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 Land Cruiser Prado
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 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 150 148 kW
Torque 500 440 Nm
Engine Size 2755 2151
Claimed Mileage 12.3 15.6
Ground Clearance 220 185
Boot Space 120 219
Airbags 9 7
Kerb Weight 2250 1960
Seating Capacity Available 7
Warranty 3 7

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Land Cruiser Prado

66
/ 100
+1
pts
#2

Sorento

65
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

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 Land Cruiser Prado +7 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Equal
Ownership Sorento +8 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Land Cruiser Prado

Performance 17/20
Efficiency 7/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 10/20
Ownership 12/20

Sorento

Performance 15/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 10/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Land Cruiser Prado

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency

Sorento

Strengths
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Land Cruiser Prado

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Sorento

  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Land Cruiser Prado Sorento
Ground Clearance 220 185
Wheelbase 2790 2815
Length 4840 4810
Width 1885 1900
Height 1890 1700
Kerb Weight 2250 1960
Gross Vehicle Weight 2990 2550
Seating Capacity 7 7
Boot Space 120 219
Towing Capacity 3000 2000
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 616
Front Track Width 1550 1640
Rear Track Width 1540 1644
Turning Radius Available 11.2
Load Bed Length Available N/A
Load Bed Width Available N/A
Front Legroom Available 1040
Rear Legroom Available 855
Front Headroom Available 1010
Rear Headroom Available 955
Front Shoulder Room Available 1405
Rear Shoulder Room Available 1350
Max Payload Available N/A
Boot Volume Available 219
Doors Available 5
Seats Available 7
Front Overhang Available 900
Fuel Tank Capacity Available 67
Rear Overhang Available 1095
Spec Land Cruiser Prado Sorento
Engine 2.8L Turbo Diesel 2.2 CRDi D4HB Inline-4 Diesel
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Turbocharged Inline 4 Cylinder Turbodiesel
Displacement 2755 2151
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 16
Power 150 148 kW
Torque 500 440 Nm
Fuel System Common Rail Direct Injection Common Rail Direct Injection
Top Speed 175 200
0-100 km/h 9.8 8.5
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard D4HB
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 15.4:1
Cylinder Bore 82.0 85.4
Piston Stroke 92.0 94.0
Fuel Grade Required Petrol B7 Diesel
Power @ RPM 150 3,800 rpm
Torque @ RPM 400 1,750 rpm
Turbocharger Available Yes
Engine Position Available Front Transverse
Engine Oil Capacity Available 6.0
Power 150 198
Variable Valve Timing Available No
Maximum Engine RPM Available 4,000 rpm
Engine Type Config Available Inline 4 Cylinder (I4) DOHC 16-Valve Diesel
0–100 km/h Available 8.5
Battery Capacity Available N/A
Charging Port Available N/A
AC Charging Time Available N/A
Engine Displacement Available 2151
EV Range Available N/A

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado wins with 66 pts vs 65 pts for Sorento

In structured scoring, Land Cruiser Prado emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Sorento 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 7 vs Sorento 0. 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 20, Sorento 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 Prado 12, Sorento 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 Prado 10, Sorento 10. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Land Cruiser Prado 17, Sorento 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 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 Sorento in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Land Cruiser Prado scores 17 vs 15.

Efficiency: Land Cruiser Prado scores 7 vs 0.

Safety: Land Cruiser Prado scores 20 vs 20.

Practicality: Land Cruiser Prado scores 10 vs 10.

Ownership: Land Cruiser Prado scores 12 vs 20.

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