Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vs KIA Sorento

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 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
KIA Sorento in South Africa

KIA Sorento

2.2 CRDi SXL AWD DCT Diesel Automatic
ZAR 1,299,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 148 kW 🔧 440 Nm Nm ⛽ 15.6 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Land Cruiser Prado
Fuel Economy Sorento
🛡 Safety Sorento
📦 Practicality Land Cruiser Prado
🔑 Ownership Sorento
Land Cruiser Prado starts ZAR 999995 cheaper Land Cruiser Prado from ZAR 980,000 · Sorento from ZAR 999,995

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Land Cruiser Prado Sorento
Engine Power 150 kW 148 kW
Torque 500 Nm 440 Nm
Engine Size 2755 cc 2151 cc
Claimed Mileage 12.3 km/l 15.6 km/l
Ground Clearance 220 mm 185 mm
Boot / Load Bay 120 l 219 l
Airbags 9 7
Kerb Weight 2250 kg 1960 kg
Seating Capacity 7 7
Warranty 3 years / 100 000 km 7 Years / 150,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both Land Cruiser Prado and Sorento are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Land Cruiser Prado +2 pts
Efficiency Sorento +12 pts
Safety Sorento +1 pts
Practicality Land Cruiser Prado +4 pts
Ownership Sorento +37 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Land Cruiser Prado

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

Sorento

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

Which One's Right for You?

Land Cruiser Prado

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

Sorento

  • 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 Prado Sorento
Model Introduced Year 1996 2021
Generation Current Prado represents the latest evolution of Toyota’s global Land Cruiser platform with modern safety and comfort upgrades Fourth generation (MQ4); global launch 2020, SA 2021
Facelift History Major redesigns in 2009, 2017 and latest generation updates improving technology and safety Fourth generation (MQ4) launched SA 2021; updated spec 2024
Facelift Launched Since 2017 2024
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Grey, Dark Blue Glacier White Pearl, Aurora Black Pearl, Steel Grey, Interstellar Grey, Gravity Blue
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Drivetrain Note Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.8 VX 4x4 Automatic Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.2 CRDi SXL AWD DCT
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published published
Segment SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Land Cruiser Prado Sorento
Ground Clearance 220 mm 185 mm
Wheelbase 2790 mm 2815 mm
Length 4840 mm 4810 mm
Width 1885 mm 1900 mm
Height 1890 mm 1700 mm
Kerb Weight 2250 kg 1960 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 2990 kg 2550 kg
Seating Capacity 7 7
Boot Space 120 l 219 l
Towing Capacity 3000 kg 2000 kg
Front Track Width - 1640 mm
Rear Track Width - 1644 mm
Turning Radius - 11.2 m
Load Bed Length 120 l 219 l
Load Bed Width - -
Front Legroom - 1040 mm
Rear Legroom - 855 mm
Front Headroom - 1010 mm
Rear Headroom - 955 mm
Front Shoulder Room - 1405 mm
Rear Shoulder Room - 1350 mm
Boot Space Seats Folded 120 l 616 l
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload - -
Boot Volume 120 l 219 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 7 7
Fuel Tank Capacity 87 l 67 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 2990 kg 2550 kg
Ground Clearance Max 220 mm 185 mm
Ground Clearance Min 220 mm 185 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 220 mm 185 mm
Height Mm 1890 mm 1700 mm
Length Mm 4840 mm 4810 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 120 l 219 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg - -
Cargo Volume 120 l 219 l
Tare Mass Kg 2250 kg 1960 kg
Turning Circle - 11.2 m
Turning Circle M - 11.2 m
Width Mm 1885 mm 1900 mm
Front Overhang - 900 mm
Rear Overhang - 1095 mm
Boot Space Seats Folded 120 l 616 l

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Sorento leads by 7 points

Both Land Cruiser Prado and Sorento are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 75 /100
Lead 7 points
Data 97% confidence
75
#1 Winner

Sorento

97% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 100 Check Efficiency 61
Performance 74
Efficiency 61
Safety 100
Practicality 64
Ownership 71
Leads by 7 points
68
#2

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
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Land Cruiser Prado +2 Efficiency Sorento +12 Safety Sorento +1 Practicality Land Cruiser Prado +4 Ownership Sorento +37

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Sorento

Performance 74/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 100/100
Practicality 64/100
Ownership 71/100

Land Cruiser Prado

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

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 KIA Sorento wins with 75 pts vs 68 pts for Land Cruiser Prado

In structured scoring, Sorento emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Land Cruiser Prado 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 Sorento 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 Sorento 61. 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, Sorento 100. 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, Sorento 71. 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, Sorento 64. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

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

The Sorento 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 Sorento 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 61.

Safety: Land Cruiser Prado scores 99 vs 100.

Practicality: Land Cruiser Prado scores 68 vs 64.

Ownership: Land Cruiser Prado scores 34 vs 71.

Final structured scoring gives Sorento the advantage in this comparison.