Toyota Land Cruiser 300 vs Toyota RAV4

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 300 in South Africa

Toyota Land Cruiser 300

3.3D VX-R 4x4 Automatic Diesel 10-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 2,149,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 227 kW 🔧 700 Nm ⛽ 9.4 km/l
VS
Toyota RAV4 in South Africa

Toyota RAV4

2.5 HEV GR-S CVT Hybrid CVT Current
ZAR 941,800 ex-showroom
⚡ 137 kW 🔧 221 Nm ⛽ 21.3 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Land Cruiser 300
Fuel Economy RAV4
🛡 Safety Land Cruiser 300
📦 Practicality Land Cruiser 300
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
RAV4 starts ZAR 1,239,900 cheaper Land Cruiser 300 from ZAR 1,849,900 · RAV4 from ZAR 610,000

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Land Cruiser 300 RAV4
Maximum Power 227 kW 137 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 700 Nm 221 Nm
Engine Size 3346 cc 2500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 9.4 km/l 21.3 km/l
Ground Clearance 235 mm 186 mm
Boot / Load Bay 309 l 732 l
Airbags 10 Driver Knee, Front Side, Rear Curtain, Front Curtain
Kerb Weight 2430 kg -
Seating Capacity 7 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 years / 100 000 km 3 years / 100 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Land Cruiser 300 and RAV4 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Land Cruiser 300 +45 pts
Efficiency RAV4 +44 pts
Safety Land Cruiser 300 +6 pts
Practicality Land Cruiser 300 +11 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

Land Cruiser 300

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

RAV4

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
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 300

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

RAV4

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Land Cruiser 300 RAV4
Model Introduced Year 2021 2026
Generation 300-series Land Cruiser on latest LGAA platform All-new sixth-generation RAV4 introduced in South Africa in July 2026
Facelift History New generation introduced in 2021 with complete redesign Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives
Facelift Launched Since 2021 Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives
Facelift Version Ending Current Current South African 2026 specification
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Grey, Dark Blue, Bronze -
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup -
Drivetrain Note Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 3.3D VX-R 4x4 Automatic -
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active published
Segment SUV SUV
Tare Mass Kg 2430 kg 1725-1740 kg
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Land Cruiser 300 RAV4
Length 4985 mm 4645 mm
Width 1980 mm 1880 mm
Height 1910 mm 1680 mm
Wheelbase 2850 mm 2690 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 235 mm 186 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed -
Fuel Tank Capacity 110 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 309 l 732 l
Kerb Weight 2430 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 3300 kg 2230 kg
Payload Capacity 870 kg -
Towing Capacity 3500 kg 1000 kg
Seating Capacity 7 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 3 rows -
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 6 m 5.6 m
Front Headroom 1010 mm -
Rear Headroom 957 mm -
Front Legroom 1105 mm -
Rear Legroom 900 mm -

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Land Cruiser 300 leads by 3 points

Land Cruiser 300 and RAV4 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 76 /100
Lead 3 points
Data 92% source coverage
76
#1 Index leader

Land Cruiser 300

92% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 99 Check Efficiency 40
Performance 95
Efficiency 40
Safety 99
Practicality 82
Ownership 43
Leads by 3 points
73
#2

RAV4

61% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 50
Performance 50
Efficiency 84
Safety 93
Practicality 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Land Cruiser 300 +45 Efficiency RAV4 +44 Safety Land Cruiser 300 +6 Practicality Land Cruiser 300 +11

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Land Cruiser 300

Performance 95/100
Efficiency 40/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 82/100
Ownership 43/100

RAV4

Performance 50/100
Efficiency 84/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 71/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 leads the catalogue index with 76 pts vs 73 pts for RAV4

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Land Cruiser 300 leads. However, RAV4 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. 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

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives 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.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This Land Cruiser 300 and RAV4 comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Land Cruiser 300 95 vs RAV4 50.

Efficiency index: Land Cruiser 300 40 vs RAV4 84.

Safety-equipment index: Land Cruiser 300 99 vs RAV4 93.

Practicality index: Land Cruiser 300 82 vs RAV4 71.

Ownership-cover index: Land Cruiser 300 43 vs RAV4 not separately scored.

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.