Toyota Agya vs Hyundai i20

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.

Toyota Agya in South Africa

Toyota Agya

1.0 XR CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 229,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 51 kW 🔧 91 Nm ⛽ 18.0 km/l
VS
Hyundai i20 in South Africa

Hyundai i20

1.0T Fluid Petrol Manual
ZAR 328,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 74 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 18.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance i20
Fuel Economy Agya
🛡 Safety i20
📦 Practicality i20
🔑 Ownership i20
Agya starts ZAR 296900 cheaper Agya from ZAR 189,900 · i20 from ZAR 296,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Agya i20
Engine Power 51 74
Torque 91 172
Engine Size 998 998
Claimed Mileage 18.0 18.2
Ground Clearance 155 195
Boot Space 235 352
Airbags 4 6
Kerb Weight 870 1135
Seating Capacity Available 5
Warranty 3 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

i20

57
/ 100
+9
pts
#2

Agya

48
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

i20 has a slight advantage, but Agya remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance i20 +3 pts
Efficiency Agya +11 pts
Safety i20 +6 pts
Practicality i20 +3 pts
Ownership i20 +8 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

i20

Performance 7/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 20/20

Agya

Performance 4/20
Efficiency 11/20
Safety 12/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 12/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Agya

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency
🏆 Overall Winner

i20

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Agya

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

i20

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Agya i20
Ground Clearance 155 195
Wheelbase 2455 2580
Length 3760 4040
Width 1665 1775
Height 1520 1505
Kerb Weight 870 1135
Gross Vehicle Weight 1265 1610
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 235 352
Towing Capacity Not Rated 600 kg (Unbraked)
Front Track Width 1445 1551
Rear Track Width 1430 1565
Turning Radius 4.7 5.2
Number of Doors 5 Available
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1165
Load Bed Length Available Not Applicable
Load Bed Width Available Not Applicable
Front Legroom Available Available
Rear Legroom Available Available
Front Headroom Available Available
Rear Headroom Available Available
Front Shoulder Room Available Available
Rear Shoulder Room Available Available
Max Payload Available Available
Boot Volume Available Available
Doors Available 5
Seats Available 5
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec Agya i20
Engine 1.0L Naturally Aspirated Petrol 1.0 T-GDI Turbo
Engine Type Inline 3 Cylinder Petrol
Displacement 998 998
Cylinders 3 3
Valves per Cylinder 4 12
Power 51 74
Power @ RPM 6000 rpm 5500
Torque 91 172
Torque @ RPM 3600 rpm 1500
Fuel System Multi-Point Injection Direct Injection
Turbocharger Not Available Yes
Top Speed 155 185
0-100 km/h 14.0 11.0
Compression Ratio 11.5:1 10.0
Engine Position Front Transverse Front
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Available
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard G3LE
Cylinder Bore 82.0 Available
Piston Stroke 92.0 Available
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Engine Oil Capacity Available 3.6
Power 150 150
Variable Valve Timing Available Yes
Maximum Engine RPM Available 6500
Engine Type Config Available Inline
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Hyundai i20 wins with 57 pts vs 48 pts for Agya

In structured scoring, i20 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Agya 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 i20 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: Agya 11 vs i20 0. 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: Agya 12, i20 18. 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: Agya 12, i20 20. 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: Agya 9, i20 12. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Agya 4, i20 7. 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 i20 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The i20 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 Agya and i20 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Agya scores 4 vs 7.

Efficiency: Agya scores 11 vs 0.

Safety: Agya scores 12 vs 18.

Practicality: Agya scores 9 vs 12.

Ownership: Agya scores 12 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives i20 the advantage in this comparison.