Mitsubishi Pajero Sport vs Volkswagen Tayron

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
Volkswagen Tayron in South Africa

Volkswagen Tayron

1.4 TSI 110kW R-Line DSG Petrol Current
ZAR 899,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 110 kW 🔧 250 Nm ⛽ 14.5 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport vs Volkswagen Tayron: the short answer

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

Pajero Sport starts ZAR 9,010 cheaper Pajero Sport from ZAR 789,990 · Tayron from ZAR 799,000

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Pajero Sport Tayron
Maximum Power Pajero Sport133 kW @ 3500 rpm Tayron110 kW
Maximum Torque Pajero Sport430 Nm @ 2500 rpm Tayron250 Nm
Engine Size Pajero Sport2442 cc Tayron1400 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Pajero Sport12.3 km/l Tayron14.5 km/l
Ground Clearance Pajero Sport218 mm Tayron201 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Pajero Sport

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance
Specification evidence leader

Tayron

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

Pajero Sport

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures

Tayron

  • 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 Tayron
Model Introduced Year 2017 Current local generation year not confirmed
Generation Third-generation Pajero Sport, 2025 facelift Current South African Tayron 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 SUV
Model Year 2026 Current
Production Status active published
Segment Seven-seat ladder-frame SUV SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle SUV
Color Note - Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering.
Dealer Stock Note - Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Drivetrain Note - 4x2 configuration for the local line-up
Tare Mass Kg - 1640 kg
Spec Pajero Sport Tayron
Length 4825 mm 4770 mm
Width 1815 mm 1852 mm
Height 1805 mm 1660 mm
Wheelbase 2800 mm 2791 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 218 mm 201 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 190 mm -
Fuel Tank Capacity 68 l -
Boot/Cargo Space 193 l -
Kerb Weight 2080 kg 1640 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2775 kg -
Payload Capacity 695 kg -
Towing Capacity 2850 kg -
Seating Capacity 7 seats 7 seats
Number of Rows 3 rows -
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.6 m -
Front Headroom 1022 mm -
Rear Headroom 957 mm -
Front Legroom 1067 mm -
Rear Legroom 880 mm -

In depth: how these cars differ

This Pajero Sport and Tayron 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 Tayron 46.

Efficiency index: Pajero Sport 49 vs Tayron 58.

Safety-equipment index: Pajero Sport 72 vs Tayron 81.

Practicality index: Pajero Sport 71 vs Tayron 84.

Ownership-cover index: Pajero Sport not separately scored vs Tayron 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

Tayron leads by 2 points

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

Evidence leader 67 /100
Lead 2 points
Data 51% source coverage
67
#1 Evidence leader

Tayron

51% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Practicality 84 Check Performance 46
Performance 46
Efficiency 58
Safety 81
Practicality 84
Leads by 2 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 Pajero Sport +19 Efficiency Tayron +9 Safety Tayron +9 Practicality Tayron +13

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Tayron

Performance 46/100
Efficiency 58/100
Safety 81/100
Practicality 84/100

Pajero Sport

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Volkswagen Tayron leads the specification evidence index with 67 pts vs 65 pts for Pajero Sport

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Tayron 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 Tayron 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.