KIA K2500 vs KIA K2700

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.

KIA K2500 in South Africa

KIA K2500

2.5TD Tipper Diesel Manual
ZAR 460,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 70 kW 🔧 225 Nm Nm ⛽ 9.5 km/l
VS
KIA K2700 in South Africa

KIA K2700

2.7D Workhorse Tipper Diesel Manual
ZAR 404,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 56 kW 🔧 152 Nm Nm ⛽ 10.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance K2500
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Tie
K2700 starts ZAR 424995 cheaper K2500 from ZAR 424,995 · K2700 from ZAR 351,995

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec K2500 K2700
Engine Power 70 kW 56 kW
Torque 225 Nm 152 Nm
Engine Size 2498 2665
Claimed Mileage 9.5 10.5
Ground Clearance 195 195
Boot Space N/A N/A
Airbags 0 0
Kerb Weight 1980 1880
Seating Capacity 3 2
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

K2500

34
/ 100
+2
pts
#2

K2700

32
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both K2500 and K2700 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance K2500 +2 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Equal
Practicality Equal
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

K2500

Performance 7/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 0/20
Practicality 7/20
Ownership 20/20

K2700

Performance 5/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 0/20
Practicality 7/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

K2500

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving

K2700

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

K2500

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power

K2700

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec K2500 K2700
Engine 2.5 J2T Inline-4 Turbodiesel 2.7 J2 Inline-4 Diesel Naturally Aspirated
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Turbodiesel Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated Diesel
Engine Type Config Inline 4 Cylinder (I4) OHV 8-Valve Turbodiesel Inline 4 Cylinder (I4) OHV 8-Valve Diesel
Engine Code J2T J2
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 8 8
Displacement 2498 2665
Engine Displacement 2498 2665
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Naturally Aspirated
Turbocharger Yes No
Cylinder Bore 91.0 94.0
Piston Stroke 96.0 96.0
Compression Ratio 18.0:1 20.0:1
Fuel System Direct Injection Turbodiesel Direct Injection
Fuel Grade Required B7 Diesel B7 Diesel
Variable Valve Timing No No
Engine Position Front Transverse Front Transverse
Engine Oil Capacity 8.0 7.5
Power 70 kW 56 kW
Power 94 75
Power @ RPM 3,600 rpm 3,200 rpm
Torque 225 Nm 152 Nm
Torque @ RPM 1,500 rpm 2,000 rpm
Maximum Engine RPM 4,000 rpm 3,500 rpm
0–100 km/h N/A N/A
0-100 km/h N/A N/A
Top Speed 140 130
EV Range N/A N/A
Battery Capacity N/A N/A
Charging Port N/A N/A
AC Charging Time N/A N/A
Spec K2500 K2700
Valves Per Cylinder 2 2
Intercooler Yes No
Launch Control No No
Rev Matching No No
Performance Data Logger No No
Fuel Consumption Combined 10.5 9.5
Engine Start Stop No No
Engine Start Stop Button No No
Engine Start Button Illumination No No
Engine Check Warning Yes Yes
Gear Shift Type Manual Manual
Ground Clearance Unladen 195 195
Drag Coefficient 0.46 0.45
Payload Capacity 1520 1220
Stabilizer Bar Yes Yes
Steering Response Normal Normal
Skid Plates No No
Side Steps No No
Spare Wheel Full-Size Spare Full-Size Spare
Tyre Repair Kit No No
Seatbelt Pre Tensioner Yes Yes
Seatbelt Reminder Yes Yes
Stability Control No No
Hill Start Assist No No
Speed Limiter Yes Yes
Speed Alert System No No
Impact Sensing Door Unlock Yes Yes
Adaptive Dampers No No
Wireless Charging No No
Voice Command No No
Voice Command Support No No
Driver Display Analogue Cluster Analogue Cluster
Heads Up Display No No
Tachometer Yes Yes
Trip Computer Yes Yes
Multi Function Steering No No
Steering Mounted Controls No No
AC Type No Air Conditioning No Air Conditioning
Climate Control No No
Climate Zones 1 1
Glovebox Cooling No No
Seat Type Vinyl Seats Vinyl Seats
Driver Seat Height Adjustment No No
Rear Seat Split No No
Headrest Adjustable Yes Yes
Front Armrest No No
Vanity Mirror No No
12V Accessory Socket Yes Yes
Front Power Outlet No No
Rear Reading Lamps No No
Keyless Entry No No
Push Button Start No No
Push Button Start No No
Remote Engine Start No No
Door Ajar Warning Yes Yes
Fuel Lid Opener Manual Manual
Boot Opener Manual Manual
Power Windows No No
Power Mirrors No No
Electric Folding Mirrors No No
Electric Mirror Folding No No
Auto Dimming Irvm No No
Auto Dimming Mirror No No
Rain Sensing Wipers No No
Rear Window Defroster No No
Rear Defogger No No
Follow Me Home Headlamps No No
Tail Lamps Halogen Halogen
Automatic Headlamps No No
Headlamp Height Adjust Yes Yes
Headlamp Washer No No
Sunroof No No
Panoramic Roof No No
Roof Antenna Yes Yes
Rear Wing No No
Aero Kit No No
Chrome Grille No No
Chrome Exterior Highlights No No
Ride Mode Selection No No
Electric Tailgate No No
Engine Warranty 5 Years / 150,000 km 5 Years / 150,000 km
Service Plan 1 Year / 15,000 km 1 Year / 15,000 km
Service Reminder Yes Yes

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 KIA K2500 wins with 34 pts vs 32 pts for K2700

In structured scoring, K2500 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, K2700 may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. 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

On our scoring the K2500 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: K2500 0 vs K2700 0. 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: K2500 0, K2700 0. 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: K2500 20, K2700 20. 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: K2500 7, K2700 7. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: K2500 7, K2700 5. 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 K2500 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The K2500 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 K2500 and K2700 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: K2500 scores 7 vs 5.

Efficiency: K2500 scores 0 vs 0.

Safety: K2500 scores 0 vs 0.

Practicality: K2500 scores 7 vs 7.

Ownership: K2500 scores 20 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives K2500 the advantage in this comparison.