Hyundai i20 vs Toyota Yaris

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.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Toyota Yaris Discontinued model
Hyundai i20 in South Africa

Hyundai i20

1.0T Fluid Petrol 6-Speed Manual Current
ZAR 328,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 74 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 14.5 km/l
VS
Toyota Yaris in South Africa

Toyota Yaris

1.5 XR CVT Petrol CVT Discontinued model
ZAR 359,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 145 Nm ⛽ 15.1 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Hyundai i20 vs Toyota Yaris: the short answer

i20 and Yaris are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context i20: current from ZAR 296,900 · Yaris: last listed from ZAR 289,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification i20 Yaris
Maximum Power i2074 kW @ 5500 rpm Yaris88 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque i20172 Nm @ 1500 rpm Yaris145 Nm @ 4800 rpm
Engine Size i20998 cc Yaris1496 cc
Combined Fuel Economy i2014.5 km/l Yaris15.1 km/l
Ground Clearance i20195 mm Yaris160 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

i20

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
  • Stronger published ownership cover
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality

Yaris

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower published practicality figures
  • Lower published ownership cover
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

i20

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published warranty or service cover

Yaris

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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec i20 Yaris
Model Introduced Year 2008 2020
Generation Third generation i20 on the K2 platform; sold in SA with 1.0T three-cylinder turbo across all variants Current generation on Toyota's TNGA-B platform
Facelift History Third generation launched globally in 2020 and arrived in SA shortly after; significant improvement over the second gen in styling, tech, and driving dynamics Regular updates with improved safety and features
Facelift Launched Since 2020 2021
Facelift Version Ending Current 2024
Body Style Hatchback Hatchback
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Blue, Red, Yellow Not confirmed
Dealer Stock Note Fluid grade in the South Africa lineup Not confirmed
Model Year 2026 2021
Production Status active discontinued
Segment Hatchback Hatchback
Tare Mass Kg 1135 kg 1110 kg
Vehicle Type Hatchback Hatchback
Spec i20 Yaris
Length 4040 mm 4180 mm
Width 1775 mm 1745 mm
Height 1505 mm 1500 mm
Wheelbase 2580 mm 2550 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 195 mm 160 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed 125 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 40 l 42 l
Boot/Cargo Space 352 l 286 l
Kerb Weight 1135 kg 1110 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1610 kg 1515 kg
Payload Capacity 475 kg 405 kg
Towing Capacity Not Officially Disclosed 1600 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.2 m 5.1 m
Front Headroom Not Officially Disclosed 991 mm
Rear Headroom Not Officially Disclosed 940 mm
Front Legroom Not Officially Disclosed 1039 mm
Rear Legroom Not Officially Disclosed 881 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This i20 and Yaris 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: i20 37 vs Yaris 37.

Efficiency index: i20 59 vs Yaris 61.

Safety-equipment index: i20 84 vs Yaris 98.

Practicality index: i20 61 vs Yaris 53.

Ownership-cover index: i20 65 vs Yaris 43.

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

i20 leads by 2 points

i20 and Yaris are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 61 /100
Lead 2 points
Data 93% source coverage
61
#1 Evidence leader

i20

93% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 84 Check Performance 37
Performance 37
Efficiency 59
Safety 84
Practicality 61
Ownership 65
Leads by 2 points
59
#2

Yaris

90% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Performance 37
Performance 37
Efficiency 61
Safety 98
Practicality 53
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Level Efficiency Yaris +2 Safety Yaris +14 Practicality i20 +8 Ownership i20 +22

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

i20

Performance 37/100
Efficiency 59/100
Safety 84/100
Practicality 61/100
Ownership 65/100

Yaris

Performance 37/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 53/100
Ownership 43/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Hyundai i20 leads the specification evidence index with 61 pts vs 59 pts for Yaris

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, i20 leads. However, Yaris may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

i20 vs Yaris 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.