Suzuki Across vs LEPAS L4

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.

Suzuki Across in South Africa

Suzuki Across

1.5 GLX 6AT Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 464,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 76 kW 🔧 136.8 Nm ⛽ 18.9 km/l
VS
LEPAS L4 in South Africa

LEPAS L4

1.5T Pantera 6DCT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 419,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 108 kW 🔧 225 Nm ⛽ 14.3 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance L4
Fuel Economy Across
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Across
🔑 Ownership L4
L4 starts ZAR 349900 cheaper Across from ZAR 349,900 · L4 from ZAR 299,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Across L4
Engine Power 75.8 kW 108 kW
Torque 136.8 Nm 225 Nm
Engine Size 1462 cc 1499 cc
Claimed Mileage 18.9 km/l 14.3 km/l
Ground Clearance 210 mm 160 mm
Boot / Load Bay 333 l 458 l
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1200-1250 kg 1346 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 5 years / 200,000 km promotional warranty 5 years / 150,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both Across and L4 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance L4 +13 pts
Efficiency Across +20 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Across +5 pts
Ownership L4 +4 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Across

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

L4

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Which One's Right for You?

Across

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

L4

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Across L4
Model Introduced Year 2026 2026
Generation First South African generation of the current Across First-generation LEPAS L4 compact SUV
Facelift History All-new March 2026 South African launch model; no facelift yet The L4 launched as the first LEPAS model in South Africa in 2026.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2026
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Five-door compact SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status On sale Active
Segment C-segment family SUV Compact SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle SUV
Spec Across L4
Ground Clearance 210 mm 160 mm
Wheelbase 2600 mm 2700 mm
Length 4360 mm 4406 mm
Width 1795 mm 1820 mm
Height 1655 mm 1635 mm
Kerb Weight 1200-1250 kg 1346 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 1660-1710 kg 1844 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 333 l 458 l
Front Track Width 1530 mm -
Rear Track Width 1535 mm -
Turning Radius 5.4 m 5.275 m
Load Bed Length 333 l 458 l
Load Bed Width - -
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload 460 kg 498 kg
Boot Volume 333 l 458 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 5 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 45 l 51 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 1660-1710 kg 1844 kg
Ground Clearance Max 210 mm 160 mm
Ground Clearance Min 210 mm 160 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 210 mm 160 mm
Height Mm 1655 mm 1635 mm
Length Mm 4360 mm 4406 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 333 l 458 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg 460 kg 498 kg
Cargo Volume 333 l 458 l
Tare Mass Kg 1200-1250 kg 1346 kg
Turning Circle 5.4 m 5.275 m
Turning Circle M 5.4 m 5.275 m
Width Mm 1795 mm 1820 mm
Towing Capacity - 750 kg
Boot Space Seats Folded - 1284 l

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Across leads by 1 points

Both Across and L4 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 63 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 86% confidence
63
#1 Winner

Across

86% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 34
Performance 34
Efficiency 76
Safety 92
Practicality 62
Ownership 51
Leads by 1 points
62
#2

L4

90% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 47
Performance 47
Efficiency 56
Safety 92
Practicality 57
Ownership 55
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance L4 +13 Efficiency Across +20 Safety Level Practicality Across +5 Ownership L4 +4

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Across

Performance 34/100
Efficiency 76/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 62/100
Ownership 51/100

L4

Performance 47/100
Efficiency 56/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 57/100
Ownership 55/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Suzuki Across wins with 63 pts vs 62 pts for L4

In structured scoring, Across emerges as the stronger overall package. However, L4 may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. 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

On our scoring the Across edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Across 76 vs L4 56. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Across 92, L4 92. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Across 51, L4 55. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Across 62, L4 57. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Across 34, L4 47. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Across edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Across scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Across and L4 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Across scores 34 vs 47.

Efficiency: Across scores 76 vs 56.

Safety: Across scores 92 vs 92.

Practicality: Across scores 62 vs 57.

Ownership: Across scores 51 vs 55.

Final structured scoring gives Across the advantage in this comparison.