Honda HR-V vs Mg ZS Pro

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
Mg ZS Pro in South Africa

Mg ZS Pro

1.5T CVT Luxury Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 431,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 125 kW 🔧 275 Nm ⛽ 14.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance ZS Pro
Fuel Economy HR-V
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality HR-V
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
ZS Pro starts ZAR 92,300 cheaper HR-V from ZAR 489,900 · ZS Pro from ZAR 397,600

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec HR-V ZS Pro
Maximum Power 119 kW 125 kW
Maximum Torque 145 Nm 275 Nm
Engine Size 1498 cc 1496 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 16.1 km/l 14.5 km/l
Ground Clearance 196 mm 161 mm
Boot / Load Bay 437 l 443 l
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1360 kg 1390 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 7 years / 200,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance ZS Pro +15 pts
Efficiency HR-V +4 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality HR-V +5 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

HR-V

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality
Catalogue-index leader

ZS Pro

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance

Which One's Right for You?

HR-V

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

ZS Pro

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec HR-V ZS Pro
Model Introduced Year 2022 2025
Generation Built on Honda’s global compact SUV platform with improved safety and comfort Current South African ZS Pro compact SUV with a 1.5-litre turbo engine, CVT and two-grade matrix.
Facelift History New generation introduced with updated design and improved features Launched locally in 2025 while the value-led ZS remained current.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2025
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV Five-door compact SUV
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Grey, Blue, Red -
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup -
Model Year 2026 2025
Production Status active active
Segment SUV Compact SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1360 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec HR-V ZS Pro
Length 4340 mm 4430 mm
Width 1790 mm 1818 mm
Height 1590 mm 1635 mm
Wheelbase 2610 mm 2610 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 196 mm 161 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 196 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity 40 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 437 l 443 l
Kerb Weight 1360 kg 1390 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1780 kg 1840 kg
Payload Capacity 410 kg 450 kg
Towing Capacity 1200 kg 500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.5 m Not Officially Disclosed
Front Headroom 975 mm 875 mm
Rear Headroom 965 mm 865 mm
Front Legroom 1065 mm 1060 mm
Rear Legroom 958 mm Not Officially Disclosed

Source-backed Catalogue Index

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

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

ZS Pro leads by 5 points

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

Index leader 65 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 80% source coverage
65
#1 Index leader

ZS Pro

80% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Practicality 55
Performance 56
Efficiency 58
Safety 91
Practicality 55
Leads by 5 points
60
#2

HR-V

90% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Performance 41
Performance 41
Efficiency 62
Safety 91
Practicality 60
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance ZS Pro +15 Efficiency HR-V +4 Safety Level Practicality HR-V +5

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

ZS Pro

Performance 56/100
Efficiency 58/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 55/100

HR-V

Performance 41/100
Efficiency 62/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 60/100
Ownership 43/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Mg ZS Pro leads the catalogue index with 65 pts vs 60 pts for HR-V

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, ZS Pro leads. However, HR-V 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 HR-V and ZS Pro 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 ZS Pro 56.

Efficiency index: HR-V 62 vs ZS Pro 58.

Safety-equipment index: HR-V 91 vs ZS Pro 91.

Practicality index: HR-V 60 vs ZS Pro 55.

Ownership-cover index: HR-V 43 vs ZS Pro 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.