Mitsubishi Pajero Sport vs Hyundai Palisade

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.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Hyundai Palisade Discontinued model
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport in South Africa

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

2.4L DI-DC 8-speed A/T 4X4 Exceed Diesel 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 904,990 ex-showroom
⚡ 133 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
VS
Hyundai Palisade in South Africa

Hyundai Palisade

2.2D Elite AWD 8AT 7-Seater Diesel Discontinued model
ZAR 1,204,500 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 142 kW 🔧 440 Nm ⛽ 8.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport vs Hyundai Palisade: the short answer

Palisade has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Pajero Sport remains close.

Recorded price context Pajero Sport: current from ZAR 789,990 · Palisade: last listed from ZAR 1,204,500

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Pajero Sport Palisade
Maximum Power Pajero Sport133 kW @ 3500 rpm Palisade142 kW
Maximum Torque Pajero Sport430 Nm @ 2500 rpm Palisade440 Nm
Engine Size Pajero Sport2442 cc Palisade2199 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Pajero Sport12.3 km/l Palisade8.2 km/l
Ground Clearance Pajero Sport218 mm Palisade203 mm

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

Evidence for Hyundai Palisade 2.2D Elite AWD 8AT 7-Seater

Source type: South Africa

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Pajero Sport

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

Palisade

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

Which One's Right for You?

Pajero Sport

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Palisade

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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Pajero Sport Palisade
Model Introduced Year 2017 Not confirmed
Generation Third-generation Pajero Sport, 2025 facelift Not confirmed
Facelift History South African facelift launched in May 2025. Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle.
Facelift Launched Since Current specification Not confirmed
Facelift Version Ending Current Not confirmed
Body Style SUV Seven-seat SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active Not confirmed
Segment Seven-seat ladder-frame SUV Not confirmed
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Not confirmed
Tare Mass Kg - 1952 kg
Spec Pajero Sport Palisade
Length 4825 mm Not confirmed
Width 1815 mm Not confirmed
Height 1805 mm Not confirmed
Wheelbase 2800 mm Not confirmed
Ground Clearance (Default) 218 mm 203 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 190 mm Not confirmed
Fuel Tank Capacity 68 l 71 l
Boot/Cargo Space 193 l Not confirmed
Kerb Weight 2080 kg 1952 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2775 kg Not confirmed
Payload Capacity 695 kg Not confirmed
Towing Capacity 2850 kg 2200 kg
Seating Capacity 7 seats 7 seats
Number of Rows 3 rows Not confirmed
Doors 5 doors Not confirmed
Minimum Turning Radius 5.6 m Not confirmed
Front Headroom 1022 mm Not confirmed
Rear Headroom 957 mm Not confirmed
Front Legroom 1067 mm Not confirmed
Rear Legroom 880 mm Not confirmed

In depth: how these cars differ

This Pajero Sport and Palisade 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: Pajero Sport 65 vs Palisade 74.

Efficiency index: Pajero Sport 49 vs Palisade 40.

Safety-equipment index: Pajero Sport 72 vs Palisade 90.

Practicality index: Pajero Sport 71 vs Palisade 79.

Ownership-cover index: Pajero Sport not separately scored vs Palisade 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.

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

Palisade leads by 8 points

Palisade has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Pajero Sport remains close.

Evidence leader 73 /100
Lead 8 points
Data 51% source coverage
73
#1 Evidence leader

Palisade

51% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 90 Check Efficiency 40
Performance 74
Efficiency 40
Safety 90
Practicality 79
Leads by 8 points
65
#2

Pajero Sport

83% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 72 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 65
Efficiency 49
Safety 72
Practicality 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Palisade +9 Efficiency Pajero Sport +9 Safety Palisade +18 Practicality Palisade +8

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Palisade

Performance 74/100
Efficiency 40/100
Safety 90/100
Practicality 79/100

Pajero Sport

Performance 65/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 72/100
Practicality 71/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Hyundai Palisade leads the specification evidence index with 73 pts vs 65 pts for Pajero Sport

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Palisade leads. However, Pajero Sport may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Pajero Sport vs Palisade questions

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.