Toyota Hiace GD vs Toyota Land Cruiser 78
A proper head-to-head in Uganda — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.
Toyota Hiace GD
2.8 GD 15-Seater 6MT
Diesel
6-Speed Manual
Current
UGX 225,000,000
ex-showroom
⛽ 12.5 km/l
VS
Toyota Land Cruiser 78
LC78 4.2L Hard Top 5-MT 4x4
Diesel
5-Speed Manual
Current
UGX 370,000,000
ex-showroom
⚡ 96 kW
🔧 285 Nm
⛽ 12.5 km/l
Decision summary
Toyota Hiace GD vs Toyota Land Cruiser 78: the short answer
Hiace GD and Land Cruiser 78 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.
Hiace GD starts UGX 145,000,000 cheaper
Hiace GD from UGX 225,000,000 · Land Cruiser 78 from UGX 370,000,000
Five key differences
Exact selected derivatives| Specification | Hiace GD | Land Cruiser 78 |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Power | Hiace GDNot Officially Disclosed | Land Cruiser 7896 kW @ 3800 rpm |
| Maximum Torque | Hiace GDNot Officially Disclosed | Land Cruiser 78285 Nm @ 2200 rpm |
| Engine Size | Hiace GD2755 cc | Land Cruiser 784164 cc |
| Combined Fuel Economy | Hiace GD12.5 km/l | Land Cruiser 7812.5 km/l |
| Ground Clearance | Hiace GD185 mm | Land Cruiser 78235 mm |
Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.
Source type: Toyota Uganda/CFAO specifications; user-supplied estimates for remaining fields
What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)
Hiace GD
Strengths
- Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
- Less powerful engine setup
- Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to:
General Use
Specification evidence leader
Land Cruiser 78
Strengths
- More powerful engine output
- Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
- No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to:
Published Performance
Published Practicality
Which One's Right for You?
Hiace GD
- Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix
Land Cruiser 78
- Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
- Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
Full Specs, Side by Side
| Spec | Hiace GD | Land Cruiser 78 |
|---|---|---|
| Model Introduced Year | 2023 | 2023 |
| Generation | Uganda 2.8-litre GD passenger-van family, distinct from the separately listed 2.5-litre Hiace variants. Public 14-seat and supplied 15-seat identities require separate build matching. | Uganda-listed LC78 hard top with 4.2-litre 1HZ diesel, five-speed manual and thirteen-seat catalogue configuration. |
| Facelift History | No local facelift confirmed | No local facelift confirmed |
| Facelift Launched Since | Original current-generation version | Original current-generation version |
| Facelift Version Ending | Current | Current |
| Body Style | Passenger van | Hard top |
| Model Year | 2026 | 2026 |
| Production Status | active | active |
| Segment | Light commercial passenger vehicle | Long-wheelbase heavy-duty 4x4 |
| Vehicle Type | Minibus | Hard-top utility vehicle |
| Spec | Hiace GD | Land Cruiser 78 |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 5915 mm | 4990 mm |
| Width | 1950 mm | 1770 mm |
| Height | 2280 mm | 2115 mm |
| Wheelbase | 3860 mm | 2980 mm |
| Ground Clearance (Default) | 185 mm | 235 mm |
| Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) | 170 mm | 220 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 70 l | 180 l |
| Boot/Cargo Space | 1000 l | 1000 l |
| Kerb Weight | 2350 kg | 2230 kg |
| Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) | 3500 kg | 3200 kg |
| Payload Capacity | 1150 kg | 970 kg |
| Towing Capacity | 750 kg | 1500 kg |
| Seating Capacity | 15 seats | 13 seats |
| Number of Rows | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Doors | Not Officially Disclosed | 2 doors |
| Minimum Turning Radius | 7.9 m | 6.8 m |
| Front Headroom | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Rear Headroom | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Front Legroom | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Rear Legroom | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
In depth: how these cars differ
This Hiace GD and Land Cruiser 78 comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for Uganda. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.
Performance index: Hiace GD 43 vs Land Cruiser 78 51.
Efficiency index: Hiace GD 54 vs Land Cruiser 78 54.
Safety-equipment index: Hiace GD 44 vs Land Cruiser 78 44.
Practicality index: Hiace GD 81 vs Land Cruiser 78 87.
Ownership-cover index: Hiace GD not separately scored vs Land Cruiser 78 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.
Model imagery
Hiace GD and Land Cruiser 78 image comparison
Open an image for its full canonical file or visit the model page for the complete vehicle record.
Toyota Hiace GD
View 8 more Hiace GD images
Toyota Land Cruiser 78
View 8 more Land Cruiser 78 images
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-index readout
Land Cruiser 78 leads by 4 points
Hiace GD and Land Cruiser 78 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.
Evidence leader
59
/100
Lead
4
points
Data
74%
source coverage
59
#1
Evidence leader
Land Cruiser 78
Performance
51
Efficiency
54
Safety
44
Practicality
87
Leads by 4 points
55
#2
Hiace GD
Performance
43
Efficiency
54
Safety
44
Practicality
81
Performance 24%
Safety 22%
Practicality 22%
Efficiency 17%
Ownership 15%
Category leaders
What moves the verdict
Performance
Land Cruiser 78 +8
Efficiency
Level
Safety
Level
Practicality
Land Cruiser 78 +6
Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.
Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader
Land Cruiser 78
Performance
51/100
Efficiency
54/100
Safety
44/100
Practicality
87/100
Hiace GD
Performance
43/100
Efficiency
54/100
Safety
44/100
Practicality
81/100
What the evidence means
In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Land Cruiser 78 leads. However, Hiace GD may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in Uganda.
Related comparisons
Continue with closely related Uganda models and comparable body styles.
Hiace GD vs Land Cruiser 78 questions
There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in Uganda 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.