Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vs Gwm Tank 500

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
Gwm Tank 500 in South Africa

Gwm Tank 500

3.0T Hi4-T Luxury Petrol Automatic
ZAR 1,149,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 340 kW 🔧 750 Nm ⛽ 2.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tank 500
Fuel Economy Land Cruiser Prado
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tank 500
🔑 Ownership Tank 500
Land Cruiser Prado starts ZAR 1149900 cheaper Land Cruiser Prado from ZAR 980,000 · Tank 500 from ZAR 1,149,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Land Cruiser Prado Tank 500
Engine Power 150 340
Torque 500 750
Engine Size 2755 2999
Claimed Mileage 12.3 2.5
Ground Clearance 220 224
Boot Space 120 580
Airbags 9 8
Kerb Weight 2250 2680
Seating Capacity Available 5
Warranty 3 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Tank 500

76
/ 100
+10
pts
#2

Land Cruiser Prado

66
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

Tank 500 has a slight advantage, but Land Cruiser Prado remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tank 500 +3 pts
Efficiency Land Cruiser Prado +7 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Tank 500 +6 pts
Ownership Tank 500 +8 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Tank 500

Performance 20/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 16/20
Ownership 20/20

Land Cruiser Prado

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Land Cruiser Prado

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency
🏆 Overall Winner

Tank 500

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Land Cruiser Prado

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Tank 500

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Land Cruiser Prado Tank 500
Ground Clearance 220 224
Wheelbase 2790 2950
Length 4840 5060
Width 1885 1996
Height 1890 1905
Kerb Weight 2250 2680
Gross Vehicle Weight 2990 3200
Seating Capacity 7 5
Boot Space 120 580
Towing Capacity 3000 3000
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 780
Front Track Width 1550 1560
Rear Track Width 1540 1570
Turning Radius Available 13.0
Load Bed Length Available -
Load Bed Width Available -
Front Legroom Available 1050
Rear Legroom Available 890
Front Headroom Available 990
Rear Headroom Available 960
Front Shoulder Room Available 1520
Rear Shoulder Room Available 1480
Max Payload Available -
Boot Volume Available 580
Doors Available 5
Seats Available 5
Front Overhang Available 880
Fuel Tank Capacity Available 80
Rear Overhang Available 890
Spec Land Cruiser Prado Tank 500
Engine 2.8L Turbo Diesel 3.0L GW4C30D V6 Turbocharged Petrol + Front Electric Motor
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Turbocharged V6 Twin-Turbo Petrol Hybrid
Displacement 2755 2999
Cylinders 4 6
Valves per Cylinder 4 24
Power 150 340
Torque 500 750
Fuel System Common Rail Direct Injection Direct Injection
Top Speed 175 210
0-100 km/h 9.8 340
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) V6
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Twin-Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard GW4C30D
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 10.5:1
Cylinder Bore 82.0 -
Piston Stroke 92.0 -
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Power @ RPM 150 5,500 rpm
Torque @ RPM 400 2,000-4,000 rpm
Turbocharger Available Yes
Engine Position Available Front Transverse
Engine Oil Capacity Available 7.5
Power 150 456
Variable Valve Timing Available Yes
Maximum Engine RPM Available 5,500
Engine Type Config Available V6 (V6) DOHC 24-Valve Twin-Turbocharged
0–100 km/h Available 4.8
Battery Capacity Available 27.0 kWh
Charging Port Available -
AC Charging Time Available -
Engine Displacement Available 2999
EV Range Available 135

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Gwm Tank 500 wins with 76 pts vs 66 pts for Land Cruiser Prado

In structured scoring, Tank 500 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 Tank 500 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 Tank 500 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, Tank 500 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, Tank 500 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, Tank 500 16. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Land Cruiser Prado 17, Tank 500 20. 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 Tank 500 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tank 500 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 Tank 500 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Land Cruiser Prado scores 17 vs 20.

Efficiency: Land Cruiser Prado scores 7 vs 0.

Safety: Land Cruiser Prado scores 20 vs 20.

Practicality: Land Cruiser Prado scores 10 vs 16.

Ownership: Land Cruiser Prado scores 12 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Tank 500 the advantage in this comparison.