Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vs Toyota Starlet Cross

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado in South Africa

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado

2.8 VX 4x4 Automatic Diesel 6-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,150,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 500 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
VS
Toyota Starlet Cross in South Africa

Toyota Starlet Cross

1.5 XR CVT Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 375,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 77 kW 🔧 140 Nm ⛽ 18.5 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vs Toyota Starlet Cross: the short answer

Land Cruiser Prado holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Starlet Cross.

Starlet Cross starts ZAR 675,100 cheaper Land Cruiser Prado from ZAR 980,000 · Starlet Cross from ZAR 304,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Land Cruiser Prado Starlet Cross
Maximum Power Land Cruiser Prado150 kW Starlet Cross77 kW
Maximum Torque Land Cruiser Prado500 Nm Starlet Cross140 Nm
Engine Size Land Cruiser Prado2755 cc Starlet Cross1498 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Land Cruiser Prado12.3 km/l Starlet Cross18.5 km/l
Ground Clearance Land Cruiser Prado220 mm Starlet Cross185 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

Land Cruiser Prado

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Lower published ownership cover
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

Starlet Cross

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger published ownership cover
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Land Cruiser Prado

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Starlet Cross

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published warranty or service cover

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Land Cruiser Prado Starlet Cross
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 First generation Starlet Cross for SA market
Facelift History Major redesigns in 2009, 2017 and latest generation updates improving technology and safety Introduced to SA in 2022 as a Starlet-based crossover
Facelift Launched Since 2017 2022
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Grey, Dark Blue White Pearl, Silver Metallic, Black, Blue, Red
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup Top grade in the South Africa lineup
Drivetrain Note Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.8 VX 4x4 Automatic -
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active active
Segment SUV SUV
Tare Mass Kg 2250 kg 1080 kg
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Land Cruiser Prado Starlet Cross
Length 4840 mm 4055 mm
Width 1885 mm 1740 mm
Height 1890 mm 1575 mm
Wheelbase 2790 mm 2520 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 220 mm 185 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 125 mm 125 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 87 l 42 l
Boot/Cargo Space 120 l 270 l
Kerb Weight 2250 kg 1080 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2990 kg 1480 kg
Payload Capacity 740 kg 400 kg
Towing Capacity 3000 kg 1600 kg
Seating Capacity 7 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 3 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.6 m 5.1 m
Front Headroom 995 mm 991 mm
Rear Headroom 957 mm 940 mm
Front Legroom 1042 mm 1039 mm
Rear Legroom 882 mm 881 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Land Cruiser Prado and Starlet Cross comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Land Cruiser Prado 76 vs Starlet Cross 34.

Efficiency index: Land Cruiser Prado 49 vs Starlet Cross 70.

Safety-equipment index: Land Cruiser Prado 98 vs Starlet Cross 70.

Practicality index: Land Cruiser Prado 69 vs Starlet Cross 55.

Ownership-cover index: Land Cruiser Prado 40 vs Starlet Cross 43.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

Land Cruiser Prado leads by 15 points

Land Cruiser Prado holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Starlet Cross.

Evidence leader 69 /100
Lead 15 points
Data 95% source coverage
69
#1 Evidence leader

Land Cruiser Prado

95% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Ownership 40
Performance 76
Efficiency 49
Safety 98
Practicality 69
Ownership 40
Leads by 15 points
54
#2

Starlet Cross

87% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 70 Check Performance 34
Performance 34
Efficiency 70
Safety 70
Practicality 55
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Land Cruiser Prado +42 Efficiency Starlet Cross +21 Safety Land Cruiser Prado +28 Practicality Land Cruiser Prado +14 Ownership Starlet Cross +3

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Land Cruiser Prado

Performance 76/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 69/100
Ownership 40/100

Starlet Cross

Performance 34/100
Efficiency 70/100
Safety 70/100
Practicality 55/100
Ownership 43/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Toyota Land Cruiser Prado leads the specification evidence index with 69 pts vs 54 pts for Starlet Cross

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Land Cruiser Prado leads. However, Starlet Cross may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Land Cruiser Prado vs Starlet Cross questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.