Toyota Fortuner vs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

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.

Toyota Fortuner in South Africa

Toyota Fortuner

2.8 GD-6 4X4 GR-Sport 6AT Diesel Current
ZAR 999,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 500 Nm ⛽ 13.2 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

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Fortuner
Fuel Economy Fortuner
🛡 Safety Fortuner
📦 Practicality Fortuner
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Fortuner starts ZAR 104,090 cheaper Fortuner from ZAR 685,900 · Pajero Sport from ZAR 789,990

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Fortuner Pajero Sport
Maximum Power 150 kW 133 kW @ 3500 rpm
Maximum Torque 500 Nm 430 Nm @ 2500 rpm
Engine Size 2755 cc 2442 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 13.2 km/l 12.3 km/l
Ground Clearance 279 mm 218 mm
Boot / Load Bay - 193 l
Airbags Side, curtain, driver, passenger and driver knee airbags 7
Kerb Weight - 2080 kg
Seating Capacity 7 seats 7 seats
Warranty 3 years / 100 000 km 3 years / 100,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Fortuner and Pajero Sport are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Fortuner +8 pts
Efficiency Fortuner +7 pts
Safety Fortuner +17 pts
Practicality Fortuner +18 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

Fortuner

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Pajero Sport

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
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?

Fortuner

  • 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

Pajero Sport

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Fortuner Pajero Sport
Model Introduced Year 2006 2017
Generation Currently sold Fortuner belongs to the second generation with periodic feature and safety upgrades Third-generation Pajero Sport, 2025 facelift
Facelift History Major updates in 2016 (new generation) and feature refreshes in 2021 with improved infotainment, safety tech, and design tweaks South African facelift launched in May 2025.
Facelift Launched Since 2021 Current specification
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Dark Green, Grey -
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup -
Drivetrain Note Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.8 GD-6 4X4 GR-Sport 6AT -
Model Year Current 2026
Production Status published active
Segment SUV Seven-seat ladder-frame SUV
Tare Mass Kg GVM 2735 kg; Toyota SA does not publish tare mass -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec Fortuner Pajero Sport
Length 4795 mm 4825 mm
Width 1855 mm 1815 mm
Height 1835 mm 1805 mm
Wheelbase 2745 mm 2800 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 279 mm 218 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 80 l 68 l
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2735 kg 2775 kg
Towing Capacity 2800 kg 2850 kg
Seating Capacity 7 seats 7 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - Not Officially Disclosed
Boot/Cargo Space - 193 l
Kerb Weight - 2080 kg
Payload Capacity - 695 kg
Number of Rows - 3 rows
Minimum Turning Radius - 5.6 m
Front Headroom - 1022 mm
Rear Headroom - 957 mm
Front Legroom - 1067 mm
Rear Legroom - 880 mm

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Fortuner leads by 7 points

Fortuner and Pajero Sport are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 74 /100
Lead 7 points
Data 59% source coverage
74
#1 Index leader

Fortuner

59% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 89 Check Ownership 43
Performance 80
Efficiency 56
Safety 89
Practicality 89
Ownership 43
Leads by 7 points
67
#2

Pajero Sport

78% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 72 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 72
Efficiency 49
Safety 72
Practicality 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Fortuner +8 Efficiency Fortuner +7 Safety Fortuner +17 Practicality Fortuner +18

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Fortuner

Performance 80/100
Efficiency 56/100
Safety 89/100
Practicality 89/100
Ownership 43/100

Pajero Sport

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

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Toyota Fortuner leads the catalogue index with 74 pts vs 67 pts for Pajero Sport

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Fortuner leads. However, Pajero Sport may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. 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

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.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This Fortuner and Pajero Sport 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: Fortuner 80 vs Pajero Sport 72.

Efficiency index: Fortuner 56 vs Pajero Sport 49.

Safety-equipment index: Fortuner 89 vs Pajero Sport 72.

Practicality index: Fortuner 89 vs Pajero Sport 71.

Ownership-cover index: Fortuner 43 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.