Suzuki Ertiga 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.

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 Puma in South Africa

Ford Puma

1.0T EcoBoost ST-Line Automatic Petrol Automatic
ZAR 459,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 92 kW 🔧 170 Nm ⛽ 16.4 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Puma
Fuel Economy Puma
🛡 Safety Puma
📦 Practicality Puma
🔑 Ownership Ertiga
Ertiga starts ZAR 389900 cheaper Ertiga from ZAR 304,900 · Puma from ZAR 389,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Ertiga Puma
Engine Power 77 92
Torque 138 170
Engine Size 1462 999
Claimed Mileage 15.4 16.4
Ground Clearance 180 170
Boot Space 153 456
Airbags 6 8
Kerb Weight 1165 1325
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 5 3

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Puma

61
/ 100
+8
pts
#2

Ertiga

53
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Puma has a slight advantage, but Ertiga remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Puma +2 pts
Efficiency Puma +9 pts
Safety Puma +2 pts
Practicality Puma +3 pts
Ownership Ertiga +8 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Puma

Performance 8/20
Efficiency 9/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 12/20

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

Puma

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

Puma

  • 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 Puma
Engine 1.5L K15B 4-Cylinder Petrol 1.0L EcoBoost Mild Hybrid
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated Inline 3 Cylinder Turbo Mild Hybrid
Engine Code K15B Standard
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Naturally Aspirated Turbocharged
Displacement 1462 999
Cylinders 4 3
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 Front Transverse
Variable Valve Timing VVT on Intake Camshaft Available
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI) Direct Injection
Turbocharger Not Applicable Single Turbo
Power 77 92
Power @ RPM 6,000 rpm 6000 rpm
Power 103 150
Torque 138 170
Torque @ RPM 4,400 rpm 2000-4500 rpm
Maximum Engine RPM 6800 Available
Engine Oil Capacity 3.7 Available
Fuel Grade Required 93 RON Unleaded Petrol Petrol
Top Speed 175 185
0-100 km/h 14.5 10.5
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 Puma
Transmission 4-Speed Automatic 7-Speed Automatic DCT
Transmission Type 4-Speed Automatic Automatic
Number of Gears 4 6
Drive Type FWD FWD
Drivetrain Layout Front Wheel Drive Front 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 Not Available
Differential Lock Not Available Not Applicable
Transfer Case Not Applicable Not Applicable
Paddle Shifters Not Available Standard
Drivetrain Available Available
Transmission Available Automatic CVT

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Ford Puma wins with 61 pts vs 53 pts for Ertiga

In structured scoring, Puma 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 Puma 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 Puma 9. 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, Puma 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, Puma 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: Ertiga 9, Puma 12. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Ertiga 6, Puma 8. 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 Puma edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

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

Performance: Ertiga scores 6 vs 8.

Efficiency: Ertiga scores 0 vs 9.

Safety: Ertiga scores 18 vs 20.

Practicality: Ertiga scores 9 vs 12.

Ownership: Ertiga scores 20 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives Puma the advantage in this comparison.