Lexus NX vs Mitsubishi Outlander

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.

Lexus NX in South Africa

Lexus NX

NX 350 F SPORT Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,276,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 205 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
VS
Mitsubishi Outlander in South Africa

Mitsubishi Outlander

2.5L Exceed CVT Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 819,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 135 kW 🔧 245 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance NX
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety NX
📦 Practicality NX
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Outlander starts ZAR 314,205 cheaper NX from ZAR 1,074,200 · Outlander from ZAR 759,995

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec NX Outlander
Maximum Power 205 kW @ 6000 rpm 135 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 430 Nm 245 Nm @ 3600 rpm
Engine Size 2400 cc 2488 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 12.3 km/l 12.3 km/l
Ground Clearance 195 mm 210 mm
Boot / Load Bay 520 l 205 l
Airbags Side,Curtain,Driver,Passenger,Driver Knee 7
Kerb Weight - 1690 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Warranty 7 years / 105,000km 3 years / 100,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

NX has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Outlander remains close.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance NX +27 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety NX +17 pts
Practicality NX +1 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

NX

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

Outlander

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

NX

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Outlander

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec NX Outlander
Model Introduced Year 2023 2022
Generation Second-generation Lexus NX mid-size luxury SUV Fourth-generation Outlander
Facelift History Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives Current 2026 South African specification including Edition 25.
Facelift Launched Since Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives Current specification
Facelift Version Ending Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17 Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published active
Segment Luxury SUV Medium seven-seat SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1760-1860 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec NX Outlander
Length 4660 mm 4710 mm
Width 1865 mm 1862 mm
Height 1670 mm 1745 mm
Wheelbase 2690 mm 2706 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 195 mm 210 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 55 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 520 l 205 l
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2370 kg 2355 kg
Towing Capacity 1000 kg 1600 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.8 m 5.5 m
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - Not Officially Disclosed
Kerb Weight - 1690 kg
Payload Capacity - 665 kg
Number of Rows - 3 rows
Front Headroom - 986 mm
Rear Headroom - 950 mm
Front Legroom - 1058 mm
Rear Legroom - 1014 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

NX leads by 12 points

NX has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Outlander remains close.

Index leader 75 /100
Lead 12 points
Data 70% source coverage
75
#1 Index leader

NX

70% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 86
Efficiency 49
Safety 93
Practicality 65
Leads by 12 points
63
#2

Outlander

78% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 76 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 59
Efficiency 49
Safety 76
Practicality 64
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance NX +27 Efficiency Level Safety NX +17 Practicality NX +1

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

NX

Performance 86/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 65/100

Outlander

Performance 59/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 76/100
Practicality 64/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Lexus NX leads the catalogue index with 75 pts vs 63 pts for Outlander

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, NX leads. However, Outlander 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 NX and Outlander 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: NX 86 vs Outlander 59.

Efficiency index: NX 49 vs Outlander 49.

Safety-equipment index: NX 93 vs Outlander 76.

Practicality index: NX 65 vs Outlander 64.

Ownership-cover index: NX not separately scored vs Outlander 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.