Toyota Camry 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.

Historical comparison

Every selected record is historical. Verified South African specifications and last-listed prices remain available for owners and used-car shoppers.

Toyota Camry Discontinued model Hyundai Elantra Discontinued model
Toyota Camry in South Africa

Toyota Camry

2.5 Hybrid XSE CVT Hybrid e-CVT Discontinued model
ZAR 749,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 160 kW 🔧 221 Nm ⛽ 19.2 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 Camry
Fuel Economy Camry
🛡 Safety Camry
📦 Practicality Camry
🔑 Ownership Elantra
Recorded price context Camry: last listed from ZAR 659,900 · Elantra: last listed from ZAR 448,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Camry Elantra
Maximum Power 160 kW @ 5700 rpm 85 kW @ 6300 rpm
Maximum Torque 221 Nm @ 3600 rpm 143 Nm @ 4500 rpm
Engine Size 2487 cc 1497 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 19.2 km/l 17.5 km/l
Ground Clearance 140 mm 130 mm
Boot / Load Bay 493 l 473 l
Airbags 9 6
Kerb Weight 1575 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

Camry and Elantra are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Camry +23 pts
Efficiency Camry +12 pts
Safety Camry +11 pts
Practicality Camry +2 pts
Ownership Elantra +22 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

Camry

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

Elantra

Strengths
  • Stronger published ownership cover
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Camry

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

Elantra

  • 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 Camry Elantra
Model Introduced Year 2019 1990
Facelift History Latest generation with hybrid technology Seventh generation launched globally in 2020 and brought to SA; significant leap in styling and interior quality over the previous generation
Tare Mass Kg 1575 kg 1355 kg
Generation Not confirmed Seventh generation Elantra on Hyundai's K3 platform; bold parametric design language marks a clear break from the conservative sixth gen
Facelift Launched Since Not confirmed 2020
Spec Camry Elantra
Length 4885 mm 4680 mm
Width 1840 mm 1825 mm
Height 1445 mm 1415 mm
Wheelbase 2825 mm 2720 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 140 mm 130 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 60 l 47 l
Boot/Cargo Space 493 l 473 l
Kerb Weight 1575 kg 1355 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2055 kg 1860 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Minimum Turning Radius 5.8 m Not confirmed
Doors Not confirmed 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

Camry leads by 7 points

Camry and Elantra are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 70 /100
Lead 7 points
Data 83% source coverage
70
#1 Index leader

Camry

83% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Ownership 43
Performance 59
Efficiency 79
Safety 98
Practicality 66
Ownership 43
Leads by 7 points
63
#2

Elantra

89% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 87 Check Performance 36
Performance 36
Efficiency 67
Safety 87
Practicality 64
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Camry +23 Efficiency Camry +12 Safety Camry +11 Practicality Camry +2 Ownership Elantra +22

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Camry

Performance 59/100
Efficiency 79/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 66/100
Ownership 43/100

Elantra

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

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Toyota Camry leads the catalogue index with 70 pts vs 63 pts for Elantra

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Camry leads. However, Elantra 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 Camry 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: Camry 59 vs Elantra 36.

Efficiency index: Camry 79 vs Elantra 67.

Safety-equipment index: Camry 98 vs Elantra 87.

Practicality index: Camry 66 vs Elantra 64.

Ownership-cover index: Camry 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.