Honda HR-V vs Mitsubishi Outlander 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.

Honda HR-V in South Africa

Honda HR-V

1.5 Elegance CVT Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 529,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 119 kW 🔧 145 Nm ⛽ 16.1 km/l
VS
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport in South Africa

Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

Exceed 1.5L CVT Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 499,990 ex-showroom
⚡ 77 kW 🔧 141 Nm ⛽ 16.1 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

⚡ Performance HR-V
⛽ Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety HR-V
📦 Practicality Outlander Sport
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Outlander Sport starts ZAR 39,910 cheaper HR-V from ZAR 489,900 · Outlander Sport from ZAR 449,990

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec HR-V Outlander Sport
Maximum Power 119 kW 77 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 145 Nm 141 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Engine Size 1498 cc 1499 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 16.1 km/l 16.1 km/l
Ground Clearance 196 mm 193 mm
Boot / Load Bay 437 l 480 l
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1360 kg 1250 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 5 years / unlimited km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

HR-V and Outlander Sport are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance HR-V +11 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety HR-V +18 pts
Practicality Outlander Sport +4 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

HR-V

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance

Outlander Sport

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

HR-V

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Outlander Sport

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec HR-V Outlander Sport
Model Introduced Year 2022 2025
Generation Built on Honda’s global compact SUV platform with improved safety and comfort First South African Outlander Sport generation, Mitsubishi Xforce architecture
Facelift History New generation introduced with updated design and improved features Introduced locally in January 2025 and replaced ASX.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version Current specification
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Grey, Blue, Red -
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup -
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published active
Segment SUV Compact SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1360 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec HR-V Outlander Sport
Length 4340 mm 4390 mm
Width 1790 mm 1810 mm
Height 1590 mm 1660 mm
Wheelbase 2610 mm 2650 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 196 mm 193 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 40 l 42 l
Boot/Cargo Space 437 l 480 l
Kerb Weight 1360 kg 1250 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1780 kg 1730 kg
Towing Capacity 1200 kg 0 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - Not Officially Disclosed
Payload Capacity - 480 kg
Number of Rows - 2 rows
Minimum Turning Radius - 5.2 m
Front Headroom - 950 mm
Rear Headroom - 880 mm
Front Legroom - 1050 mm
Rear Legroom - 370 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

HR-V leads by 4 points

HR-V and Outlander Sport are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 61 /100
Lead 4 points
Data 87% source coverage
61
#1 Index leader

HR-V

87% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Performance 41
Performance 41
Efficiency 62
Safety 91
Practicality 63
Ownership 43
Leads by 4 points
57
#2

Outlander Sport

79% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 73 Check Performance 30
Performance 30
Efficiency 62
Safety 73
Practicality 67
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance HR-V +11 Efficiency Level Safety HR-V +18 Practicality Outlander Sport +4

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

HR-V

Performance 41/100
Efficiency 62/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 63/100
Ownership 43/100

Outlander Sport

Performance 30/100
Efficiency 62/100
Safety 73/100
Practicality 67/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Honda HR-V leads the catalogue index with 61 pts vs 57 pts for Outlander Sport

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, HR-V leads. However, Outlander Sport may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Other Comparisons Worth Checking

See how similar cars go head-to-head — you might find a better fit than you expected.

HR-V
HR-V
VS
C5 SHS
C5 SHS
HR-V vs C5 SHS →
HR-V
HR-V
VS
X70 Plus
X70 Plus
HR-V vs X70 Plus →
HR-V
HR-V
VS
ATTO 2 DM-i
ATTO 2 DM-i
HR-V vs ATTO 2 DM-i →
HR-V
HR-V
VS
Destinator
Destinator
HR-V vs Destinator →
HR-V
HR-V
VS
Scorpio-N
Scorpio-N
HR-V vs Scorpio-N →
HR-V
HR-V
VS
Duster
Duster
HR-V vs Duster →
Outlander Sport
Outlander Sport
VS
C5 SHS
C5 SHS
Outlander Sport vs C5 SHS →
Outlander Sport
Outlander Sport
VS
X70 Plus
X70 Plus
Outlander Sport vs X70 Plus →

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

HR-V
HR-V
VS
ATTO 2 DM-i
ATTO 2 DM-i
HR-V vs ATTO 2 DM-i →
HR-V
HR-V
VS
ATTO 3
ATTO 3
HR-V vs ATTO 3 →
HR-V
HR-V
VS
ATTO 8
ATTO 8
HR-V vs ATTO 8 →
HR-V
HR-V
VS
SEALION 5 DM-i
SEALION 5 DM-i
HR-V vs SEALION 5 DM-i →
HR-V
HR-V
VS
SEALION 6 DM-i
SEALION 6 DM-i
HR-V vs SEALION 6 DM-i →
HR-V
HR-V
VS
SEALION 7
SEALION 7
HR-V vs SEALION 7 →

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 HR-V and Outlander 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: HR-V 41 vs Outlander Sport 30.

Efficiency index: HR-V 62 vs Outlander Sport 62.

Safety-equipment index: HR-V 91 vs Outlander Sport 73.

Practicality index: HR-V 63 vs Outlander Sport 67.

Ownership-cover index: HR-V 43 vs Outlander 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.