Toyota LandCruiser 300 GX vs Toyota Prado Kakadu

They cost almost the same, about $109,049 driveaway for the Kakadu and $107,315 for the GX, but they could hardly be more different. The Prado Kakadu is the fully loaded flagship of its range, with leather, heated and ventilated seats, a panoramic roof, a bigger screen and seven seats. The LandCruiser 300 GX is the stripped base of a bigger, more capable range, spending the money on its powerful V6 and the full-size 300 platform instead of trim. So for the same outlay you choose loaded luxury and seven seats, or raw capability and the flagship badge in a plain cabin. It is one of the clearest either-or choices in the Toyota range.

The LandCruiser 300 GX wins power clearly. Its 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel makes 227kW and 700Nm to the Prado Kakadu's 150kW and 500Nm from a 2.8-litre four-cylinder, a big gap in both outputs. The GX pulls harder for towing and loaded touring, and its V6 has muscle low in the rev range the smaller engine cannot match. The Prado's four answers with better economy and a lighter kerb weight, and it is easier to handle around town. But for outright grunt and heavy-load ability, the bigger LandCruiser's V6 is well ahead of the Prado, and that muscle is a big part of the GX's appeal.

The Prado Kakadu is the more natural family choice. It seats seven as standard where the LandCruiser 300 GX is a five-seater, and its cabin is far more comfortable for the money, with leather, heated and ventilated seats, a panoramic roof and tri-zone climate the base GX does without. It is also the more efficient of the two to run. The GX answers with a much bigger boot, because it carries only two rows, and the extra size and power. But for a growing family that needs seven seats and wants a well-equipped cabin, the Kakadu is clearly the better fit here.

Both are seriously capable Toyota off-roaders, but they suit different jobs. The LandCruiser 300 GX is the bigger, more powerful vehicle, with 245mm of clearance to the Prado's 221, the mighty V6's torque and the heavier-duty full-size platform, which makes it the stronger tool for remote, heavy-duty touring. The Prado Kakadu counters with a lighter, more manageable body that is easier to place on tight tracks, plus the flagship grade's off-road aids. Both tow 3500kg and both have low-range gearing. So the GX is the more rugged, higher-clearance machine; the Prado the more manageable and better-equipped one for most buyers.

The Prado Kakadu is the cheaper of the two to run. Its 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel with mild-hybrid assistance claims 7.6L/100km against the LandCruiser 300 GX's 8.9, so it uses less fuel over any distance, and its smaller engine is lighter on the vehicle overall. The GX's bigger V6 is thirstier, the price of its extra power. Both carry Toyota's five-year warranty and its strong reliability and resale record, so servicing and ownership are comparable. But on fuel, the more efficient Prado has the clear edge, which adds up over the big kilometres these vehicles often cover, tilting the running-cost maths its way.

Both are five-star cars, so safety is close. The Prado Kakadu's rating is the newer, tested in 2024, and it scores a little higher for safety assist and vulnerable road user protection, while the LandCruiser 300 GX's 2022 rating edges it for adult occupant protection and carries one more airbag, ten to the Prado's nine. Both come with autonomous emergency braking and the expected driver aids. The GX, being the base grade, does without some active-safety features that dearer 300s and the loaded Kakadu include, such as blind-spot monitoring. But on the crash rating itself, both earn the full five stars.

That is the heart of this decision. The LandCruiser 300 sits a class above the Prado in size, power and prestige, and even the base GX wears the badge that Australia's touring buyers hold in the highest regard, with resale to match. For a buyer who wants the flagship name, the V6 and the bigger body, the plain cabin is a price worth paying. But the Prado Kakadu makes the opposite case just as strongly: for the same money you get a fully loaded, seven-seat luxury cabin, and the Prado badge is hardly a poor one. Whether the 300's name and hardware outweigh the Kakadu's kit is the whole question this pair asks.

It comes down to what you want for your money, because the price is nearly identical. Take the Prado Kakadu if you want a fully loaded flagship cabin, seven seats and the efficient diesel, and you do not need the V6 or the bigger body. Take the LandCruiser 300 GX if you want the mighty twin-turbo V6, the full-size 300-Series platform and the flagship badge, and you can live with a stripped base cabin and five seats. One is luxury and seven seats for the money; the other raw capability and prestige in plain trim. Match it to whether kit or capability leads your list.