Nissan NP200 vs Ford Puma

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 NP200 in South Africa

Nissan NP200

1.6 Safety Pack Manual Petrol Manual
ZAR 284,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 65 kW 🔧 147 Nm ⛽ 12.5 km/l
VS
Ford Puma in South Africa

Ford Puma

1.0T EcoBoost ST-Line Automatic Petrol Automatic
ZAR 459,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 92 kW 🔧 170 Nm ⛽ 16.4 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Puma
Fuel Economy Puma
🛡 Safety Puma
📦 Practicality Puma
🔑 Ownership Tie
NP200 starts ZAR 389900 cheaper NP200 from ZAR 224,900 · Puma from ZAR 389,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec NP200 Puma
Engine Power 65 92
Torque 147 170
Engine Size 1598 999
Claimed Mileage 12.5 16.4
Ground Clearance 185 170
Boot Space Not Applicable 456
Airbags 4 8
Kerb Weight 915 1325
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 3

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Puma

61
/ 100
+16
pts
#2

NP200

45
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

Puma holds a noticeable edge over NP200, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Puma +2 pts
Efficiency Puma +1 pts
Safety Puma +8 pts
Practicality Puma +5 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Puma

Performance 8/20
Efficiency 9/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 12/20

NP200

Performance 6/20
Efficiency 8/20
Safety 12/20
Practicality 7/20
Ownership 12/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

NP200

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

Puma

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

NP200

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Puma

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec NP200 Puma
Ground Clearance 185 170
Wheelbase 2400 2594
Length 4535 4186
Width 1615 1805
Height 1530 1531
Kerb Weight 915 1325
Gross Vehicle Weight 1570 1775
Seating Capacity 2 5
Boot Space Not Applicable 456
Towing Capacity 500 1200
Front Track Width 1390 1541
Rear Track Width 1385 1534
Turning Radius 5.5 5.4
Load Bed Length 1815 Available
Load Bed Width 1530 Available
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Front Legroom Available Available
Rear Legroom Available Available
Front Headroom Available Available
Rear Headroom Available Available
Front Shoulder Room Available Available
Rear Shoulder Room Available Available
Max Payload Available Available
Boot Volume Available Available
Doors Available Available
Seats Available Available
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec NP200 Puma
Engine 1.6L Naturally Aspirated Petrol 1.0L EcoBoost Mild Hybrid
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Inline 3 Cylinder Turbo Mild Hybrid
Displacement 1598 999
Cylinders 4 3
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
Power 65 92
Power @ RPM 5200 rpm 6000 rpm
Torque 147 170
Torque @ RPM 2800 rpm 2000-4500 rpm
Fuel System Multi-Point Injection Direct Injection
Turbocharger Not Available Single Turbo
Top Speed 155 185
0-100 km/h 14.5 10.5
Compression Ratio 9.5:1 10.5:1
Engine Position Front Longitudinal Front Transverse
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard Standard
Cylinder Bore 82.0 82.0
Piston Stroke 92.0 92.0
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Engine Oil Capacity Available Available
Power 150 150
Variable Valve Timing Available Available
Maximum Engine RPM Available Available
Engine Type Config Available Available
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Ford Puma wins with 61 pts vs 45 pts for NP200

In structured scoring, Puma emerges as the stronger overall package. However, NP200 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 Puma 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: NP200 8 vs Puma 9. 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: NP200 12, Puma 20. 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: NP200 12, Puma 12. 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: NP200 7, Puma 12. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: NP200 6, Puma 8. 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 Puma edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Puma 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 NP200 and Puma in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: NP200 scores 6 vs 8.

Efficiency: NP200 scores 8 vs 9.

Safety: NP200 scores 12 vs 20.

Practicality: NP200 scores 7 vs 12.

Ownership: NP200 scores 12 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives Puma the advantage in this comparison.