Geely E5 EM-i 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.

Geely E5 EM-i in South Africa

Geely E5 EM-i

Apex Plug-in Hybrid Current
ZAR 679,999 ex-showroom
⚡ 73 kW 🔧 125 Nm
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

Geely E5 EM-i vs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport: the short answer

E5 EM-i and Pajero Sport are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

E5 EM-i starts ZAR 189,991 cheaper E5 EM-i from ZAR 599,999 · Pajero Sport from ZAR 789,990

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification E5 EM-i Pajero Sport
Maximum Power E5 EM-i73 kW Pajero Sport133 kW @ 3500 rpm
Maximum Torque E5 EM-i125 Nm Pajero Sport430 Nm @ 2500 rpm
Engine Size E5 EM-i1499 cc Pajero Sport2442 cc
Combined Fuel Economy E5 EM-iNot Officially Disclosed Pajero Sport12.3 km/l
Ground Clearance E5 EM-iNot Officially Disclosed Pajero Sport218 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

E5 EM-i

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

Pajero Sport

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

Which One's Right for You?

E5 EM-i

  • 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

Pajero Sport

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec E5 EM-i Pajero Sport
Model Introduced Year 2025 2017
Generation Current South African model / exact generation number not separately published Third-generation Pajero Sport, 2025 facelift
Facelift History No applicable South African facelift history established South African facelift launched in May 2025.
Facelift Launched Since Not Applicable Current specification
Facelift Version Ending Not Applicable Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active active
Segment Passenger vehicle Seven-seat ladder-frame SUV
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec E5 EM-i Pajero Sport
Length 4740 mm 4825 mm
Width 1905 mm 1815 mm
Height 1685 mm 1805 mm
Wheelbase 2755 mm 2800 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) Not Officially Disclosed 218 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed 190 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 51 l 68 l
Boot/Cargo Space 528 l 193 l
Kerb Weight 1770 kg 2080 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) Not Officially Disclosed 2775 kg
Payload Capacity Not Officially Disclosed 695 kg
Towing Capacity Not Officially Disclosed 2850 kg
Seating Capacity Not Officially Disclosed 7 seats
Number of Rows Not Officially Disclosed 3 rows
Doors Not Officially Disclosed 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius Not Officially Disclosed 5.6 m
Front Headroom Not Officially Disclosed 1022 mm
Rear Headroom Not Officially Disclosed 957 mm
Front Legroom Not Officially Disclosed 1067 mm
Rear Legroom Not Officially Disclosed 880 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This E5 EM-i 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: E5 EM-i 39 vs Pajero Sport 65.

Efficiency index: E5 EM-i 79 vs Pajero Sport 49.

Safety-equipment index: E5 EM-i 91 vs Pajero Sport 72.

Practicality index: E5 EM-i 74 vs Pajero Sport 71.

Ownership-cover index: E5 EM-i 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

E5 EM-i leads by 5 points

E5 EM-i and Pajero Sport are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 70 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 51% source coverage
70
#1 Evidence leader

E5 EM-i

51% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 79
Safety 91
Practicality 74
Leads by 5 points
65
#2

Pajero Sport

83% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 72 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 65
Efficiency 49
Safety 72
Practicality 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Pajero Sport +26 Efficiency E5 EM-i +30 Safety E5 EM-i +19 Practicality E5 EM-i +3

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

E5 EM-i

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 79/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 74/100

Pajero Sport

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Geely E5 EM-i leads the specification evidence index with 70 pts vs 65 pts for Pajero Sport

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, E5 EM-i leads. However, Pajero Sport may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

E5 EM-i vs Pajero Sport questions

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.