Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vs KIA Sportage

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 Sportage in South Africa

KIA Sportage

2WD 1.6T-GDI GT-Line S DCT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 823,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 132 kW 🔧 265 Nm Nm ⛽ 13.9 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Land Cruiser Prado
Fuel Economy Sportage
🛡 Safety Sportage
📦 Practicality Land Cruiser Prado
🔑 Ownership Sportage
Sportage starts ZAR 980000 cheaper Land Cruiser Prado from ZAR 980,000 · Sportage from ZAR 662,995

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Land Cruiser Prado Sportage
Engine Power 150 kW 132 kW
Torque 500 Nm 265 Nm
Engine Size 2755 cc 1591 cc
Claimed Mileage 12.3 km/l 13.9 km/l
Ground Clearance 220 mm 181 mm
Boot / Load Bay 120 l 466 l
Airbags 9 7
Kerb Weight 2250 kg 1570 kg
Seating Capacity 7 5
Warranty 3 years / 100 000 km 7 Years / 150,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Land Cruiser Prado +19 pts
Efficiency Sportage +5 pts
Safety Sportage +1 pts
Practicality Land Cruiser Prado +3 pts
Ownership Sportage +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

Sportage

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

Sportage

  • 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 Sportage
Model Introduced Year 1996 2022
Generation Current Prado represents the latest evolution of Toyota’s global Land Cruiser platform with modern safety and comfort upgrades Fifth generation (NQ5); global launch 2021, SA 2022
Facelift History Major redesigns in 2009, 2017 and latest generation updates improving technology and safety Fifth generation (NQ5) launched SA 2022; no facelift yet
Facelift Launched Since 2017 2022
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Grey, Dark Blue Clear White, Aurora Black Pearl, Gravity Blue, Steel Grey, Intense Red, Glacial White Pearl, Interstellar Grey
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: 2WD 1.6T-GDI GT-Line S DCT
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published published
Segment SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Land Cruiser Prado Sportage
Ground Clearance 220 mm 181 mm
Wheelbase 2790 mm 2680 mm
Length 4840 mm 4515 mm
Width 1885 mm 1865 mm
Height 1890 mm 1660 mm
Kerb Weight 2250 kg 1570 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 2990 kg 2080 kg
Seating Capacity 7 5
Boot Space 120 l 466 l
Towing Capacity 3000 kg 1500 kg
Front Track Width - 1601 mm
Rear Track Width - 1608 mm
Turning Radius - 10.8 m
Load Bed Length 120 l 466 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 1455 l
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload - -
Boot Volume 120 l 466 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 7 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 87 l 54 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 2990 kg 2080 kg
Ground Clearance Max 220 mm 181 mm
Ground Clearance Min 220 mm 181 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 220 mm 181 mm
Height Mm 1890 mm 1660 mm
Length Mm 4840 mm 4515 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 120 l 466 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg - -
Cargo Volume 120 l 466 l
Tare Mass Kg 2250 kg 1570 kg
Turning Circle - 10.8 m
Turning Circle M - 10.8 m
Width Mm 1885 mm 1865 mm
Front Overhang - 880 mm
Boot Space Seats Folded 120 l 1455 l
Rear Overhang - 760 mm

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Sportage leads by 2 points

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

Winner 70 /100
Lead 2 points
Data 97% confidence
70
#1 Winner

Sportage

97% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 100 Check Efficiency 54
Performance 57
Efficiency 54
Safety 100
Practicality 65
Ownership 71
Leads by 2 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 +19 Efficiency Sportage +5 Safety Sportage +1 Practicality Land Cruiser Prado +3 Ownership Sportage +37

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Sportage

Performance 57/100
Efficiency 54/100
Safety 100/100
Practicality 65/100
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 Sportage wins with 70 pts vs 68 pts for Land Cruiser Prado

In structured scoring, Sportage 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 Sportage 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 Sportage 54. 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, Sportage 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, Sportage 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, Sportage 65. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Land Cruiser Prado 76, Sportage 57. 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 Sportage edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

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

Performance: Land Cruiser Prado scores 76 vs 57.

Efficiency: Land Cruiser Prado scores 49 vs 54.

Safety: Land Cruiser Prado scores 99 vs 100.

Practicality: Land Cruiser Prado scores 68 vs 65.

Ownership: Land Cruiser Prado scores 34 vs 71.

Final structured scoring gives Sportage the advantage in this comparison.