Jaecoo J7 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.

Jaecoo J7 in South Africa

Jaecoo J7

Vortex Petrol 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 519,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 145 kW 🔧 290 Nm ⛽ 14.3 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 J7
Fuel Economy Outlander Sport
🛡 Safety J7
📦 Practicality J7
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Outlander Sport starts ZAR 69,910 cheaper J7 from ZAR 519,900 · Outlander Sport from ZAR 449,990

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec J7 Outlander Sport
Maximum Power 145 kW @ 5500 rpm 77 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 290 Nm 141 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Engine Size 1600 cc 1499 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 14.3 km/l 16.1 km/l
Ground Clearance 200 mm 193 mm
Boot / Load Bay 584 l 480 l
Airbags Multiple airbags 6
Kerb Weight - 1250 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 5 Year / 150 000 km 5 years / unlimited km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

J7 holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Outlander Sport.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance J7 +29 pts
Efficiency Outlander Sport +6 pts
Safety J7 +18 pts
Practicality J7 +11 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

J7

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

Outlander Sport

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

Which One's Right for You?

J7

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

Outlander Sport

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec J7 Outlander Sport
Model Introduced Year 2024 2025
Generation Current South Africa J7 range First South African Outlander Sport generation, Mitsubishi Xforce architecture
Facelift History Current South Africa version listed by official source Introduced locally in January 2025 and replaced ASX.
Facelift Launched Since 2024 Current specification
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active active
Segment SUV Compact SUV
Tare Mass Kg Not Available -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec J7 Outlander Sport
Length 4500 mm 4390 mm
Width 1865 mm 1810 mm
Height 1680 mm 1660 mm
Wheelbase 2672 mm 2650 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 200 mm 193 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 51 l 42 l
Boot/Cargo Space 584 l 480 l
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1939 kg 1730 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - Not Officially Disclosed
Kerb Weight - 1250 kg
Payload Capacity - 480 kg
Towing Capacity - 0 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

J7 leads by 15 points

J7 holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Outlander Sport.

Index leader 72 /100
Lead 15 points
Data 58% source coverage
72
#1 Index leader

J7

58% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Efficiency 56
Performance 59
Efficiency 56
Safety 91
Practicality 78
Leads by 15 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 J7 +29 Efficiency Outlander Sport +6 Safety J7 +18 Practicality J7 +11

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

J7

Performance 59/100
Efficiency 56/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 78/100

Outlander Sport

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

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Jaecoo J7 leads the catalogue index with 72 pts vs 57 pts for Outlander Sport

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, J7 leads. However, Outlander Sport 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 J7 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: J7 59 vs Outlander Sport 30.

Efficiency index: J7 56 vs Outlander Sport 62.

Safety-equipment index: J7 91 vs Outlander Sport 73.

Practicality index: J7 78 vs Outlander Sport 67.

Ownership-cover index: J7 not separately scored 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.