Mitsubishi Pajero Sport vs Hyundai Staria Panelvan

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

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 Staria Panelvan in South Africa

Hyundai Staria Panelvan

2.2D Panel Van 8AT Diesel Current
ZAR 699,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 130 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 11.5 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport vs Hyundai Staria Panelvan: the short answer

Pajero Sport and Staria Panelvan are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Staria Panelvan starts ZAR 90,090 cheaper Pajero Sport from ZAR 789,990 · Staria Panelvan from ZAR 699,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Pajero Sport Staria Panelvan
Maximum Power Pajero Sport133 kW @ 3500 rpm Staria Panelvan130 kW
Maximum Torque Pajero Sport430 Nm @ 2500 rpm Staria Panelvan430 Nm
Engine Size Pajero Sport2442 cc Staria Panelvan2199 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Pajero Sport12.3 km/l Staria Panelvan11.5 km/l
Ground Clearance Pajero Sport218 mm Staria Panelvan186 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Pajero Sport

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

Staria Panelvan

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

Which One's Right for You?

Pajero Sport

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

Staria Panelvan

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Pajero Sport Staria Panelvan
Model Introduced Year 2017 Current local generation year not confirmed
Generation Third-generation Pajero Sport, 2025 facelift Current South African Staria Panelvan listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data.
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 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV Panel van
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active active
Segment Seven-seat ladder-frame SUV Van
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Van
Color Note - Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering.
Dealer Stock Note - Base grade in the South Africa lineup
Tare Mass Kg - 1990+ kg
Spec Pajero Sport Staria Panelvan
Length 4825 mm 5253 mm
Width 1815 mm 1997 mm
Height 1805 mm 1990 mm
Wheelbase 2800 mm 3273 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 218 mm 186 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 190 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity 68 l 75 l
Boot/Cargo Space 193 l 4935 l
Kerb Weight 2080 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2775 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Payload Capacity 695 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Towing Capacity 2850 kg 2500 kg
Seating Capacity 7 seats 3 seats
Number of Rows 3 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.6 m Not Officially Disclosed
Front Headroom 1022 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom 957 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Front Legroom 1067 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom 880 mm Not Officially Disclosed

In depth: how these cars differ

This Pajero Sport and Staria Panelvan comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. 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 Staria Panelvan 67.

Efficiency index: Pajero Sport 49 vs Staria Panelvan 51.

Safety-equipment index: Pajero Sport 72 vs Staria Panelvan 89.

Practicality index: Pajero Sport 71 vs Staria Panelvan 72.

Ownership-cover index: Pajero Sport not separately scored vs Staria Panelvan 65.

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

Staria Panelvan leads by 5 points

Pajero Sport and Staria Panelvan are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 70 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 71% source coverage
70
#1 Evidence leader

Staria Panelvan

71% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 89 Check Efficiency 51
Performance 67
Efficiency 51
Safety 89
Practicality 72
Ownership 65
Leads by 5 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 Staria Panelvan +2 Efficiency Staria Panelvan +2 Safety Staria Panelvan +17 Practicality Staria Panelvan +1

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Staria Panelvan

Performance 67/100
Efficiency 51/100
Safety 89/100
Practicality 72/100
Ownership 65/100

Pajero Sport

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Hyundai Staria Panelvan leads the specification evidence index with 70 pts vs 65 pts for Pajero Sport

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Staria Panelvan 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 Staria Panelvan questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa 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.