Hyundai Kona vs Mahindra XUV700

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.

Hyundai Kona Discontinued model
Hyundai Kona in South Africa

Hyundai Kona

1.0T DCT Executive Petrol 7-Speed DCT Discontinued model
ZAR 565,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 15.5 km/l
VS
Mahindra XUV700 in South Africa

Mahindra XUV700

AX7L BE Automatic Petrol 6-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 627,899 ex-showroom
⚡ 149 kW 🔧 380 Nm ⛽ 13 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Hyundai Kona vs Mahindra XUV700: the short answer

Kona and XUV700 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context Kona: last listed from ZAR 459,900 · XUV700: current from ZAR 495,199

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Kona XUV700
Maximum Power Kona88 kW @ 5500 rpm XUV700149 kW @ 5000 rpm
Maximum Torque Kona172 Nm @ 1500 rpm XUV700380 Nm
Engine Size Kona998 cc XUV7001997 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Kona15.5 km/l XUV70013 km/l
Ground Clearance Kona165 mm XUV700200 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

Evidence for Hyundai Kona 1.0T DCT Executive

Source type: Hagalu catalogue record

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Kona

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Efficiency
Specification evidence leader

XUV700

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

Which One's Right for You?

Kona

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

XUV700

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • 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 Kona XUV700
Model Introduced Year 2018 Not Available
Generation Second generation Kona on Hyundai's K2 GEN platform; the design is more conservative than the first gen but better resolved Current local listing
Facelift History Second generation launched globally in 2023 and brought to SA; softened styling compared to the sharper first gen, improved interior quality and tech Not listed by current South African source page.
Facelift Launched Since 2023 Original current-generation version
Tare Mass Kg 1460 kg 2040 kg
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Model Year Not confirmed Current
Production Status Not confirmed Active
Segment Not confirmed SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Spec Kona XUV700
Length 4355 mm 4695 mm
Width 1825 mm 1890 mm
Height 1570 mm 1755 mm
Wheelbase 2660 mm 2750 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 165 mm 200 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 60 l
Boot/Cargo Space 466 l 240 l
Kerb Weight 1460 kg 2040 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Doors 5 doors -

In depth: how these cars differ

This Kona and XUV700 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: Kona 40 vs XUV700 66.

Efficiency index: Kona 62 vs XUV700 53.

Safety-equipment index: Kona 87 vs XUV700 94.

Practicality index: Kona 67 vs XUV700 67.

Ownership-cover index: Kona 65 vs XUV700 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.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

XUV700 leads by 7 points

Kona and XUV700 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 71 /100
Lead 7 points
Data 58% source coverage
71
#1 Evidence leader

XUV700

58% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 53
Performance 66
Efficiency 53
Safety 94
Practicality 67
Leads by 7 points
64
#2

Kona

89% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 87 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 62
Safety 87
Practicality 67
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance XUV700 +26 Efficiency Kona +9 Safety XUV700 +7 Practicality Level

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

XUV700

Performance 66/100
Efficiency 53/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 67/100

Kona

Performance 40/100
Efficiency 62/100
Safety 87/100
Practicality 67/100
Ownership 65/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Mahindra XUV700 leads the specification evidence index with 71 pts vs 64 pts for Kona

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, XUV700 leads. However, Kona may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Related comparisons

Continue with closely related South African models and comparable body styles.

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XUV700 vs HR-V →

Kona vs XUV700 questions

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.