Jetour Dashing vs Toyota Starlet Cross

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.

Jetour Dashing in South Africa

Jetour Dashing

Deluxe Petrol Automatic
ZAR 469,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 115 kW 🔧 230 Nm ⛽ 7.8 km/l
VS
Toyota Starlet Cross in South Africa

Toyota Starlet Cross

1.5 XR CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 375,900 ex-showroom
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Starlet Cross
Fuel Economy Starlet Cross
🛡 Safety Dashing
📦 Practicality Dashing
🔑 Ownership Starlet Cross
Starlet Cross starts ZAR 439900 cheaper Dashing from ZAR 439,900 · Starlet Cross from ZAR 304,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Dashing Starlet Cross
Engine Power 115 -
Torque 230 -
Engine Size 1498 -
Claimed Mileage 7.8 -
Ground Clearance 160 -
Boot Space 977 -
Airbags Front and front side airbags plus side curtain airbags -
Kerb Weight Not Applicable -
Seating Capacity 5 -
Warranty - -

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Dashing holds a noticeable edge over Starlet Cross, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Starlet Cross +1 pts
Efficiency Starlet Cross +14 pts
Safety Dashing +66 pts
Practicality Dashing +27 pts
Ownership Starlet Cross +10 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Dashing

Strengths
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Family Usage

Starlet Cross

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Dashing

  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Starlet Cross

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Dashing Starlet Cross
Model Introduced Year Not Available -
Generation Current local listing -
Facelift History Not listed by current South African source page. -
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version -
Facelift Version Ending Current -
Body Style SUV -
Model Year Current -
Production Status Active -
Segment SUV -
Vehicle Type SUV -
Spec Dashing Starlet Cross
Ground Clearance 160 mm -
Wheelbase 2720 mm -
Length 4590 mm -
Width 1900 mm -
Height 1685 mm -
Kerb Weight Not Applicable -
Gross Vehicle Weight 1888 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 -
Boot Space 977 l -
Towing Capacity Not Applicable -
Front Track Width Not Applicable -
Rear Track Width Not Applicable -
Turning Radius Not Applicable -
Load Bed Length Not Applicable -
Load Bed Width Not Applicable -
Front Legroom Not Applicable -
Rear Legroom Not Applicable -
Front Headroom Not Applicable -
Rear Headroom Not Applicable -
Front Shoulder Room Not Applicable -
Rear Shoulder Room Not Applicable -
Boot Space Seats Folded 977 l -
Number of Doors Not Applicable -
Max Payload Not Applicable -
Boot Volume 977 l -
Doors Not Applicable -
Seats 5 -
Fuel Tank Capacity 57 l -
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 1888 kg -
Ground Clearance Max 160 mm -
Ground Clearance Min 160 mm -
Ground Clearance Mm 160 mm -
Height Mm 1685 mm -
Length Mm 4590 mm -
Loadbox Length Mm Not Applicable -
Loadbox Width Mm Not Applicable -
Payload Kg Not Applicable -
Cargo Volume 977 l -
Tare Mass Kg Not Applicable -
Turning Circle Not Applicable -
Turning Circle M Not Applicable -
Width Mm 1900 mm -

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Dashing leads by 16 points

Dashing holds a noticeable edge over Starlet Cross, especially in key ownership areas.

Winner 55 /100
Lead 16 points
Data 68% confidence
55
#1 Winner

Dashing

68% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Practicality 77 Check Efficiency 36
Performance 49
Efficiency 36
Safety 66
Practicality 77
Ownership 40
Leads by 16 points
39
#2

Starlet Cross

11% data confidence 0 strong categories
Best at Performance 50 Check Safety 0
Performance 50
Efficiency 50
Safety 0
Practicality 50
Ownership 50
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Starlet Cross +1 Efficiency Starlet Cross +14 Safety Dashing +66 Practicality Dashing +27 Ownership Starlet Cross +10

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Dashing

Performance 49/100
Efficiency 36/100
Safety 66/100
Practicality 77/100
Ownership 40/100

Starlet Cross

Performance 50/100
Efficiency 50/100
Safety 0/100
Practicality 50/100
Ownership 50/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Jetour Dashing wins with 55 pts vs 39 pts for Starlet Cross

In structured scoring, Dashing emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Starlet Cross 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 Dashing 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: Dashing 36 vs Starlet Cross 50. 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: Dashing 66, Starlet Cross 0. 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: Dashing 40, Starlet Cross 50. 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: Dashing 77, Starlet Cross 50. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Dashing 49, Starlet Cross 50. 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 Dashing edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Dashing 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 Dashing and Starlet Cross in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Dashing scores 49 vs 50.

Efficiency: Dashing scores 36 vs 50.

Safety: Dashing scores 66 vs 0.

Practicality: Dashing scores 77 vs 50.

Ownership: Dashing scores 40 vs 50.

Final structured scoring gives Dashing the advantage in this comparison.