LWDAFRICA
Buyer guide

Land Cruiser 300 versus Prado for West African roads

The Land Cruiser 300 and the Land Cruiser Prado are the two Toyotas we are asked about most from Lagos, Accra and Freetown. Both are seven-seat, body-on-frame four-wheel drives. This guide compares them using the specifications on our own listings, not brochure claims, so you can decide which suits your roads, your passengers and your budget.

The short answer

Choose the Land Cruiser 300 if you want the larger, more powerful flagship and the extra cabin space matters to you. Choose the Prado if you want the same body-on-frame layout and seven seats in a smaller, lower priced car, and especially if you want a diesel. Both come in several grades, so compare the exact listing rather than the model name.

Size and seats

Our catalogue classes the Land Cruiser 300 as a full-size 4x4 and the Prado as a mid-size 4x4. Both are listed with seven seats. In practice the Land Cruiser 300 is the bigger car: more room inside and more presence on the road. The Prado is easier to place in city traffic and in tight parking, which matters in Lagos or Accra as much as the condition of the road out of town.

Engines and gearboxes on our listings

The new Land Cruiser 300 units we list are petrol. The EXR and the 4.0 GXR use a naturally aspirated 4.0-litre V6 with a 6-speed automatic. The 3.5 GXR uses the 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol with a 10-speed automatic. All have full-time four-wheel drive and seven seats.

The new Prado units we list come with either the 2.8-litre 1GD-FTV turbo-diesel or the 2.4-litre turbo petrol, with an 8-speed automatic, full-time four-wheel drive and seven seats. The VXR and Adventure listings carry the 2.8 diesel; the TXR carries the 2.4 petrol.

If you specifically want a diesel, the Prado is where you will find it among our current new Toyota listings. Check each listing for its exact engine before ordering, because grades and engines differ by unit.

Fuel and servicing at home

Petrol and diesel availability, fuel quality and access to a workshop familiar with the engine vary from city to city. We cannot tell you what your local fuel supply or workshop is like, so ask before you choose. A buyer who covers long distances away from main towns may weigh this more heavily than one who drives mainly in the city.

Price

The Prado is generally the lower priced of the two. Every in-stock listing shows its own fixed price, and when you choose your destination at checkout, the shipping and optional insurance are added so you see the total before you commit. Destination duty, VAT and clearance are not included, and we do not quote duty; confirm the current rules with your country's customs authority.

Origin and shipping

Each listing states where the car ships from. Several of our new Toyotas ship from China, and some from the UAE. Freight from the listing's origin is what checkout adds. Sea transit times from Asia and the Gulf are longer than from Europe, and the sailing is confirmed when shipping is booked.

Drive side and where they suit

All six of our priority markets, Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal, drive on the right, as our country pages state for each of them. Left-hand drive is therefore the standard specification for both models, and the new Land Cruiser 300 and Prado units we list are left-hand drive. If you are moving back from the UK and specifically want right-hand drive, check first whether your country will register it, then ask us to source one.

Both models are offered in several grades. The grade decides the trim, the screen, the seats and sometimes the engine, so two cars with the same model name can be quite different. Read the listing, not just the headline.

How to decide

Start with how many people you carry and how often, then where you drive. If you need the most space and power and the budget allows, the Land Cruiser 300 is the natural choice. If seven seats in a smaller footprint is enough, or you want a diesel, the Prado makes more sense. If neither listing matches the grade, colour or year you want, ask us to source one at or under your budget. Either way, you pay in full before we buy the car or book shipping.

Questions

Which is cheaper, the Prado or the Land Cruiser 300?
The Prado is generally the lower priced of the two. See each in-stock listing for its fixed price.
Is there a diesel Land Cruiser 300 in stock?
The new Land Cruiser 300 units we currently list are petrol. Our new Prado listings include the 2.8 turbo-diesel.
Do both have seven seats?
Yes. Both are listed with seven seats and full-time four-wheel drive.

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