Mitsubishi Outlander Sport vs Volkswagen T-Cross

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.

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
VS
Volkswagen T-Cross in South Africa

Volkswagen T-Cross

1.0 TSI 85kW R-Line DSG Petrol Current
ZAR 548,400 ex-showroom
⚡ 85 kW 🔧 175 Nm ⛽ 18.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance T-Cross
Fuel Economy T-Cross
🛡 Safety T-Cross
📦 Practicality Outlander Sport
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
T-Cross starts ZAR 50,090 cheaper Outlander Sport from ZAR 449,990 · T-Cross from ZAR 399,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Outlander Sport T-Cross
Maximum Power 77 kW @ 6000 rpm 85 kW
Maximum Torque 141 Nm @ 4000 rpm 175 Nm
Engine Size 1499 cc 1000 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 16.1 km/l 18.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 193 mm 188 mm
Boot / Load Bay 480 l 385 l
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1250 kg 1291 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 5 years / unlimited km 3 years / 120 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance T-Cross +4 pts
Efficiency T-Cross +7 pts
Safety T-Cross +8 pts
Practicality Outlander Sport +7 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Outlander Sport

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

T-Cross

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?

Outlander Sport

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

T-Cross

  • 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 Outlander Sport T-Cross
Model Introduced Year 2025 2020
Generation First South African Outlander Sport generation, Mitsubishi Xforce architecture First generation T-Cross on MQB-A0 platform
Facelift History Introduced locally in January 2025 and replaced ASX. Facelift in 2024 with updated features
Facelift Launched Since Current specification 2024
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 Current
Production Status active published
Segment Compact SUV SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle SUV
Color Note - White, Black, Silver, Grey, Blue, Red
Dealer Stock Note - Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Drivetrain Note - 4x2 configuration for the local line-up
Tare Mass Kg - 1291 kg
Spec Outlander Sport T-Cross
Length 4390 mm 4135 mm
Width 1810 mm 1760 mm
Height 1660 mm 1573 mm
Wheelbase 2650 mm 2551 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 193 mm 188 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed -
Fuel Tank Capacity 42 l 40 l
Boot/Cargo Space 480 l 385 l
Kerb Weight 1250 kg 1291 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1730 kg 1750 kg
Payload Capacity 480 kg -
Towing Capacity 0 kg 1200 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows -
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.2 m 10.6 m
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

T-Cross leads by 3 points

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

Index leader 60 /100
Lead 3 points
Data 63% source coverage
60
#1 Index leader

T-Cross

63% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 81 Check Performance 34
Performance 34
Efficiency 69
Safety 81
Practicality 60
Leads by 3 points
57
#2

Outlander Sport

79% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 73 Check Performance 30
Performance 30
Efficiency 62
Safety 73
Practicality 67
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance T-Cross +4 Efficiency T-Cross +7 Safety T-Cross +8 Practicality Outlander Sport +7

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

T-Cross

Performance 34/100
Efficiency 69/100
Safety 81/100
Practicality 60/100

Outlander Sport

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

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Volkswagen T-Cross leads the catalogue index with 60 pts vs 57 pts for Outlander Sport

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, T-Cross leads. However, Outlander Sport 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 Outlander Sport and T-Cross 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: Outlander Sport 30 vs T-Cross 34.

Efficiency index: Outlander Sport 62 vs T-Cross 69.

Safety-equipment index: Outlander Sport 73 vs T-Cross 81.

Practicality index: Outlander Sport 67 vs T-Cross 60.

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