KIA Sportage vs Jetour X70 Plus

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 Sportage in South Africa

KIA Sportage

2WD 1.6T-GDI GT-Line S DCT Petrol 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 823,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 132 kW 🔧 265 Nm ⛽ 13.9 km/l
VS
Jetour X70 Plus in South Africa

Jetour X70 Plus

Deluxe Petrol 6-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 484,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 115 kW 🔧 230 Nm ⛽ 12.8 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Sportage
Fuel Economy Sportage
🛡 Safety Sportage
📦 Practicality X70 Plus
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
X70 Plus starts ZAR 208,095 cheaper Sportage from ZAR 662,995 · X70 Plus from ZAR 454,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Sportage X70 Plus
Maximum Power 132 kW @ 5500 rpm 115 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque 265 Nm @ 1500 rpm 230 Nm
Engine Size 1591 cc 1498 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 13.9 km/l 12.8 km/l
Ground Clearance 181 mm 200 mm
Boot / Load Bay 466 l 1680 l
Airbags 7 Front and front side airbags plus side curtain airbags
Kerb Weight 1570 kg 1576 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Warranty 7 Years / 150,000 km 10-year/1,000,000 km engine warranty

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Sportage and X70 Plus are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Sportage +12 pts
Efficiency Sportage +4 pts
Safety Sportage +9 pts
Practicality X70 Plus +14 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

Sportage

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

X70 Plus

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

Sportage

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

X70 Plus

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Sportage X70 Plus
Model Introduced Year 2022 Not Available
Generation Fifth generation (NQ5); global launch 2021, SA 2022 Current local listing
Facelift History Fifth generation (NQ5) launched SA 2022; no facelift yet Not listed by current South African source page.
Facelift Launched Since 2022 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note Clear White, Aurora Black Pearl, Gravity Blue, Steel Grey, Intense Red, Glacial White Pearl, Interstellar Grey -
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup -
Drivetrain Note Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2WD 1.6T-GDI GT-Line S DCT -
Model Year 2026 Current
Production Status active Active
Segment SUV SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1570 kg 1576 kg
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Sportage X70 Plus
Length 4515 mm 4724 mm
Width 1865 mm 1900 mm
Height 1660 mm 1720 mm
Wheelbase 2680 mm 2720 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 181 mm 200 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 181 mm 200 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 54 l 57 l
Boot/Cargo Space 466 l 1680 l
Kerb Weight 1570 kg 1576 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2080 kg 2076 kg
Payload Capacity 500 kg 500 kg
Towing Capacity 1500 kg 1200 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 10.8 m 5.7 m
Front Headroom 1010 mm 1010 mm
Rear Headroom 955 mm 980 mm
Front Legroom 1040 mm 1045 mm
Rear Legroom 855 mm 900 mm

Source-backed Catalogue Index

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

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Sportage leads by 3 points

Sportage and X70 Plus are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 69 /100
Lead 3 points
Data 99% source coverage
69
#1 Index leader

Sportage

99% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 100 Check Efficiency 54
Performance 57
Efficiency 54
Safety 100
Practicality 63
Ownership 71
Leads by 3 points
66
#2

X70 Plus

61% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Performance 45
Performance 45
Efficiency 50
Safety 91
Practicality 77
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Sportage +12 Efficiency Sportage +4 Safety Sportage +9 Practicality X70 Plus +14

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Sportage

Performance 57/100
Efficiency 54/100
Safety 100/100
Practicality 63/100
Ownership 71/100

X70 Plus

Performance 45/100
Efficiency 50/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 77/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 KIA Sportage leads the catalogue index with 69 pts vs 66 pts for X70 Plus

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Sportage leads. However, X70 Plus 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 Sportage and X70 Plus 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: Sportage 57 vs X70 Plus 45.

Efficiency index: Sportage 54 vs X70 Plus 50.

Safety-equipment index: Sportage 100 vs X70 Plus 91.

Practicality index: Sportage 63 vs X70 Plus 77.

Ownership-cover index: Sportage 71 vs X70 Plus 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.