KIA K2500 vs Suzuki Super Carry

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
Suzuki Super Carry in South Africa

Suzuki Super Carry

1.2 Flatdeck MT Petrol Manual
ZAR 209,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 59 kW 🔧 104 Nm ⛽ 17.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance K2500
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Super Carry
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Tie
Super Carry starts ZAR 424995 cheaper K2500 from ZAR 424,995 · Super Carry from ZAR 197,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec K2500 Super Carry
Engine Power 70 kW 59
Torque 225 Nm 104
Engine Size 2498 1196
Claimed Mileage 9.5 17.2
Ground Clearance 195 175
Boot Space N/A 0
Airbags 0 1 — Driver Only
Kerb Weight 1980 850
Seating Capacity 3 2
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Super Carry

35
/ 100
+1
pts
#2

K2500

34
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance K2500 +2 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Super Carry +3 pts
Practicality Equal
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Super Carry

Performance 5/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 3/20
Practicality 7/20
Ownership 20/20

K2500

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

K2500

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: Highway Driving
🏆 Overall Winner

Super Carry

Strengths
  • Stronger safety package
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

Super Carry

  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec K2500 Super Carry
Engine 2.5 J2T Inline-4 Turbodiesel 1.2L GB14 4-Cylinder Petrol
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Turbodiesel Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated
Engine Type Config Inline 4 Cylinder (I4) OHV 8-Valve Turbodiesel Available
Engine Code J2T GB14
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 8 4
Displacement 2498 1196
Engine Displacement 2498 Available
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Naturally Aspirated
Turbocharger Yes Not Applicable
Cylinder Bore 91.0 68.5
Piston Stroke 96.0 81.3
Compression Ratio 18.0:1 9.5:1
Fuel System Direct Injection Turbodiesel Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI)
Fuel Grade Required B7 Diesel 93 RON Unleaded Petrol
Variable Valve Timing No Not Available — Fixed Cam Timing
Engine Position Front Transverse Transverse Front-Mounted
Engine Oil Capacity 8.0 3.0
Power 70 kW 59
Power 94 80
Power @ RPM 3,600 rpm 6,000 rpm
Torque 225 Nm 104
Torque @ RPM 1,500 rpm 2,900 rpm
Maximum Engine RPM 4,000 rpm 6200
0–100 km/h N/A Available
0-100 km/h N/A 20.0
Top Speed 140 120
EV Range N/A Available
Battery Capacity N/A Available
Charging Port N/A Available
AC Charging Time N/A Available
Spec K2500 Super Carry
Valves Per Cylinder 2 Available
Intercooler Yes Available
Launch Control No Available
Rev Matching No Available
Performance Data Logger No Available
Fuel Consumption Combined 10.5 Available
Engine Start Stop No Available
Engine Start Stop Button No Available
Engine Start Button Illumination No Available
Engine Check Warning Yes Available
Gear Shift Type Manual Available
Ground Clearance Unladen 195 Available
Drag Coefficient 0.46 Available
Payload Capacity 1520 Available
Stabilizer Bar Yes Available
Steering Response Normal Available
Skid Plates No Available
Side Steps No Available
Spare Wheel Full-Size Spare Available
Tyre Repair Kit No Available
Seatbelt Pre Tensioner Yes Available
Seatbelt Reminder Yes Available
Stability Control No Available
Hill Start Assist No Available
Speed Limiter Yes Not Available
Speed Alert System No Available
Impact Sensing Door Unlock Yes Available
Adaptive Dampers No Available
Wireless Charging No Not Available
Voice Command No Available
Voice Command Support No Available
Driver Display Analogue Cluster Available
Heads Up Display No Not Available
Tachometer Yes Available
Trip Computer Yes Available
Multi Function Steering No Available
Steering Mounted Controls No Available
AC Type No Air Conditioning Manual Air Conditioning
Climate Control No Manual Air Conditioning (Optional Fitment)
Climate Zones 1 1
Glovebox Cooling No Available
Seat Type Vinyl Seats Available
Driver Seat Height Adjustment No Not Available
Rear Seat Split No Available
Headrest Adjustable Yes Available
Front Armrest No Available
Vanity Mirror No Available
12V Accessory Socket Yes 1 x 12V Socket
Front Power Outlet No 150
Rear Reading Lamps No Available
Keyless Entry No Not Available
Push Button Start No Not Available
Push Button Start No Not Available
Remote Engine Start No Available
Door Ajar Warning Yes Available
Fuel Lid Opener Manual Available
Boot Opener Manual Available
Power Windows No Not Available — Manual Windows
Power Mirrors No 150
Electric Folding Mirrors No Available
Electric Mirror Folding No Manual Fold
Auto Dimming Irvm No Available
Auto Dimming Mirror No Not Available
Rain Sensing Wipers No Not Available
Rear Window Defroster No Standard
Rear Defogger No Available
Follow Me Home Headlamps No Not Available
Tail Lamps Halogen Available
Automatic Headlamps No Not Available
Headlamp Height Adjust Yes Available
Headlamp Washer No Available
Sunroof No Not Available
Panoramic Roof No Not Available
Roof Antenna Yes Available
Rear Wing No Available
Aero Kit No Available
Chrome Grille No Available
Chrome Exterior Highlights No Available
Ride Mode Selection No Available
Electric Tailgate No Not Available
Engine Warranty 5 Years / 150,000 km Available
Service Plan 1 Year / 15,000 km Available
Service Reminder Yes Available
Exhaust Finish - Available
Exhaust Type - Available
Telescopic Steering - Available
Tilt Steering - Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Suzuki Super Carry wins with 35 pts vs 34 pts for K2500

In structured scoring, Super Carry emerges as the stronger overall package. However, K2500 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 Super Carry 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 Super Carry 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, Super Carry 3. 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, Super Carry 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, Super Carry 7. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

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

The Super Carry 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 Super Carry 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 3.

Practicality: K2500 scores 7 vs 7.

Ownership: K2500 scores 20 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Super Carry the advantage in this comparison.