Hyundai i20 vs Toyota Yaris

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.

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

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tie
Fuel Economy Yaris
🛡 Safety Yaris
📦 Practicality i20
🔑 Ownership i20
Recorded price context i20: current from ZAR 296,900 · Yaris: last listed from ZAR 289,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec i20 Yaris
Maximum Power 74 kW @ 5500 rpm 88 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 172 Nm @ 1500 rpm 145 Nm @ 4800 rpm
Engine Size 998 cc 1496 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 14.5 km/l 15.1 km/l
Ground Clearance 195 mm 160 mm
Boot / Load Bay 352 l 286 l
Airbags 6 7
Kerb Weight 1135 kg 1110 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 5 3

= leads in this spec

Archived vehicles remain available for comparison. Verified specs stay visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Equal
Efficiency Yaris +2 pts
Safety Yaris +13 pts
Practicality i20 +7 pts
Ownership i20 +22 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index 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 Not confirmed
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 Not confirmed
Facelift Version Ending Current Not confirmed
Body Style Hatchback Not confirmed
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 Not confirmed
Production Status published Not confirmed
Segment Hatchback Not confirmed
Tare Mass Kg 1135 kg 1110 kg
Vehicle Type Hatchback Not confirmed
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
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
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors Not confirmed
Minimum Turning Radius 5.2 m 5.1 m

Source-backed Catalogue Index

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

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

i20 leads by 1 points

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

Index leader 61 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 90% source coverage
61
#1 Index leader

i20

90% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 84 Check Performance 37
Performance 37
Efficiency 59
Safety 84
Practicality 64
Ownership 65
Leads by 1 points
60
#2

Yaris

82% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 97 Check Performance 37
Performance 37
Efficiency 61
Safety 97
Practicality 57
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 +13 Practicality i20 +7 Ownership i20 +22

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

i20

Performance 37/100
Efficiency 59/100
Safety 84/100
Practicality 64/100
Ownership 65/100

Yaris

Performance 37/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 97/100
Practicality 57/100
Ownership 43/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Hyundai i20 leads the catalogue index with 61 pts vs 60 pts for Yaris

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, i20 leads. However, Yaris 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 i20 and Yaris 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: i20 37 vs Yaris 37.

Efficiency index: i20 59 vs Yaris 61.

Safety-equipment index: i20 84 vs Yaris 97.

Practicality index: i20 64 vs Yaris 57.

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.