Nissan Magnite vs Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

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.

Nissan Magnite in South Africa

Nissan Magnite

1.0 Acenta Plus EZ-Shift Petrol Current
ZAR 323,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 53 kW 🔧 96 Nm ⛽ 16.9 km/l
VS
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport in South Africa

Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

Exceed 1.5L CVT Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 499,990 ex-showroom
⚡ 77 kW 🔧 141 Nm ⛽ 16.1 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Outlander Sport
Fuel Economy Magnite
🛡 Safety Magnite
📦 Practicality Outlander Sport
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Magnite starts ZAR 220,090 cheaper Magnite from ZAR 229,900 · Outlander Sport from ZAR 449,990

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Magnite Outlander Sport
Maximum Power 53 kW @ 6250 rpm 77 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 96 Nm @ 3500 rpm 141 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Engine Size 999 cc 1499 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 16.9 km/l 16.1 km/l
Ground Clearance 205 mm 193 mm
Boot / Load Bay 336 l 480 l
Airbags 6 airbags 6
Kerb Weight 1007 kg 1250 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 6 years / 150,000 km 5 years / unlimited km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Magnite and Outlander Sport are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Outlander Sport +14 pts
Efficiency Magnite +3 pts
Safety Magnite +13 pts
Practicality Outlander Sport +3 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Magnite

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency
Catalogue-index leader

Outlander Sport

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

Magnite

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

Outlander Sport

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Magnite Outlander Sport
Model Introduced Year 2021 2025
Generation First generation Magnite arrived in SA in 2021 — Nissan's entry into the growing budget compact SUV segment First South African Outlander Sport generation, Mitsubishi Xforce architecture
Facelift History 2023 facelift refreshed the grille, interior trims, and added safety upgrades Introduced locally in January 2025 and replaced ASX.
Facelift Launched Since 2023 Current specification
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note Brick Red, Storm White, Pearl White, Onyx Black, Gun Grey, Blade Silver -
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup -
Drivetrain Note Front-wheel drive confirmed by Nissan South Africa derivative/specification data -
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active active
Segment Compact SUV Compact SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1007 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec Magnite Outlander Sport
Length 3995 mm 4390 mm
Width 1758 mm 1810 mm
Height 1571 mm 1660 mm
Wheelbase 2500 mm 2650 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 205 mm 193 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 40 l 42 l
Boot/Cargo Space 336 l 480 l
Kerb Weight 1007 kg 1250 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1399 kg 1730 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5 m 5.2 m
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - Not Officially Disclosed
Payload Capacity - 480 kg
Towing Capacity - 0 kg
Number of Rows - 2 rows
Front Headroom - 950 mm
Rear Headroom - 880 mm
Front Legroom - 1050 mm
Rear Legroom - 370 mm

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Outlander Sport leads by 1 points

Magnite and Outlander Sport are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 57 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 79% source coverage
57
#1 Index leader

Outlander Sport

79% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 73 Check Performance 30
Performance 30
Efficiency 62
Safety 73
Practicality 67
Leads by 1 points
56
#2

Magnite

67% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 86 Check Performance 16
Performance 16
Efficiency 65
Safety 86
Practicality 64
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Outlander Sport +14 Efficiency Magnite +3 Safety Magnite +13 Practicality Outlander Sport +3

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Outlander Sport

Performance 30/100
Efficiency 62/100
Safety 73/100
Practicality 67/100

Magnite

Performance 16/100
Efficiency 65/100
Safety 86/100
Practicality 64/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport leads the catalogue index with 57 pts vs 56 pts for Magnite

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Outlander Sport leads. However, Magnite may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. 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

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.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This Magnite and Outlander Sport 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: Magnite 16 vs Outlander Sport 30.

Efficiency index: Magnite 65 vs Outlander Sport 62.

Safety-equipment index: Magnite 86 vs Outlander Sport 73.

Practicality index: Magnite 64 vs Outlander Sport 67.

Ownership-cover index: Magnite not separately scored vs Outlander Sport 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.