Honda Amaze vs Hyundai Elantra

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.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Hyundai Elantra Discontinued model
Honda Amaze in South Africa

Honda Amaze

1.2 Comfort CVT Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 289,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 66 kW 🔧 110 Nm ⛽ 18.2 km/l
VS
Hyundai Elantra in South Africa

Hyundai Elantra

1.5 IVT Fluid Petrol Discontinued model
ZAR 492,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 85 kW 🔧 143 Nm ⛽ 17.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Elantra
Fuel Economy Amaze
🛡 Safety Elantra
📦 Practicality Elantra
🔑 Ownership Elantra
Recorded price context Amaze: current from ZAR 254,900 · Elantra: last listed from ZAR 448,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Amaze Elantra
Maximum Power 66 kW 85 kW @ 6300 rpm
Maximum Torque 110 Nm 143 Nm @ 4500 rpm
Engine Size 1199 cc 1497 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 18.2 km/l 17.5 km/l
Ground Clearance 170 mm 130 mm
Boot / Load Bay 420 l 473 l
Airbags 2 6
Kerb Weight 980 kg 1355 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 5

= leads in this spec

Archived vehicles remain available for comparison. Verified specs stay visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

Elantra holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Amaze.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Elantra +10 pts
Efficiency Amaze +2 pts
Safety Elantra +37 pts
Practicality Elantra +6 pts
Ownership Elantra +22 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Amaze

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
  • Lower published ownership cover
Best suited to: Published Efficiency
Catalogue-index leader

Elantra

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
  • Stronger published ownership cover
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

Amaze

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Elantra

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published warranty or service cover

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Amaze Elantra
Model Introduced Year 2018 1990
Generation Based on Honda’s compact car platform optimized for affordability, efficiency, and ease of use Seventh generation Elantra on Hyundai's K3 platform; bold parametric design language marks a clear break from the conservative sixth gen
Facelift History Introduced in South Africa as a practical entry sedan with minor updates over time in features and safety Seventh generation launched globally in 2020 and brought to SA; significant leap in styling and interior quality over the previous generation
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2020
Facelift Version Ending Current Not confirmed
Body Style Sedan Not confirmed
Color Note White, Silver, Grey, Red, Blue Not confirmed
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup Not confirmed
Model Year 2026 Not confirmed
Production Status published Not confirmed
Segment Sedan Not confirmed
Tare Mass Kg 980 kg 1355 kg
Vehicle Type Sedan Not confirmed
Spec Amaze Elantra
Length 3995 mm 4680 mm
Width 1695 mm 1825 mm
Height 1498 mm 1415 mm
Wheelbase 2470 mm 2720 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 170 mm 130 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 35 l 47 l
Boot/Cargo Space 420 l 473 l
Kerb Weight 980 kg 1355 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1420 kg 1860 kg
Towing Capacity 900 kg Not confirmed
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 4 doors 4 doors

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Elantra leads by 15 points

Elantra holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Amaze.

Index leader 63 /100
Lead 15 points
Data 89% source coverage
63
#1 Index leader

Elantra

89% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 87 Check Performance 36
Performance 36
Efficiency 67
Safety 87
Practicality 64
Ownership 65
Leads by 15 points
48
#2

Amaze

83% source coverage 0 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 69 Check Performance 26
Performance 26
Efficiency 69
Safety 50
Practicality 58
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Elantra +10 Efficiency Amaze +2 Safety Elantra +37 Practicality Elantra +6 Ownership Elantra +22

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Elantra

Performance 36/100
Efficiency 67/100
Safety 87/100
Practicality 64/100
Ownership 65/100

Amaze

Performance 26/100
Efficiency 69/100
Safety 50/100
Practicality 58/100
Ownership 43/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Hyundai Elantra leads the catalogue index with 63 pts vs 48 pts for Amaze

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Elantra leads. However, Amaze may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. 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

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This Amaze and Elantra comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Amaze 26 vs Elantra 36.

Efficiency index: Amaze 69 vs Elantra 67.

Safety-equipment index: Amaze 50 vs Elantra 87.

Practicality index: Amaze 58 vs Elantra 64.

Ownership-cover index: Amaze 43 vs Elantra 65.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.