Suzuki Jimny 5-Door vs Hyundai Tucson

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.

Suzuki Jimny 5-Door in South Africa

Suzuki Jimny 5-Door

1.5 GLX AllGrip AT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 489,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 75 kW 🔧 130 Nm ⛽ 14.9 km/l
VS
Hyundai Tucson in South Africa

Hyundai Tucson

2.0D AT Executive AWD Diesel Automatic
ZAR 764,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 137 kW 🔧 416 Nm ⛽ 13.9 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

⚡ Performance Tucson
⛽ Fuel Economy Jimny 5-Door
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tucson
🔑 Ownership Jimny 5-Door
Jimny 5-Door starts ZAR 568900 cheaper Jimny 5-Door from ZAR 439,900 · Tucson from ZAR 568,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Jimny 5-Door Tucson
Engine Power 75 kW 137 kW
Torque 130 Nm 416 Nm
Engine Size 1462 cc 1995 cc
Claimed Mileage 14.9 km/l 13.9 km/l
Ground Clearance 210 mm 181 mm
Boot / Load Bay 85 l 540 l
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1170 kg 1720 kg
Seating Capacity 4 5
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Tucson has a slight advantage, but Jimny 5-Door remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tucson +37 pts
Efficiency Jimny 5-Door +1 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Tucson +28 pts
Ownership Jimny 5-Door +6 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Jimny 5-Door

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency
🏆 Overall Winner

Tucson

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Jimny 5-Door

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Tucson

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Jimny 5-Door Tucson
Model Introduced Year 2025 2004
Generation Fourth-generation Jimny five-door — JB74W. Uses identical powertrain, ladder-frame chassis, AllGrip Pro 4x4 system, and suspension geometry as the JB74 two-door. Body extended 360mm longer with full rear doors and a longer wheelbase Fourth generation Tucson on Hyundai's i-GMP platform; distinctive parametric design language makes it one of the more striking mid-size SUVs in SA
Facelift History Two-door Jimny (JB74) returned to SA market in 2021 after a nine-year absence. Five-door variant (JB74W) launched globally in 2023 and introduced in South Africa in 2025 as a distinct model — not a trim level of the two-door. Fourth generation launched in SA in 2021; major step change in styling, interior quality, and technology over the third-gen car
Facelift Launched Since 2025 2021
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note Kinetic Yellow, Bluish Black Pearl, Solid White, Granite Grey Metallic, Chili Red, Brisk Blue Metallic White, Black, Silver, Blue, Grey, Green
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup Executive grade in the South Africa lineup
Drivetrain Note Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 1.5 GLX AllGrip AT Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.0D AT Executive AWD
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published published
Segment SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Jimny 5-Door Tucson
Ground Clearance 210 mm 181 mm
Wheelbase 2250 mm 2755 mm
Length 3985 mm 4630 mm
Width 1645 mm 1865 mm
Height 1720 mm 1665 mm
Kerb Weight 1170 kg 1720 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 1555 kg 2110 kg
Seating Capacity 4 5
Boot Space 85 l 540 l
Towing Capacity 1300 kg -
Front Track Width 1265 mm -
Rear Track Width 1265 mm -
Turning Radius 4.9 m 5.4 m
Load Bed Length 85 l 540 l
Load Bed Width - -
Front Legroom 900 mm -
Rear Legroom 600 mm -
Front Headroom 990 mm -
Rear Headroom 910 mm -
Front Shoulder Room 1270 mm -
Rear Shoulder Room 1155 mm -
Boot Space Seats Folded 377 l 1799 l
Number of Doors 3 5
Max Payload 455 kg -
Boot Volume 85 l 540 l
Doors 3 5
Seats 4 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 40 l 54 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 1555 kg 2110 kg
Ground Clearance Max 210 mm 181 mm
Ground Clearance Min 210 mm 181 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 210 mm 181 mm
Height Mm 1720 mm 1665 mm
Length Mm 3985 mm 4630 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 85 l 540 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg 455 kg -
Cargo Volume 85 l 540 l
Tare Mass Kg 1170 kg 1720 kg
Turning Circle 4.9 m 5.4 m
Turning Circle M 4.9 m 5.4 m
Width Mm 1645 mm 1865 mm
Boot Space Seats Folded 377 l 1799 l

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tucson leads by 14 points

Tucson has a slight advantage, but Jimny 5-Door remains highly competitive.

Winner 72 /100
Lead 14 points
Data 91% confidence
72
#1 Winner

Tucson

91% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Efficiency 56
Performance 69
Efficiency 56
Safety 92
Practicality 73
Ownership 65
Leads by 14 points
58
#2

Jimny 5-Door

98% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 32
Performance 32
Efficiency 57
Safety 92
Practicality 45
Ownership 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tucson +37 Efficiency Jimny 5-Door +1 Safety Level Practicality Tucson +28 Ownership Jimny 5-Door +6

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tucson

Performance 69/100
Efficiency 56/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 73/100
Ownership 65/100

Jimny 5-Door

Performance 32/100
Efficiency 57/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 45/100
Ownership 71/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Hyundai Tucson wins with 72 pts vs 58 pts for Jimny 5-Door

In structured scoring, Tucson emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Jimny 5-Door may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

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Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Tucson edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Jimny 5-Door 57 vs Tucson 56. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Jimny 5-Door 92, Tucson 92. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Jimny 5-Door 71, Tucson 65. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Jimny 5-Door 45, Tucson 73. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Jimny 5-Door 32, Tucson 69. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Tucson edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tucson scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Jimny 5-Door and Tucson in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Jimny 5-Door scores 32 vs 69.

Efficiency: Jimny 5-Door scores 57 vs 56.

Safety: Jimny 5-Door scores 92 vs 92.

Practicality: Jimny 5-Door scores 45 vs 73.

Ownership: Jimny 5-Door scores 71 vs 65.

Final structured scoring gives Tucson the advantage in this comparison.