LEPAS L4 vs Volkswagen T-Roc

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

LEPAS L4 in South Africa

LEPAS L4

1.5T Pantera 6DCT Petrol 6-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 419,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 108 kW 🔧 225 Nm ⛽ 14.3 km/l
VS
Volkswagen T-Roc in South Africa

Volkswagen T-Roc

2.0 TSI 140kW 4Motion R-Line DSG Petrol 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 760,100 ex-showroom
⚡ 140 kW 🔧 320 Nm ⛽ 15.9 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

LEPAS L4 vs Volkswagen T-Roc: the short answer

L4 and T-Roc are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

L4 starts ZAR 349,000 cheaper L4 from ZAR 299,900 · T-Roc from ZAR 648,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification L4 T-Roc
Maximum Power L4108 kW @ 5500 rpm T-Roc140 kW
Maximum Torque L4225 Nm @ 2000-4000 rpm T-Roc320 Nm
Engine Size L41499 cc T-Roc2000 cc
Combined Fuel Economy L414.3 km/l T-Roc15.9 km/l
Ground Clearance L4160 mm T-Roc168 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

L4

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

T-Roc

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

Which One's Right for You?

L4

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

T-Roc

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec L4 T-Roc
Model Introduced Year 2026 2021
Generation First-generation LEPAS L4 compact SUV Current first-generation T-Roc remains on sale while the second generation is prepared for South Africa
Facelift History The L4 launched as the first LEPAS model in South Africa in 2026. Volkswagen has confirmed the all-new second-generation T-Roc for the second half of 2026; local derivatives and prices are still pending
Facelift Launched Since 2026 Volkswagen has confirmed the all-new second-generation T-Roc for the second half of 2026; local derivatives and prices are still pending
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 Current
Production Status Active published
Segment Compact SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Color Note - White, Black, Silver, Grey, Blue, Red, Orange
Dealer Stock Note - Top grade in the South Africa lineup
Drivetrain Note - 4x4 configuration for the local line-up
Tare Mass Kg - 1400 kg
Spec L4 T-Roc
Length 4406 mm 4234 mm
Width 1820 mm 1819 mm
Height 1635 mm 1573 mm
Wheelbase 2700 mm 2593 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 160 mm 168 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 170 mm -
Fuel Tank Capacity 51 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 458 l 392 l
Kerb Weight 1346 kg 1400 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1844 kg 2020 kg
Payload Capacity 498 kg -
Towing Capacity 1200 kg 1200 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows -
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.275 m 5.4 m
Front Headroom 1005 mm -
Rear Headroom 975 mm -
Front Legroom 1040 mm -
Rear Legroom 890 mm -

In depth: how these cars differ

This L4 and T-Roc comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: L4 47 vs T-Roc 64.

Efficiency index: L4 56 vs T-Roc 61.

Safety-equipment index: L4 92 vs T-Roc 99.

Practicality index: L4 59 vs T-Roc 58.

Ownership-cover index: L4 not separately scored vs T-Roc 43.

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

T-Roc leads by 3 points

L4 and T-Roc are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 67 /100
Lead 3 points
Data 89% source coverage
67
#1 Evidence leader

T-Roc

89% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 99 Check Ownership 43
Performance 64
Efficiency 61
Safety 99
Practicality 58
Ownership 43
Leads by 3 points
64
#2

L4

83% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 47
Performance 47
Efficiency 56
Safety 92
Practicality 59
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance T-Roc +17 Efficiency T-Roc +5 Safety T-Roc +7 Practicality L4 +1

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

T-Roc

Performance 64/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 58/100
Ownership 43/100

L4

Performance 47/100
Efficiency 56/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 59/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Volkswagen T-Roc leads the specification evidence index with 67 pts vs 64 pts for L4

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, T-Roc leads. However, L4 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 Africa models and comparable body styles.

L4
L4
VS
C5 SHS
C5 SHS
L4 vs C5 SHS →
L4
L4
VS
HR-V
HR-V
L4 vs HR-V →
L4
L4
VS
Destinator
Destinator
L4 vs Destinator →
L4
L4
VS
Scorpio-N
Scorpio-N
L4 vs Scorpio-N →
L4
L4
VS
Duster
Duster
L4 vs Duster →
L4
L4
VS
X70 Plus
X70 Plus
L4 vs X70 Plus →
T-Roc
T-Roc
VS
C5 SHS
C5 SHS
T-Roc vs C5 SHS →
T-Roc
T-Roc
VS
HR-V
HR-V
T-Roc vs HR-V →

L4 vs T-Roc questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa 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.