KIA Pegas vs Ford Puma

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.

KIA Pegas in South Africa

KIA Pegas

1.4 EX Auto Petrol Automatic
ZAR 318,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 73 kW 🔧 132 Nm Nm ⛽ 16.9 km/l
VS
Ford Puma in South Africa

Ford Puma

1.0T EcoBoost ST-Line Automatic Petrol Automatic
ZAR 459,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 92 kW 🔧 170 Nm ⛽ 16.4 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Puma
Fuel Economy Puma
🛡 Safety Puma
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Pegas
Pegas starts ZAR 389900 cheaper Pegas from ZAR 292,995 · Puma from ZAR 389,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Pegas Puma
Engine Power 73 kW 92
Torque 132 Nm 170
Engine Size 1368 999
Claimed Mileage 16.9 16.4
Ground Clearance 148 170
Boot Space 502 456
Airbags 6 8
Kerb Weight 1130 1325
Seating Capacity 5 Available
Warranty 7 3

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Puma

61
/ 100
+5
pts
#2

Pegas

56
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both Pegas and Puma are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Puma +2 pts
Efficiency Puma +9 pts
Safety Puma +2 pts
Practicality Equal
Ownership Pegas +8 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Puma

Performance 8/20
Efficiency 9/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 12/20

Pegas

Performance 6/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Pegas

Strengths
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

Puma

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Pegas

  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Puma

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Pegas Puma
Engine 1.4 G4FA Inline-4 DOHC Petrol 1.0L EcoBoost Mild Hybrid
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated Inline 3 Cylinder Turbo Mild Hybrid
Engine Type Config Inline 4 Cylinder (I4) DOHC 16-Valve Available
Engine Code G4FA Standard
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Cylinders 4 3
Valves per Cylinder 16 4
Displacement 1368 999
Engine Displacement 1368 Available
Engine Aspiration Naturally Aspirated Turbocharged
Turbocharger No Single Turbo
Cylinder Bore 77.0 82.0
Piston Stroke 73.4 92.0
Compression Ratio 11.0:1 10.5:1
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection Direct Injection
Fuel Grade Required 93 Octane Petrol
Variable Valve Timing CVVT Available
Engine Position Front Transverse Front Transverse
Engine Oil Capacity 3.5 Available
Power 73 kW 92
Power 98 150
Power @ RPM 6,000 rpm 6000 rpm
Torque 132 Nm 170
Torque @ RPM 4,200 rpm 2000-4500 rpm
Maximum Engine RPM 6,500 rpm Available
0–100 km/h 11.5 Available
0-100 km/h 11.5 10.5
Top Speed 172 185
EV Range N/A Available
Battery Capacity N/A Available
Charging Port N/A Available
AC Charging Time N/A Available
Spec Pegas Puma
Valves Per Cylinder 4 Available
Intercooler No Available
Launch Control No Available
Rev Matching No Available
Performance Data Logger No Available
Fuel Consumption Combined 5.9 Available
Engine Start Stop No Available
Engine Start Stop Button Yes Available
Engine Start Button Illumination Yes Available
Engine Check Warning Yes Available
Gear Shift Type Automatic Available
Ground Clearance Unladen 148 Available
Drag Coefficient 0.34 Available
Payload Capacity N/A 500
Stabilizer Bar Yes Available
Steering Response Normal Available
Skid Plates No Available
Side Steps No Available
Spare Wheel Temporary Spare Available
Tyre Repair Kit No Available
Seatbelt Pre Tensioner Yes Available
Seatbelt Reminder Yes Available
Stability Control Yes Available
Hill Start Assist Yes Available
Speed Limiter Yes Available
Speed Alert System Yes Available
Impact Sensing Door Unlock Yes Available
Adaptive Dampers No Available
Wireless Charging No Standard
Voice Command Yes Available
Voice Command Support Yes Available
Driver Display Digital Cluster Available
Heads Up Display No Available
Tachometer Yes Available
Trip Computer Yes Available
Multi Function Steering Yes Available
Steering Mounted Controls Yes Available
AC Type Automatic Climate Control Available
Climate Control Yes Automatic AC
Climate Zones 2 Available
Glovebox Cooling No Available
Seat Type Fabric Seats Available
Driver Seat Height Adjustment No Available
Rear Seat Split Yes Available
Headrest Adjustable Yes Available
Front Armrest Yes Available
Vanity Mirror Yes Available
12V Accessory Socket Yes Available
Front Power Outlet Yes 150
Rear Reading Lamps Yes Available
Keyless Entry Yes Smart Entry
Push Button Start Yes Available
Push Button Start Yes Standard
Remote Engine Start No Available
Door Ajar Warning Yes Available
Fuel Lid Opener Remote Available
Boot Opener Remote Available
Power Windows Yes All Doors
Power Mirrors Yes Power Adjustment
Electric Folding Mirrors No Available
Electric Mirror Folding No Available
Auto Dimming Irvm No Available
Auto Dimming Mirror No Standard
Rain Sensing Wipers No Standard
Rear Window Defroster Yes Available
Rear Defogger Yes Available
Follow Me Home Headlamps Yes Yes
Tail Lamps LED Available
Automatic Headlamps No Standard
Headlamp Height Adjust Yes Available
Headlamp Washer No Available
Sunroof No Not Available
Panoramic Roof No Available
Roof Antenna Yes Available
Rear Wing Yes Available
Aero Kit No Available
Chrome Grille Yes Available
Chrome Exterior Highlights No Available
Ride Mode Selection No Available
Electric Tailgate No Not Available
Engine Warranty 7 Years / 150,000 km Available
Service Plan 3 Years / 45,000 km Available
Service Reminder Yes Available
Exhaust Finish - Available
Exhaust Type - Available
Telescopic Steering - Available
Tilt Steering - Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Ford Puma wins with 61 pts vs 56 pts for Pegas

In structured scoring, Puma emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Pegas may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. 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

On our scoring the Puma edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Pegas 0 vs Puma 9. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Pegas 18, Puma 20. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Pegas 20, Puma 12. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Pegas 12, Puma 12. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Pegas 6, Puma 8. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Puma edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Puma scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Pegas and Puma in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Pegas scores 6 vs 8.

Efficiency: Pegas scores 0 vs 9.

Safety: Pegas scores 18 vs 20.

Practicality: Pegas scores 12 vs 12.

Ownership: Pegas scores 20 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives Puma the advantage in this comparison.