Lexus ES vs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Lexus ES in South Africa

Lexus ES

ES 300h SE Hybrid e-CVT Current
ZAR 1,138,800 ex-showroom
⚡ 160 kW 🔧 221 Nm ⛽ 21.7 km/l
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

Lexus ES vs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport: the short answer

ES has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Pajero Sport remains close.

Pajero Sport starts ZAR 61,510 cheaper ES from ZAR 851,500 · Pajero Sport from ZAR 789,990

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification ES Pajero Sport
Maximum Power ES160 kW @ 5700 rpm Pajero Sport133 kW @ 3500 rpm
Maximum Torque ES221 Nm Pajero Sport430 Nm @ 2500 rpm
Engine Size ES2500 cc Pajero Sport2442 cc
Combined Fuel Economy ES21.7 km/l Pajero Sport12.3 km/l
Ground Clearance ES158 mm Pajero Sport218 mm

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

Independent editorial assessment

Hagalu editorial ratings

When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.

Lexus ES

ES 300h SE

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

2.4L DI-DC 8-speed A/T 4X4 Exceed

Hagalu editorial rating
4.3/5

Desk research · Exact variant

Hagalu Editorial Team ·

Editorial assessment, not a customer rating. Not road-tested for this review.

Read the review and score breakdown

Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

ES

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

Pajero Sport

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

Which One's Right for You?

ES

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Pajero Sport

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec ES Pajero Sport
Model Introduced Year 2021 2017
Generation Current seventh-generation Lexus ES executive sedan Third-generation Pajero Sport, 2025 facelift
Facelift History Current South African ES range; the next-generation local range has not yet received final derivative confirmation South African facelift launched in May 2025.
Facelift Launched Since Current South African ES range; the next-generation local range has not yet received final derivative confirmation Current specification
Facelift Version Ending Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17 Current
Body Style Sedan SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published active
Segment Executive sedan Seven-seat ladder-frame SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1740 kg -
Vehicle Type Sedan Passenger vehicle
Spec ES Pajero Sport
Length 4975 mm 4825 mm
Width 1865 mm 1815 mm
Height 1445 mm 1805 mm
Wheelbase 2870 mm 2800 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 158 mm 218 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 68 l
Boot/Cargo Space 454 l 193 l
Kerb Weight 1740 kg 2080 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2150 kg 2775 kg
Payload Capacity 410 kg 695 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Doors 4 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.9 m 5.6 m
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - 190 mm
Towing Capacity - 2850 kg
Number of Rows - 3 rows
Front Headroom - 1022 mm
Rear Headroom - 957 mm
Front Legroom - 1067 mm
Rear Legroom - 880 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This ES and Pajero Sport comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: ES 58 vs Pajero Sport 65.

Efficiency index: ES 85 vs Pajero Sport 49.

Safety-equipment index: ES 93 vs Pajero Sport 72.

Practicality index: ES 62 vs Pajero Sport 71.

Ownership-cover index: ES 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

ES leads by 8 points

ES has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Pajero Sport remains close.

Evidence leader 73 /100
Lead 8 points
Data 68% source coverage
73
#1 Evidence leader

ES

68% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 58
Performance 58
Efficiency 85
Safety 93
Practicality 62
Leads by 8 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 +7 Efficiency ES +36 Safety ES +21 Practicality Pajero Sport +9

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

ES

Performance 58/100
Efficiency 85/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 62/100

Pajero Sport

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Lexus ES leads the specification evidence index with 73 pts vs 65 pts for Pajero Sport

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

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ES vs Pajero Sport questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa 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.