Suzuki Ertiga vs Ford Everest

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.

Suzuki Ertiga in South Africa

Suzuki Ertiga

1.5 GL AT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 363,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 77 kW 🔧 138 Nm ⛽ 15.4 km/l
VS
Ford Everest in South Africa

Ford Everest

3.0TD V6 Platinum 10AT 4WD Diesel Automatic
ZAR 1,099,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 125 kW 🔧 405 Nm ⛽ 14.0 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Everest
Fuel Economy Everest
🛡 Safety Everest
📦 Practicality Everest
🔑 Ownership Ertiga
Ertiga starts ZAR 750000 cheaper Ertiga from ZAR 304,900 · Everest from ZAR 750,000

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Ertiga Everest
Engine Power 77 125
Torque 138 405
Engine Size 1462 1996
Claimed Mileage 15.4 14.0
Ground Clearance 180 220
Boot Space 153 259
Airbags 6 7
Kerb Weight 1165 2305
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 5 4

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Everest

68
/ 100
+15
pts
#2

Ertiga

53
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

Everest holds a noticeable edge over Ertiga, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Everest +7 pts
Efficiency Everest +7 pts
Safety Everest +2 pts
Practicality Everest +3 pts
Ownership Ertiga +4 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Everest

Performance 13/20
Efficiency 7/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 16/20

Ertiga

Performance 6/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Ertiga

Strengths
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

Everest

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Ertiga

  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Everest

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Ertiga Everest
Engine 1.5L K15B 4-Cylinder Petrol 2.0L Single Turbo Diesel
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated Inline 4 Turbocharged
Engine Code K15B Standard
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Naturally Aspirated Turbocharged
Displacement 1462 1996
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
Cylinder Bore 74.0 82.0
Piston Stroke 85.1 92.0
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 10.5:1
Engine Position Transverse Front-Mounted Available
Variable Valve Timing VVT on Intake Camshaft Available
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI) Common Rail Direct Injection
Turbocharger Not Applicable Available
Power 77 125
Power @ RPM 6,000 rpm 150
Power 103 150
Torque 138 405
Torque @ RPM 4,400 rpm 400
Maximum Engine RPM 6800 Available
Engine Oil Capacity 3.7 Available
Fuel Grade Required 93 RON Unleaded Petrol Petrol
Top Speed 175 180
0-100 km/h 14.5 11.5
Engine Type Config 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
Spec Ertiga Everest
Transmission 4-Speed Automatic 6-Speed Automatic
Transmission Type 4-Speed Automatic Automatic
Number of Gears 4 6
Drive Type FWD 4x2
Drivetrain Layout Front Wheel Drive Rear Wheel Drive
Final Drive Ratio 4.388:1 Available
Steering Turns Lock to Lock 2.8 Available
Clutch Type Single Dry Plate Diaphragm Available
LSD Available Not Available Electronic
Differential Lock Not Available Electronic Lock
Transfer Case Not Applicable Not Available
Paddle Shifters Not Available Available
Drivetrain Available Available
Transmission Available Automatic CVT

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Ford Everest wins with 68 pts vs 53 pts for Ertiga

In structured scoring, Everest emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Ertiga 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 Everest 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: Ertiga 0 vs Everest 7. 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: Ertiga 18, Everest 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: Ertiga 20, Everest 16. 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: Ertiga 9, Everest 12. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Ertiga 6, Everest 13. 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 Everest edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Everest 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 Ertiga and Everest in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Ertiga scores 6 vs 13.

Efficiency: Ertiga scores 0 vs 7.

Safety: Ertiga scores 18 vs 20.

Practicality: Ertiga scores 9 vs 12.

Ownership: Ertiga scores 20 vs 16.

Final structured scoring gives Everest the advantage in this comparison.