Omoda C5 vs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Omoda C5 in South Africa

Omoda C5

Street Plus Petrol 6-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 339,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 115 kW 🔧 230 Nm ⛽ 14.5 km/l
VS
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport in South Africa

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

2.4L DI-DC 8-speed A/T 4X4 Exceed Diesel 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 904,990 ex-showroom
⚡ 133 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Omoda C5 vs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport: the short answer

C5 and Pajero Sport are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

C5 starts ZAR 450,090 cheaper C5 from ZAR 339,900 · Pajero Sport from ZAR 789,990

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification C5 Pajero Sport
Maximum Power C5115 kW @ 5500 rpm Pajero Sport133 kW @ 3500 rpm
Maximum Torque C5230 Nm Pajero Sport430 Nm @ 2500 rpm
Engine Size C51500 cc Pajero Sport2442 cc
Combined Fuel Economy C514.5 km/l Pajero Sport12.3 km/l
Ground Clearance C5169 mm Pajero Sport218 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

C5

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency
Specification evidence leader

Pajero Sport

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

Which One's Right for You?

C5

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

Pajero Sport

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec C5 Pajero Sport
Model Introduced Year 2023 2017
Generation Current South Africa C5 range Third-generation Pajero Sport, 2025 facelift
Facelift History Current South Africa version listed by official source South African facelift launched in May 2025.
Facelift Launched Since 2023 Current specification
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active active
Segment SUV Seven-seat ladder-frame SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1381 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec C5 Pajero Sport
Length 4400 mm 4825 mm
Width 1830 mm 1815 mm
Height 1590 mm 1805 mm
Wheelbase 2630 mm 2800 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 169 mm 218 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 145 mm 190 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 51 l 68 l
Boot/Cargo Space 442 l 193 l
Kerb Weight 1381 kg 2080 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1856 kg 2775 kg
Payload Capacity 475 kg 695 kg
Towing Capacity 1200 kg 2850 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 3 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.1 m 5.6 m
Front Headroom 1000 mm 1022 mm
Rear Headroom 970 mm 957 mm
Front Legroom 1050 mm 1067 mm
Rear Legroom 900 mm 880 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This C5 and Pajero Sport comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: C5 51 vs Pajero Sport 65.

Efficiency index: C5 56 vs Pajero Sport 49.

Safety-equipment index: C5 91 vs Pajero Sport 72.

Practicality index: C5 59 vs Pajero Sport 71.

Ownership-cover index: C5 not separately scored vs Pajero Sport 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.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

Pajero Sport leads by 1 points

C5 and Pajero Sport are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 65 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 83% source coverage
65
#1 Evidence leader

Pajero Sport

83% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 72 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 65
Efficiency 49
Safety 72
Practicality 71
Leads by 1 points
64
#2

C5

69% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Performance 51
Performance 51
Efficiency 56
Safety 91
Practicality 59
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Pajero Sport +14 Efficiency C5 +7 Safety C5 +19 Practicality Pajero Sport +12

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Pajero Sport

Performance 65/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 72/100
Practicality 71/100

C5

Performance 51/100
Efficiency 56/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 59/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Mitsubishi Pajero Sport leads the specification evidence index with 65 pts vs 64 pts for C5

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Pajero Sport leads. However, C5 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

C5 vs Pajero Sport questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa 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.