Hyundai Elantra vs Toyota GR Supra

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.

Hyundai Elantra in South Africa

Hyundai Elantra

1.5 IVT Fluid Petrol Automatic
ZAR 492,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 85 kW 🔧 143 Nm ⛽ 17.5 km/l
VS
Toyota GR Supra in South Africa

Toyota GR Supra

3.0T Manual Petrol Manual
ZAR 1,561,600 ex-showroom
⚡ 285 kW 🔧 500 Nm ⛽ 12.0 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance GR Supra
Fuel Economy GR Supra
🛡 Safety GR Supra
📦 Practicality Elantra
🔑 Ownership Elantra
Elantra starts ZAR 1524800 cheaper Elantra from ZAR 448,900 · GR Supra from ZAR 1,524,800

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Elantra GR Supra
Engine Power 85 285
Torque 143 500
Engine Size 1497 2998
Claimed Mileage 17.5 12.0
Ground Clearance 130 117
Boot Space 473 290
Airbags 6 9
Kerb Weight 1355 1545
Seating Capacity 5 Available
Warranty 5 3

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

GR Supra

66
/ 100
+10
pts
#2

Elantra

56
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

GR Supra has a slight advantage, but Elantra remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance GR Supra +13 pts
Efficiency GR Supra +6 pts
Safety GR Supra +2 pts
Practicality Elantra +3 pts
Ownership Elantra +8 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

GR Supra

Performance 20/20
Efficiency 6/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 8/20
Ownership 12/20

Elantra

Performance 7/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 11/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Elantra

Strengths
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: Family Usage
🏆 Overall Winner

GR Supra

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Elantra

  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

GR Supra

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Elantra GR Supra
Length 4680 4380
Width 1825 1865
Height 1415 1294
Wheelbase 2720 2470
Ground Clearance 130 117
Kerb Weight 1355 1545
Seating Capacity 5 2
Boot Space 473 290
Rear Track Width 1546 mm 1607
Gross Vehicle Weight 1860 1870
Front Track Width 1542 mm 1617
Turning Radius 5.5 m 6.3
Towing Capacity 1200 kg (Unbraked) Not Available
Load Bed Length Not Applicable Available
Load Bed Width Not Applicable Available
Doors 4 Available
Seats 5 Available
Front Legroom Available Available
Rear Legroom Available Available
Front Headroom Available Available
Rear Headroom Available Available
Front Shoulder Room Available Available
Rear Shoulder Room Available Available
Boot Space Seats Folded Available 1500
Number of Doors Available 5
Max Payload Available Available
Boot Volume Available Available
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec Elantra GR Supra
Engine 1.5 MPI CVVD 3.0L Turbo Petrol Inline-6
Engine Type Petrol Inline 6 Cylinder Turbocharged
Displacement 1497 2998
Cylinders 4 6
Power 85 285
Torque 143 500
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection Direct Injection Turbocharged
Turbocharger No Single Turbo
Top Speed 180 250
0-100 km/h 11.2 4.3
Power @ RPM 6300 5000 rpm
Torque @ RPM 4500 1800 rpm
Valves per Cylinder 16 4
Compression Ratio 13.0:1 12.0:1
Engine Position Front Front Longitudinal
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Engine Type Config Inline Available
Variable Valve Timing Yes Available
Cylinder Bore Available 82.0
Piston Stroke Available 92.0
Engine Code Available Standard
Engine Oil Capacity Available Available
Power 150 150
Cylinder Layout Available Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Available Turbocharged
Maximum Engine RPM Available Available
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Toyota GR Supra wins with 66 pts vs 56 pts for Elantra

In structured scoring, GR Supra emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Elantra 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 GR Supra 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: Elantra 0 vs GR Supra 6. 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: Elantra 18, GR Supra 20. 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: Elantra 20, GR Supra 12. 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: Elantra 11, GR Supra 8. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Elantra 7, GR Supra 20. 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 GR Supra edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The GR Supra 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 Elantra and GR Supra in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Elantra scores 7 vs 20.

Efficiency: Elantra scores 0 vs 6.

Safety: Elantra scores 18 vs 20.

Practicality: Elantra scores 11 vs 8.

Ownership: Elantra scores 20 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives GR Supra the advantage in this comparison.