Honda CR-V vs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

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.

Honda CR-V in South Africa

Honda CR-V

2.0 Hybrid e:HEV Hybrid e-CVT Current
ZAR 819,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 204 kW 🔧 335 Nm ⛽ 20 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

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance CR-V
Fuel Economy CR-V
🛡 Safety CR-V
📦 Practicality Pajero Sport
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
CR-V starts ZAR 100,090 cheaper CR-V from ZAR 689,900 · Pajero Sport from ZAR 789,990

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec CR-V Pajero Sport
Maximum Power 204 kW 133 kW @ 3500 rpm
Maximum Torque 335 Nm 430 Nm @ 2500 rpm
Engine Size 1993 cc 2442 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 20 km/l 12.3 km/l
Ground Clearance 200 mm 218 mm
Boot / Load Bay 497 l 193 l
Airbags 6 7
Kerb Weight 1750 kg 2080 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Warranty 3 3 years / 100,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

CR-V has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Pajero Sport remains close.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance CR-V +5 pts
Efficiency CR-V +31 pts
Safety CR-V +19 pts
Practicality Pajero Sport +3 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

CR-V

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

Pajero Sport

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?

CR-V

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

Pajero Sport

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec CR-V Pajero Sport
Model Introduced Year 2023 2017
Generation Built on Honda’s global SUV platform with focus on comfort and safety Third-generation Pajero Sport, 2025 facelift
Facelift History Latest generation introduced with improved design, features, and safety technology South African facelift launched in May 2025.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version Current specification
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Grey, Blue, Red -
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup -
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published active
Segment SUV Seven-seat ladder-frame SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1750 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec CR-V Pajero Sport
Length 4690 mm 4825 mm
Width 1860 mm 1815 mm
Height 1690 mm 1805 mm
Wheelbase 2700 mm 2800 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 200 mm 218 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 57 l 68 l
Boot/Cargo Space 497 l 193 l
Kerb Weight 1750 kg 2080 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2250 kg 2775 kg
Towing Capacity 1500 kg 2850 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - Not Officially Disclosed
Payload Capacity - 695 kg
Number of Rows - 3 rows
Minimum Turning Radius - 5.6 m
Front Headroom - 1022 mm
Rear Headroom - 957 mm
Front Legroom - 1067 mm
Rear Legroom - 880 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

CR-V leads by 9 points

CR-V has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Pajero Sport remains close.

Index leader 76 /100
Lead 9 points
Data 91% source coverage
76
#1 Index leader

CR-V

91% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Ownership 60
Performance 77
Efficiency 80
Safety 91
Practicality 68
Ownership 60
Leads by 9 points
67
#2

Pajero Sport

78% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 72 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 72
Efficiency 49
Safety 72
Practicality 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance CR-V +5 Efficiency CR-V +31 Safety CR-V +19 Practicality Pajero Sport +3

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

CR-V

Performance 77/100
Efficiency 80/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 68/100
Ownership 60/100

Pajero Sport

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

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Honda CR-V leads the catalogue index with 76 pts vs 67 pts for Pajero Sport

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, CR-V leads. However, Pajero Sport 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 CR-V and Pajero Sport 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: CR-V 77 vs Pajero Sport 72.

Efficiency index: CR-V 80 vs Pajero Sport 49.

Safety-equipment index: CR-V 91 vs Pajero Sport 72.

Practicality index: CR-V 68 vs Pajero Sport 71.

Ownership-cover index: CR-V 60 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.