MG HS vs Toyota RAV4

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.

MG HS in South Africa

MG HS

2.0T AT Luxury Petrol 9-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 665,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 170 kW 🔧 370 Nm ⛽ 11.63 km/l
VS
Toyota RAV4 in South Africa

Toyota RAV4

2.5 HEV GR-S CVT Hybrid CVT Current
ZAR 941,800 ex-showroom
⚡ 137 kW 🔧 221 Nm ⛽ 21.3 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

MG HS vs Toyota RAV4: the short answer

HS and RAV4 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

HS starts ZAR 110,100 cheaper HS from ZAR 499,900 · RAV4 from ZAR 610,000

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification HS RAV4
Maximum Power HS170 kW RAV4137 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque HS370 Nm RAV4221 Nm
Engine Size HS1986 cc RAV42500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy HS11.63 km/l RAV421.3 km/l
Ground Clearance HS145 mm RAV4186 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

HS

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

RAV4

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

Which One's Right for You?

HS

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

RAV4

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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec HS RAV4
Model Introduced Year 2025 2026
Generation Current five-seat HS on MG's SIGMA-A architecture with 1.5T DCT and 2.0T automatic powertrains. All-new sixth-generation RAV4 introduced in South Africa in July 2026
Facelift History Current-generation HS introduced locally in 2025; four petrol derivatives remain active. Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives
Facelift Launched Since 2025 Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives
Facelift Version Ending Current Current South African 2026 specification
Body Style Five-door mid-size SUV SUV
Model Year 2025 2026
Production Status active published
Segment Mid-size SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Tare Mass Kg - 1725-1740 kg
Spec HS RAV4
Length 4655 mm 4645 mm
Width 1890 mm 1880 mm
Height 1655 mm 1680 mm
Wheelbase 2765 mm 2690 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 145 mm 186 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed -
Fuel Tank Capacity 65 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 507 l 732 l
Kerb Weight 1590 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2065 kg 2230 kg
Payload Capacity 475 kg -
Towing Capacity 750 kg 1000 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows -
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.65 m 5.6 m
Front Headroom 968 mm -
Rear Headroom 964 mm -
Front Legroom 1044 mm -
Rear Legroom 980 mm -

In depth: how these cars differ

This HS and RAV4 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: HS 70 vs RAV4 50.

Efficiency index: HS 46 vs RAV4 84.

Safety-equipment index: HS 98 vs RAV4 93.

Practicality index: HS 57 vs RAV4 71.

Ownership-cover index: HS not separately scored vs RAV4 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

RAV4 leads by 4 points

HS and RAV4 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 73 /100
Lead 4 points
Data 61% source coverage
73
#1 Evidence leader

RAV4

61% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 50
Performance 50
Efficiency 84
Safety 93
Practicality 71
Leads by 4 points
69
#2

HS

78% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Efficiency 46
Performance 70
Efficiency 46
Safety 98
Practicality 57
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance HS +20 Efficiency RAV4 +38 Safety HS +5 Practicality RAV4 +14

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

RAV4

Performance 50/100
Efficiency 84/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 71/100

HS

Performance 70/100
Efficiency 46/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 57/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Toyota RAV4 leads the specification evidence index with 73 pts vs 69 pts for HS

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, RAV4 leads. However, HS may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Related comparisons

Continue with closely related South African models and comparable body styles.

HS
HS
VS
Harrier
Harrier
HS vs Harrier →
HS
HS
VS
Tucson
Tucson
HS vs Tucson →
HS
HS
VS
T2
T2
HS vs T2 →
HS
HS
VS
C7
C7
HS vs C7 →
HS
HS
VS
CX-30
CX-30
HS vs CX-30 →
HS
HS
VS
CX-5
CX-5
HS vs CX-5 →
RAV4
RAV4
VS
Harrier
Harrier
RAV4 vs Harrier →
RAV4
RAV4
VS
Tucson
Tucson
RAV4 vs Tucson →

HS vs RAV4 questions

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.