiser Prado
🛡 Safety Land Cruiser Prado
📦 Practicality Palisade
🔑 Ownership Palisade
Land Cruiser Prado starts ZAR 1204500 cheaper Land Cruiser Prado from ZAR 980,000 · Palisade from ZAR 1,204,500

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Land Cruiser Prado Palisade
Engine Power 150 kW 142 kW
Torque 500 Nm 440 Nm
Engine Size 2755 cc 2199 cc
Claimed Mileage 12.3 km/l 8.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 220 mm Not confirmed
Boot / Load Bay 120 l Not confirmed
Airbags 9 Driver, passenger, side and curtain
Kerb Weight 2250 kg 1952 kg
Seating Capacity 7 7
Warranty 3 years / 100 000 km 5 years / 150 000 km plus 2 years / 50 000 km powertrain

= leads in this spec

Archived models stay fully comparable. Verified specs remain visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

Land Cruiser Prado has a slight advantage, but Palisade remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Land Cruiser Prado +2 pts
Efficiency Land Cruiser Prado +9 pts
Safety Land Cruiser Prado +61 pts
Practicality Palisade +9 pts
Ownership Palisade +17 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Land Cruiser Prado

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency

Palisade

Strengths
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Land Cruiser Prado

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Palisade

  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Land Cruiser Prado Palisade
Model Introduced Year 1996 Current local generation year not confirmed
Generation Current Prado represents the latest evolution of Toyota’s global Land Cruiser platform with modern safety and comfort upgrades Current South African Palisade listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data.
Facelift History Major redesigns in 2009, 2017 and latest generation updates improving technology and safety Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle.
Facelift Launched Since 2017 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Discontinued - exact end year not confirmed
Body Style SUV Seven-seat SUV
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Grey, Dark Blue Not confirmed
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup Not confirmed
Drivetrain Note Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.8 VX 4x4 Automatic Not confirmed
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published Not confirmed
Segment SUV Not confirmed
Vehicle Type SUV Not confirmed
Spec Land Cruiser Prado Palisade
Ground Clearance 220 mm Not confirmed
Wheelbase 2790 mm Not confirmed
Length 4840 mm Not confirmed
Width 1885 mm Not confirmed
Height 1890 mm Not confirmed
Kerb Weight 2250 kg 1952 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 2990 kg Not confirmed
Seating Capacity 7 7
Boot Space 120 l Not confirmed
Towing Capacity 3000 kg 2200 kg
Front Track Width - Not confirmed
Rear Track Width - Not confirmed
Turning Radius - Not confirmed
Load Bed Length 120 l Not confirmed
Load Bed Width - Not confirmed
Front Legroom - Not confirmed
Rear Legroom - Not confirmed
Front Headroom - Not confirmed
Rear Headroom - Not confirmed
Front Shoulder Room - Not confirmed
Rear Shoulder Room - Not confirmed
Boot Space Seats Folded 120 l Not confirmed
Number of Doors 5 Not confirmed
Max Payload - Not confirmed
Boot Volume 120 l Not confirmed
Doors 5 Not confirmed
Seats 7 7
Fuel Tank Capacity 87 l 71 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 2990 kg Not confirmed
Ground Clearance Max 220 mm Not confirmed
Ground Clearance Min 220 mm Not confirmed
Ground Clearance Mm 220 mm Not confirmed
Height Mm 1890 mm Not confirmed
Length Mm 4840 mm Not confirmed
Loadbox Length Mm 120 l Not confirmed
Loadbox Width Mm - Not confirmed
Payload Kg - Not confirmed
Cargo Volume 120 l Not confirmed
Tare Mass Kg 2250 kg 1952 kg
Turning Circle - Not confirmed
Turning Circle M - Not confirmed
Width Mm 1885 mm Not confirmed

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Land Cruiser Prado leads by 10 points

Land Cruiser Prado has a slight advantage, but Palisade remains highly competitive.

Winner 68 /100
Lead 10 points
Data 95% confidence
68
#1 Winner

Land Cruiser Prado

95% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 99 Check Ownership 34
Performance 76
Efficiency 49
Safety 99
Practicality 68
Ownership 34
Leads by 10 points
58
#2

Palisade

69% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Practicality 77 Check Safety 38
Performance 74
Efficiency 40
Safety 38
Practicality 77
Ownership 51
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Land Cruiser Prado +2 Efficiency Land Cruiser Prado +9 Safety Land Cruiser Prado +61 Practicality Palisade +9 Ownership Palisade +17

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Land Cruiser Prado

Performance 76/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 68/100
Ownership 34/100

Palisade

Performance 74/100
Efficiency 40/100
Safety 38/100
Practicality 77/100
Ownership 51/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado wins with 68 pts vs 58 pts for Palisade

In structured scoring, Land Cruiser Prado emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Palisade 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 Land Cruiser Prado 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 Prado 49 vs Palisade 40. 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 Prado 99, Palisade 38. 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 Prado 34, Palisade 51. 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 Prado 68, Palisade 77. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Land Cruiser Prado 76, Palisade 74. 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 Prado edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Land Cruiser Prado 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 Prado and Palisade in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Land Cruiser Prado scores 76 vs 74.

Efficiency: Land Cruiser Prado scores 49 vs 40.

Safety: Land Cruiser Prado scores 99 vs 38.

Practicality: Land Cruiser Prado scores 68 vs 77.

Ownership: Land Cruiser Prado scores 34 vs 51.

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