Land Rover Discovery vs Toyota Prado

More than $23,000 separates them at the closest point. The Discovery runs from $132,376 driveaway (NSW) for the S to $162,645 for the Tempest as of June 2026; the Prado spans $79,369 to $109,049 as of July 2026, so the cheapest Discovery costs more than the dearest Prado. Land Rover trimmed the range to three grades in July 2026 (S, the new Landmark, Tempest) with entry and flagship pricing near-unchanged, so the gap holds. The Discovery has drifted up-market into LandCruiser 300 and Lexus GX territory; the Prado holds the mainstream large-4WD ground. Cross-shop them only if the budget reaches the Discovery's; otherwise the Prado is the value pick by a wide margin.

The Discovery. AU reviews rate it a true seven-seater, with a back row that fits adults and is covered by the curtain airbags, and folding the rear rows opens 2,391 litres against the Prado's 1,895. The Prado seats seven on the GXL, VX and Kakadu, but its third row is tighter, and the 48-volt battery under the floor raises the boot so the seats do not fold flat, leaving an awkward cargo bay with all seven up. Toyota's fix is the five-seat GX and GXL option, which drops the third row for a far larger boot. If you actually need seven adult seats, the Discovery does it better; if not, the five-seat Prado sidesteps the problem.

On the rating, the Prado wins clearly. It carries a current five-star ANCAP result from 2024 with nine airbags and the full Toyota Safety Sense suite standard across the range. The Discovery is officially unrated: it scored five stars when tested in 2017, but ANCAP ratings now expire after six years, and every Discovery built from January 2024 carries no current star. That does not mean its kit went backwards. The Discovery still has eight airbags, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and a 360-degree camera as standard. But if a current five-star badge is a hard requirement, only the Prado ticks it.

The angles favour the Discovery. It raises to 285mm on its air suspension against the 221mm of the Prado's higher grades, wades 900mm to 700, and clears a 30-degree departure to the Prado's 17, with approach near-even at 33.6 to 32. The Prado's case is different: full-time four-wheel drive, a lockable centre differential, low range and crawl control standard on every grade, where the Discovery lists low range as an optional Capability Plus pack; the off-road Altitude adds a stabiliser disconnect and all-terrain tyres. For remote touring, the Prado's standard hardware, simpler driveline and Toyota's outback dealer network are the safer bet; for capability on the published numbers, the Discovery edges it.

Both are rated to 3,500kg braked and 750kg unbraked, so the headline ties. The fine print leans to the Discovery: its D350 makes 700Nm against the Prado's 500, the low-down pull a heavy trailer wants, and it carries a higher gross combination mass at 6,745kg against 6,600. Its air suspension self-levels under a loaded tow-ball, and Land Rover publishes a 350kg tow-ball download. The Prado's counter is what it leaves for people and gear: a documented 580kg payload, where the Discovery's figure is not in our current data, so confirm it before loading near the limit. For towing comfort the Discovery edges it; for simple load maths the Prado is the easier sum.

There is a clear gap here. The Discovery runs a 3.0-litre inline-six turbo-diesel with mild-hybrid assistance making 257kW and 700Nm, and reaches 100km/h in a brisk 6.3 seconds for its size. The Prado runs a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four with a 48-volt assist making 150kW and 500Nm; AU launch reviews converged on the same verdict, adequate for 2.5 tonnes rather than strong, the most common knock against the new model. Both use eight-speed autos and drive all four wheels, and both are diesel only. On outputs, refinement and pace the Discovery's six is in another class; the Prado's four is the more familiar tool.

The Prado wins where the big money moves: it costs tens of thousands less to buy, and LandCruiser resale is among the strongest going. The fine print is servicing. The Prado's capped-price services fall due every six months or 10,000km at $390 a visit on mid-2026 pricing, roughly $3,900 over five years and two workshop stops a year. Both carry a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty; Land Rover adds five years of roadside assistance where Toyota sells roadside cover separately. The Discovery's capped-price service costs are not in our current data, and Land Rover's reliability record trails the Japanese benchmarks. On cost in and money back at trade the Prado is the safer bet; just budget for two services a year.

It comes down to budget and priorities. If you want the more refined, more powerful car with a true adult seven-seat cabin and can reach a six-figure-plus price, the Discovery is the more luxurious tool and the better-packaged seven-seater. If value, a current five-star safety rating, a bigger touring range and proven resale matter more, the Prado does the same core job for tens of thousands less, with standard locking hardware and Toyota dealer reach for remote touring. Read the Discovery as the premium pick; read the Prado as the sensible one most buyers should start with. Cross-shoppers should also drive the Ford Everest, which undercuts both, and the bigger LandCruiser 300 the Discovery rivals on price.