Hyundai Staria vs Suzuki XL6

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.

Hyundai Staria in South Africa

Hyundai Staria

2.2D Executive Diesel Automatic
ZAR 975,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 130 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 12.5 km/l
VS
Suzuki XL6 in South Africa

Suzuki XL6

1.5 GL AT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 384,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 77 kW 🔧 138 Nm ⛽ 15.4 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Staria
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Tie
XL6 starts ZAR 975900 cheaper Staria from ZAR 975,900 · XL6 from ZAR 357,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Staria XL6
Engine Power 130 77
Torque 430 138
Engine Size 2199 1462
Claimed Mileage 12.5 15.4
Ground Clearance 175 180
Boot Space 175 209
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 2220 1200
Seating Capacity 11 Available
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Staria

61
/ 100
+8
pts
#2

XL6

53
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Staria has a slight advantage, but XL6 remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Staria +8 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Equal
Practicality Equal
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Staria

Performance 14/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 20/20

XL6

Performance 6/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Staria

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving

XL6

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Staria

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power

XL6

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Staria XL6
Length 5253 4395
Width 1997 1735
Height 1990 1690
Wheelbase 3273 2740
Ground Clearance 175 180
Kerb Weight 2220 1200
Seating Capacity 9 6
Boot Space 175 209
Rear Track Width 1720 mm 1520
Gross Vehicle Weight 3040 kg 1700
Front Track Width 1735 mm 1515
Turning Radius 5.9 m 5.2
Towing Capacity 2500 kg (Braked) 1200
Load Bed Length Not Applicable 0
Load Bed Width Not Applicable 0
Doors 5 Available
Seats 11 Available
Front Legroom Available 1040
Rear Legroom Available 935
Front Headroom Available 995
Rear Headroom Available 990
Front Shoulder Room Available 1395
Rear Shoulder Room Available 1400
Boot Space Seats Folded Available 803
Number of Doors Available 5
Max Payload Available 550
Boot Volume Available Available
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec Staria XL6
Engine 2.2 CRDi Diesel 1.5L K15B 4-Cylinder Petrol
Engine Type Diesel Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated
Displacement 2199 1462
Cylinders 4 4
Power 130 77
Torque 430 138
Fuel System Common Rail Direct Injection Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI)
Turbocharger Yes Not Applicable
Top Speed 180 175
0-100 km/h 11.0 14.5
Power @ RPM 3800 6,000 rpm
Torque @ RPM 1500 4,400 rpm
Valves per Cylinder 16 (4 per cylinder) 4
Compression Ratio 15.9:1 10.5:1
Engine Position Front Transverse Front-Mounted
Fuel Grade Required Diesel 93 RON Unleaded Petrol
Engine Type Config Inline Available
Variable Valve Timing Yes VVT on Intake Camshaft
Cylinder Bore Available 74.0
Piston Stroke Available 85.1
Engine Code Available K15B
Engine Oil Capacity Available 3.7
Power 150 103
Cylinder Layout Available Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Available Naturally Aspirated
Maximum Engine RPM Available 6800
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Hyundai Staria wins with 61 pts vs 53 pts for XL6

In structured scoring, Staria emerges as the stronger overall package. However, XL6 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 Staria 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: Staria 0 vs XL6 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: Staria 18, XL6 18. 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: Staria 20, XL6 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: Staria 9, XL6 9. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Staria 14, XL6 6. 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 Staria edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Staria 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 Staria and XL6 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Staria scores 14 vs 6.

Efficiency: Staria scores 0 vs 0.

Safety: Staria scores 18 vs 18.

Practicality: Staria scores 9 vs 9.

Ownership: Staria scores 20 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Staria the advantage in this comparison.