Mitsubishi Destinator vs Ford Puma

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.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Ford Puma Discontinued model
Mitsubishi Destinator in South Africa

Mitsubishi Destinator

Exceed 1.5T CVT Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 569,990 ex-showroom
⚡ 120 kW 🔧 250 Nm ⛽ 13.9 km/l
VS
Ford Puma in South Africa

Ford Puma

1.0T EcoBoost ST-Line Automatic Petrol 7-Speed DCT Discontinued model
ZAR 459,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 92 kW 🔧 170 Nm ⛽ 16.4 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Destinator
Fuel Economy Puma
🛡 Safety Puma
📦 Practicality Destinator
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Recorded price context Destinator: current from ZAR 489,990 · Puma: last listed from ZAR 389,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Destinator Puma
Maximum Power 120 kW @ 5000 rpm 92 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 250 Nm @ 2500-4000 rpm 170 Nm
Engine Size 1499 cc 999 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 13.9 km/l 16.4 km/l
Ground Clearance 214 mm 170 mm
Boot / Load Bay 152 l 456 l
Airbags 6 8
Kerb Weight 1500 kg 1325 kg
Seating Capacity 7 seats 5 seats
Warranty 5 years / unlimited km 3

= 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

Destinator and Puma are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Destinator +10 pts
Efficiency Puma +10 pts
Safety Puma +25 pts
Practicality Destinator +2 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Destinator

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
Catalogue-index leader

Puma

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

Which One's Right for You?

Destinator

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

Puma

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

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 Destinator Puma
Model Introduced Year 2026 2023
Generation First-generation Destinator First generation Puma in South Africa
Facelift History South African launch specification introduced in March 2026. New model introduced in South Africa
Facelift Launched Since Current specification Not confirmed
Facelift Version Ending Current Not confirmed
Body Style SUV Not confirmed
Model Year 2026 Not confirmed
Production Status active Not confirmed
Segment Medium seven-seat SUV Not confirmed
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Not confirmed
Tare Mass Kg - 1325 kg
Spec Destinator Puma
Length 4680 mm 4186 mm
Width 1840 mm 1805 mm
Height 1780 mm 1531 mm
Wheelbase 2815 mm 2594 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 214 mm 170 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 185 mm Not confirmed
Fuel Tank Capacity 45 l 42 l
Boot/Cargo Space 152 l 456 l
Kerb Weight 1500 kg 1325 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2090 kg 1775 kg
Payload Capacity 590 kg Not confirmed
Towing Capacity 0 kg 1200 kg
Seating Capacity 7 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 3 rows Not confirmed
Doors 5 doors Not confirmed
Minimum Turning Radius 5.4 m 5.4 m
Front Headroom 890 mm Not confirmed
Rear Headroom 850 mm Not confirmed
Front Legroom 1055 mm Not confirmed
Rear Legroom 620 mm Not confirmed

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Puma leads by 2 points

Destinator and Puma are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 62 /100
Lead 2 points
Data 87% source coverage
62
#1 Index leader

Puma

87% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 64
Safety 98
Practicality 61
Ownership 43
Leads by 2 points
60
#2

Destinator

79% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 73 Check Performance 50
Performance 50
Efficiency 54
Safety 73
Practicality 63
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Destinator +10 Efficiency Puma +10 Safety Puma +25 Practicality Destinator +2

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Puma

Performance 40/100
Efficiency 64/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 61/100
Ownership 43/100

Destinator

Performance 50/100
Efficiency 54/100
Safety 73/100
Practicality 63/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Ford Puma leads the catalogue index with 62 pts vs 60 pts for Destinator

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Puma leads. However, Destinator 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 Destinator and Puma 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: Destinator 50 vs Puma 40.

Efficiency index: Destinator 54 vs Puma 64.

Safety-equipment index: Destinator 73 vs Puma 98.

Practicality index: Destinator 63 vs Puma 61.

Ownership-cover index: Destinator not separately scored vs Puma 43.

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.