Toyota C-HR vs Toyota Fortuner

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 C-HR in South Africa

Toyota C-HR

2.0 HEV GR Sport CVT Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 499,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 134 kW 🔧 190 Nm ⛽ 19.2 km/l
VS
Toyota Fortuner in South Africa

Toyota Fortuner

2.8 GD-6 4X4 GR-Sport 6AT Diesel Automatic
ZAR 999,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 165 kW 🔧 550 Nm ⛽ 14.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Fortuner
Fuel Economy C-HR
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Fortuner
🔑 Ownership Tie
C-HR starts ZAR 620000 cheaper C-HR from ZAR 429,000 · Fortuner from ZAR 620,000

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec C-HR Fortuner
Engine Power 134 165
Torque 190 550
Engine Size 1987 2755
Claimed Mileage 19.2 14.2
Ground Clearance 160 225
Boot Space 377 296
Airbags 7 7
Kerb Weight 1500 2210
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 3

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

C-HR

67
/ 100
+5
pts
#2

Fortuner

62
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both C-HR and Fortuner are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Fortuner +7 pts
Efficiency C-HR +13 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Fortuner +1 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

C-HR

Performance 11/20
Efficiency 13/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 11/20
Ownership 12/20

Fortuner

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

C-HR

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency

Fortuner

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

C-HR

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Fortuner

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec C-HR Fortuner
Ground Clearance 160 225
Wheelbase 2640 2745
Length 4390 4795
Width 1796 1855
Height 1550 1835
Kerb Weight 1500 2210
Gross Vehicle Weight 1930 3100
Seating Capacity 5 7
Boot Space 377 296
Towing Capacity Not Available 3100
Turning Radius 5.4 Available
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Front Track Width 1550 1545
Rear Track Width 1540 1535
Load Bed Length Available Available
Load Bed Width Available Available
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
Number of Doors Available 5
Max Payload Available Available
Boot Volume Available Available
Doors Available Available
Seats Available Available
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec C-HR Fortuner
Engine 2.0L Hybrid Petrol-Electric 2.8L Turbo Diesel
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Hybrid Inline 4 Turbocharged
Displacement 1987 2755
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
Power 134 165
Torque 190 550
Fuel System Hybrid Synergy Drive Common Rail Direct Injection
Top Speed 180 190
0-100 km/h 8.2 9.5
Power @ RPM 5200 rpm 150
Torque @ RPM 4000 rpm 400
Turbocharger Not Available Turbo
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard Standard
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 15.9:1
Cylinder Bore 82.0 92.0
Piston Stroke 92.0 94.6
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Diesel
Engine Position Available Front, Longitudinal
Engine Oil Capacity Available Available
Power 150 150
Variable Valve Timing Available Available
Maximum Engine RPM Available Available
Engine Type Config Available Available
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?

🏆 Toyota C-HR wins with 67 pts vs 62 pts for Fortuner

In structured scoring, C-HR emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Fortuner 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 C-HR 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: C-HR 13 vs Fortuner 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: C-HR 20, Fortuner 20. 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: C-HR 12, Fortuner 12. 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: C-HR 11, Fortuner 12. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: C-HR 11, Fortuner 18. 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 C-HR edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The C-HR 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 C-HR and Fortuner in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: C-HR scores 11 vs 18.

Efficiency: C-HR scores 13 vs 0.

Safety: C-HR scores 20 vs 20.

Practicality: C-HR scores 11 vs 12.

Ownership: C-HR scores 12 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives C-HR the advantage in this comparison.