Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vs Chery Tiggo 9

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
Chery Tiggo 9 in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 9

Vanguard AWD 2.0T Petrol Automatic
ZAR 779,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 187 kW 🔧 390 Nm ⛽ 12.0 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tiggo 9
Fuel Economy Land Cruiser Prado
🛡 Safety Land Cruiser Prado
📦 Practicality Tiggo 9
🔑 Ownership Tiggo 9
Tiggo 9 starts ZAR 980000 cheaper Land Cruiser Prado from ZAR 980,000 · Tiggo 9 from ZAR 689,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Land Cruiser Prado Tiggo 9
Engine Power 150 kW 187 kW
Torque 500 Nm 390 Nm
Engine Size 2755 cc 2.0 cc
Claimed Mileage 12.3 km/l 12.0 km/l
Ground Clearance 220 mm 147 mm
Boot / Load Bay 120 l 448 l
Airbags 9 Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 2250 kg -
Seating Capacity 7 7
Warranty 3 years / 100 000 km 7 Year / 200 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both Land Cruiser Prado and Tiggo 9 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 9 +4 pts
Efficiency Land Cruiser Prado +2 pts
Safety Land Cruiser Prado +5 pts
Practicality Tiggo 9 +5 pts
Ownership Tiggo 9 +35 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Land Cruiser Prado

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

Tiggo 9

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

Which One's Right for You?

Land Cruiser Prado

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Tiggo 9

  • 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 Tiggo 9
Model Introduced Year 1996 2026
Generation Current Prado represents the latest evolution of Toyota’s global Land Cruiser platform with modern safety and comfort upgrades Current South Africa Tiggo 9 range
Facelift History Major redesigns in 2009, 2017 and latest generation updates improving technology and safety Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since 2017 2026
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Grey, Dark Blue -
Dealer Stock Note Flagship 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 published active
Segment SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Land Cruiser Prado Tiggo 9
Ground Clearance 220 mm 147 mm
Wheelbase 2790 mm 2800 mm
Length 4840 mm 4810 mm
Width 1885 mm 1925 mm
Height 1890 mm 1741 mm
Kerb Weight 2250 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight 2990 kg -
Seating Capacity 7 7
Boot Space 120 l 448 l
Towing Capacity 3000 kg -
Front Track Width - -
Rear Track Width - -
Turning Radius - -
Load Bed Length 120 l 448 l
Load Bed Width - -
Front Legroom - -
Rear Legroom - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -
Front Shoulder Room - -
Rear Shoulder Room - -
Boot Space Seats Folded 120 l 2065 l
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload - -
Boot Volume 120 l 448 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 7 7
Fuel Tank Capacity 87 l 65 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 2990 kg -
Ground Clearance Max 220 mm 147 mm
Ground Clearance Min 220 mm 147 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 220 mm 147 mm
Height Mm 1890 mm 1741 mm
Length Mm 4840 mm 4810 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 120 l 448 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg - -
Cargo Volume 120 l 448 l
Tare Mass Kg 2250 kg -
Turning Circle - -
Turning Circle M - -
Width Mm 1885 mm 1925 mm

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tiggo 9 leads by 6 points

Both Land Cruiser Prado and Tiggo 9 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 74 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 74% confidence
74
#1 Winner

Tiggo 9

74% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 47
Performance 80
Efficiency 47
Safety 94
Practicality 73
Ownership 69
Leads by 6 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 Tiggo 9 +4 Efficiency Land Cruiser Prado +2 Safety Land Cruiser Prado +5 Practicality Tiggo 9 +5 Ownership Tiggo 9 +35

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tiggo 9

Performance 80/100
Efficiency 47/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 73/100
Ownership 69/100

Land Cruiser Prado

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

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 9 wins with 74 pts vs 68 pts for Land Cruiser Prado

In structured scoring, Tiggo 9 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 Tiggo 9 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 Tiggo 9 47. 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, Tiggo 9 94. 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, Tiggo 9 69. 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, Tiggo 9 73. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Land Cruiser Prado 76, Tiggo 9 80. 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 Tiggo 9 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tiggo 9 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 Tiggo 9 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Land Cruiser Prado scores 76 vs 80.

Efficiency: Land Cruiser Prado scores 49 vs 47.

Safety: Land Cruiser Prado scores 99 vs 94.

Practicality: Land Cruiser Prado scores 68 vs 73.

Ownership: Land Cruiser Prado scores 34 vs 69.

Final structured scoring gives Tiggo 9 the advantage in this comparison.