Hyundai Elantra vs KIA Pegas

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.

Hyundai Elantra Discontinued model
Hyundai Elantra in South Africa

Hyundai Elantra

1.5 IVT Fluid Petrol Discontinued model
ZAR 492,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 85 kW 🔧 143 Nm ⛽ 17.5 km/l
VS
KIA Pegas in South Africa

KIA Pegas

1.4 EX Auto Petrol 4-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 274,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 73 kW 🔧 132 Nm ⛽ 16.9 km/l
Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Hyundai Elantra vs KIA Pegas: the short answer

Elantra and Pegas are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context Elantra: last listed from ZAR 448,900 · Pegas: current from ZAR 239,995

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Elantra Pegas
Maximum Power Elantra85 kW @ 6300 rpm Pegas73 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque Elantra143 Nm @ 4500 rpm Pegas132 Nm @ 4200 rpm
Engine Size Elantra1497 cc Pegas1368 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Elantra17.5 km/l Pegas16.9 km/l
Ground Clearance Elantra130 mm Pegas148 mm

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

Evidence for Hyundai Elantra 1.5 IVT Fluid

Source type: Hagalu catalogue record

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

Elantra

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower published ownership cover
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Pegas

Strengths
  • Stronger published ownership cover
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Elantra

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • 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

Pegas

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published warranty or service cover

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 Elantra Pegas
Model Introduced Year 1990 2019
Generation Seventh generation Elantra on Hyundai's K3 platform; bold parametric design language marks a clear break from the conservative sixth gen First generation; purpose-designed for emerging markets
Facelift History Seventh generation launched globally in 2020 and brought to SA; significant leap in styling and interior quality over the previous generation Minor updates in 2022 including revised infotainment; no full facelift
Facelift Launched Since 2020 2022
Tare Mass Kg 1355 kg 1130 kg
Body Style Not confirmed Sedan
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Segment Not confirmed Sedan
Vehicle Type Not confirmed Sedan
Dealer Stock Note Not confirmed Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Color Note Not confirmed Clear White, Aurora Black Pearl, Silky Silver, Gravity Blue, Passion Red
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Production Status Not confirmed active
Spec Elantra Pegas
Length 4680 mm 4400 mm
Width 1825 mm 1700 mm
Height 1415 mm 1470 mm
Wheelbase 2720 mm 2570 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 130 mm 148 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 47 l 40 l
Boot/Cargo Space 473 l 475 l
Kerb Weight 1355 kg 1130 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1860 kg 1450 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 4 doors 4 doors
Minimum Turning Radius Not confirmed 10.4 m
Front Headroom Not confirmed 990 mm
Rear Headroom Not confirmed 950 mm
Front Legroom Not confirmed 1030 mm
Rear Legroom Not confirmed 860 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not confirmed 150 mm
Towing Capacity Not confirmed 1000 kg
Number of Rows Not confirmed 2 rows
Payload Capacity Not confirmed 425 kg

In depth: how these cars differ

This Elantra and Pegas 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: Elantra 36 vs Pegas 33.

Efficiency index: Elantra 67 vs Pegas 65.

Safety-equipment index: Elantra 87 vs Pegas 72.

Practicality index: Elantra 64 vs Pegas 57.

Ownership-cover index: Elantra 65 vs Pegas 71.

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

Elantra leads by 5 points

Elantra and Pegas are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 63 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 89% source coverage
63
#1 Evidence leader

Elantra

89% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 87 Check Performance 36
Performance 36
Efficiency 67
Safety 87
Practicality 64
Ownership 65
Leads by 5 points
58
#2

Pegas

99% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 72 Check Performance 33
Performance 33
Efficiency 65
Safety 72
Practicality 57
Ownership 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Elantra +3 Efficiency Elantra +2 Safety Elantra +15 Practicality Elantra +7 Ownership Pegas +6

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Elantra

Performance 36/100
Efficiency 67/100
Safety 87/100
Practicality 64/100
Ownership 65/100

Pegas

Performance 33/100
Efficiency 65/100
Safety 72/100
Practicality 57/100
Ownership 71/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Hyundai Elantra leads the specification evidence index with 63 pts vs 58 pts for Pegas

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Elantra leads. However, Pegas may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Elantra vs Pegas 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.