BYD ATTO 3 vs Mitsubishi Outlander

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.

BYD ATTO 3 in South Africa

BYD ATTO 3

Extended Range EV Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 783,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 310 Nm
VS
Mitsubishi Outlander in South Africa

Mitsubishi Outlander

2.5L Exceed CVT Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 819,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 135 kW 🔧 245 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance ATTO 3
Fuel Economy ATTO 3
🛡 Safety ATTO 3
📦 Practicality Outlander
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
ATTO 3 starts ZAR 60,095 cheaper ATTO 3 from ZAR 699,900 · Outlander from ZAR 759,995

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec ATTO 3 Outlander
Maximum Power 150 kW 135 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 310 Nm 245 Nm @ 3600 rpm
Engine Size Not Applicable 2488 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Not Applicable 12.3 km/l
Ground Clearance 175 mm 210 mm
Boot / Load Bay 310 l 205 l
Airbags 7 7
Kerb Weight 1750 kg 1690 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Warranty 5 years/100000 km complete vehicle; 8 years/200000 km power battery; 5 years/100000 km drive unit 3 years / 100,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

ATTO 3 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Outlander remains close.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance ATTO 3 +6 pts
Efficiency ATTO 3 +41 pts
Safety ATTO 3 +23 pts
Practicality Outlander +13 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

ATTO 3

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

Outlander

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

ATTO 3

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Outlander

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec ATTO 3 Outlander
Model Introduced Year 2023 2022
Generation First South African ATTO 3 generation Fourth-generation Outlander
Facelift History No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026 Current 2026 South African specification including Edition 25.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version Current specification
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active active
Segment Compact SUV Medium seven-seat SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Passenger vehicle
Spec ATTO 3 Outlander
Length 4455 mm 4710 mm
Width 1875 mm 1862 mm
Height 1615 mm 1745 mm
Wheelbase 2720 mm 2706 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 175 mm 210 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 150 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity 0 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 310 l 205 l
Kerb Weight 1750 kg 1690 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2160 kg 2355 kg
Payload Capacity 410 kg 665 kg
Towing Capacity 750 kg 1600 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 3 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.25 m 5.5 m
Front Headroom 1010 mm 986 mm
Rear Headroom 920 mm 950 mm
Front Legroom 1070 mm 1058 mm
Rear Legroom 760 mm 1014 mm

Source-backed Catalogue Index

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

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

ATTO 3 leads by 12 points

ATTO 3 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Outlander remains close.

Index leader 75 /100
Lead 12 points
Data 69% source coverage
75
#1 Index leader

ATTO 3

69% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 99 Check Practicality 51
Performance 65
Efficiency 90
Safety 99
Practicality 51
Leads by 12 points
63
#2

Outlander

78% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 76 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 59
Efficiency 49
Safety 76
Practicality 64
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance ATTO 3 +6 Efficiency ATTO 3 +41 Safety ATTO 3 +23 Practicality Outlander +13

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

ATTO 3

Performance 65/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 51/100

Outlander

Performance 59/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 76/100
Practicality 64/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 BYD ATTO 3 leads the catalogue index with 75 pts vs 63 pts for Outlander

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, ATTO 3 leads. However, Outlander 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 ATTO 3 and Outlander 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: ATTO 3 65 vs Outlander 59.

Efficiency index: ATTO 3 90 vs Outlander 49.

Safety-equipment index: ATTO 3 99 vs Outlander 76.

Practicality index: ATTO 3 51 vs Outlander 64.

Ownership-cover index: ATTO 3 not separately scored vs Outlander not separately scored.

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.