Ford Puma vs Gwm Tank 500

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.

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
VS
Gwm Tank 500 in South Africa

Gwm Tank 500

3.0T Hi4-T Luxury Petrol Automatic
ZAR 1,149,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 340 kW 🔧 750 Nm ⛽ 2.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tank 500
Fuel Economy Puma
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tank 500
🔑 Ownership Tank 500
Puma starts ZAR 1149900 cheaper Puma from ZAR 389,900 · Tank 500 from ZAR 1,149,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Puma Tank 500
Engine Power 92 340
Torque 170 750
Engine Size 999 2999
Claimed Mileage 16.4 2.5
Ground Clearance 170 224
Boot Space 456 580
Airbags 8 8
Kerb Weight 1325 2680
Seating Capacity Available 5
Warranty 3 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Tank 500

76
/ 100
+15
pts
#2

Puma

61
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

Tank 500 holds a noticeable edge over Puma, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tank 500 +12 pts
Efficiency Puma +9 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Tank 500 +4 pts
Ownership Tank 500 +8 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Tank 500

Performance 20/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 16/20
Ownership 20/20

Puma

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Puma

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency
🏆 Overall Winner

Tank 500

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Puma

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Tank 500

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Puma Tank 500
Ground Clearance 170 224
Wheelbase 2594 2950
Length 4186 5060
Width 1805 1996
Height 1531 1905
Kerb Weight 1325 2680
Gross Vehicle Weight 1775 3200
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 456 580
Towing Capacity 1200 3000
Front Track Width 1541 1560
Rear Track Width 1534 1570
Turning Radius 5.4 13.0
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 780
Load Bed Length Available -
Load Bed Width Available -
Front Legroom Available 1050
Rear Legroom Available 890
Front Headroom Available 990
Rear Headroom Available 960
Front Shoulder Room Available 1520
Rear Shoulder Room Available 1480
Max Payload Available -
Boot Volume Available 580
Doors Available 5
Seats Available 5
Front Overhang Available 880
Fuel Tank Capacity Available 80
Rear Overhang Available 890
Spec Puma Tank 500
Engine 1.0L EcoBoost Mild Hybrid 3.0L GW4C30D V6 Turbocharged Petrol + Front Electric Motor
Engine Type Inline 3 Cylinder Turbo Mild Hybrid V6 Twin-Turbo Petrol Hybrid
Displacement 999 2999
Cylinders 3 6
Valves per Cylinder 4 24
Power 92 340
Power @ RPM 6000 rpm 5,500 rpm
Torque 170 750
Torque @ RPM 2000-4500 rpm 2,000-4,000 rpm
Fuel System Direct Injection Direct Injection
Turbocharger Single Turbo Yes
Top Speed 185 210
0-100 km/h 10.5 340
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 10.5:1
Engine Position Front Transverse Front Transverse
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) V6
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Twin-Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard GW4C30D
Cylinder Bore 82.0 -
Piston Stroke 92.0 -
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Engine Oil Capacity Available 7.5
Power 150 456
Variable Valve Timing Available Yes
Maximum Engine RPM Available 5,500
Engine Type Config Available V6 (V6) DOHC 24-Valve Twin-Turbocharged
0–100 km/h Available 4.8
Battery Capacity Available 27.0 kWh
Charging Port Available -
AC Charging Time Available -
Engine Displacement Available 2999
EV Range Available 135

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Gwm Tank 500 wins with 76 pts vs 61 pts for Puma

In structured scoring, Tank 500 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Puma 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 Tank 500 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: Puma 9 vs Tank 500 0. 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: Puma 20, Tank 500 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: Puma 12, Tank 500 20. 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: Puma 12, Tank 500 16. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Puma 8, Tank 500 20. 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 Tank 500 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tank 500 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 Puma and Tank 500 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Puma scores 8 vs 20.

Efficiency: Puma scores 9 vs 0.

Safety: Puma scores 20 vs 20.

Practicality: Puma scores 12 vs 16.

Ownership: Puma scores 12 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Tank 500 the advantage in this comparison.