KIA Picanto vs Toyota Yaris

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.

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.

Toyota Yaris Discontinued model
KIA Picanto in South Africa

KIA Picanto

1.2 EX+ Auto Petrol 4-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 325,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 61 kW 🔧 121 Nm ⛽ 15.9 km/l
VS
Toyota Yaris in South Africa

Toyota Yaris

1.5 XR CVT Petrol CVT Discontinued model
ZAR 359,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 145 Nm ⛽ 15.1 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

KIA Picanto vs Toyota Yaris: the short answer

Picanto and Yaris are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context Picanto: current from ZAR 236,995 · Yaris: last listed from ZAR 289,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Picanto Yaris
Maximum Power Picanto61 kW @ 6000 rpm Yaris88 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque Picanto121 Nm @ 4000 rpm Yaris145 Nm @ 4800 rpm
Engine Size Picanto1248 cc Yaris1496 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Picanto15.9 km/l Yaris15.1 km/l
Ground Clearance Picanto155 mm Yaris160 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

Picanto

Strengths
  • Stronger published ownership cover
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: General Use

Yaris

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower published ownership cover
Best suited to: Published Performance

Which One's Right for You?

Picanto

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published warranty or service cover

Yaris

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

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 Picanto Yaris
Model Introduced Year 2004 2020
Generation Third generation (JA) since 2017; 2021 facelift model current in SA Current generation on Toyota's TNGA-B platform
Facelift History 2011 second generation; 2017 third generation; 2021 facelift with updated front fascia and infotainment Regular updates with improved safety and features
Facelift Launched Since 2021 2021
Facelift Version Ending Current 2024
Body Style Hatchback Hatchback
Color Note Clear White, Aurora Black Pearl, Chili Red, Horizon Blue, Perennial Grey, Sporty Blue (two-tone options available on EX+) Not confirmed
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup Not confirmed
Model Year 2026 2021
Production Status active discontinued
Segment Hatchback Hatchback
Tare Mass Kg 975 kg 1110 kg
Vehicle Type Hatchback Hatchback
Spec Picanto Yaris
Length 3595 mm 4180 mm
Width 1595 mm 1745 mm
Height 1485 mm 1500 mm
Wheelbase 2400 mm 2550 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 155 mm 160 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 151 mm 125 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 35 l 42 l
Boot/Cargo Space 255 l 286 l
Kerb Weight 975 kg 1110 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1425 kg 1515 kg
Payload Capacity 450 kg 405 kg
Towing Capacity 0 kg 1600 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 4.8 m 5.1 m
Front Headroom 970 mm 991 mm
Rear Headroom 935 mm 940 mm
Front Legroom 1040 mm 1039 mm
Rear Legroom 880 mm 881 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Picanto and Yaris 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: Picanto 28 vs Yaris 37.

Efficiency index: Picanto 61 vs Yaris 61.

Safety-equipment index: Picanto 89 vs Yaris 98.

Practicality index: Picanto 53 vs Yaris 53.

Ownership-cover index: Picanto 77 vs Yaris 43.

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

Picanto leads by 1 points

Picanto and Yaris are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 60 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 92% source coverage
60
#1 Evidence leader

Picanto

92% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 89 Check Performance 28
Performance 28
Efficiency 61
Safety 89
Practicality 53
Ownership 77
Leads by 1 points
59
#2

Yaris

90% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Performance 37
Performance 37
Efficiency 61
Safety 98
Practicality 53
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Yaris +9 Efficiency Level Safety Yaris +9 Practicality Level Ownership Picanto +34

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Picanto

Performance 28/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 89/100
Practicality 53/100
Ownership 77/100

Yaris

Performance 37/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 53/100
Ownership 43/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index KIA Picanto leads the specification evidence index with 60 pts vs 59 pts for Yaris

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

Picanto vs Yaris 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.