Ford Puma vs Toyota RAV4

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.

Ford Puma Discontinued model
Ford Puma in South Africa

Ford Puma

1.0T EcoBoost ST-Line Automatic Petrol 7-Speed DCT Discontinued model
ZAR 459,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 92 kW 🔧 170 Nm ⛽ 16.4 km/l
VS
Toyota RAV4 in South Africa

Toyota RAV4

2.5 HEV GR-S CVT Hybrid CVT Current
ZAR 941,800 ex-showroom
⚡ 137 kW 🔧 221 Nm ⛽ 21.3 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance RAV4
Fuel Economy RAV4
🛡 Safety Puma
📦 Practicality RAV4
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Recorded price context Puma: last listed from ZAR 389,900 · RAV4: current from ZAR 610,000

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Puma RAV4
Maximum Power 92 kW @ 6000 rpm 137 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 170 Nm 221 Nm
Engine Size 999 cc 2500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 16.4 km/l 21.3 km/l
Ground Clearance 170 mm 186 mm
Boot / Load Bay 456 l 732 l
Airbags 8 Driver Knee, Front Side, Rear Curtain, Front Curtain
Kerb Weight 1325 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 3 years / 100 000 km

= leads in this spec

Archived vehicles remain available for comparison. Verified specs stay visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

RAV4 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Puma remains close.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance RAV4 +10 pts
Efficiency RAV4 +20 pts
Safety Puma +5 pts
Practicality RAV4 +10 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Puma

Strengths
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use
Catalogue-index leader

RAV4

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

Puma

  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

RAV4

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • 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 Puma RAV4
Model Introduced Year 2023 2026
Generation First generation Puma in South Africa All-new sixth-generation RAV4 introduced in South Africa in July 2026
Facelift History New model introduced in South Africa Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives
Tare Mass Kg 1325 kg 1725-1740 kg
Facelift Launched Since Not confirmed Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current South African 2026 specification
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed published
Segment Not confirmed SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Spec Puma RAV4
Length 4186 mm 4645 mm
Width 1805 mm 1880 mm
Height 1531 mm 1680 mm
Wheelbase 2594 mm 2690 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 170 mm 186 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 42 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 456 l 732 l
Kerb Weight 1325 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1775 kg 2230 kg
Towing Capacity 1200 kg 1000 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Minimum Turning Radius 5.4 m 5.6 m
Doors Not confirmed 5 doors

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

RAV4 leads by 11 points

RAV4 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Puma remains close.

Index leader 73 /100
Lead 11 points
Data 61% source coverage
73
#1 Index leader

RAV4

61% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 50
Performance 50
Efficiency 84
Safety 93
Practicality 71
Leads by 11 points
62
#2

Puma

87% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 64
Safety 98
Practicality 61
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance RAV4 +10 Efficiency RAV4 +20 Safety Puma +5 Practicality RAV4 +10

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

RAV4

Performance 50/100
Efficiency 84/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 71/100

Puma

Performance 40/100
Efficiency 64/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 61/100
Ownership 43/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Toyota RAV4 leads the catalogue index with 73 pts vs 62 pts for Puma

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, RAV4 leads. However, Puma may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. 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

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.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This Puma and RAV4 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: Puma 40 vs RAV4 50.

Efficiency index: Puma 64 vs RAV4 84.

Safety-equipment index: Puma 98 vs RAV4 93.

Practicality index: Puma 61 vs RAV4 71.

Ownership-cover index: Puma 43 vs RAV4 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.