Most powerful crossovers you can buy in South Africa under R400,000

The Omoda C5 is the most powerful crossover you can buy in South Africa for less than R400,000.

The premium model recently saw the introduction of a new entry-level “Style” option, slashing the vehicle’s starting price by R88,000 in the process.

Crucially, the C5 Style is still powered by the same 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine as the rest of the range, making it a standout addition in the affordable SUV space with a noticeably higher power output of 115kW and 230Nm.

Unsurprisingly, the runner-up is from Omoda’s parent company Chery, as the Tiggo 4 Pro has access to a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol plant with 108kW and 210Nm.

The other entry in the top three is also from a Chinese brand – Haval – illustrating how models from the People’s Republic are leading the pack when it comes to potent powertrains.

The unit in question, the new Jolion Pro, has the same size powerplant as the Omoda and Chery, though in this case, it generates fractionally less power at 105kW and 210Nm.

The most powerful non-Chinese option is the Honda Elevate, which delivers 89kW and 145Nm despite lacking a turbocharger.

Not far behind is the Mahindra XUV300, which is the sole diesel entry on the list, and unsurprisingly has the most torque of the group with 86kW and 300Nm.

The revised Kia Sonet can then put out 85kW and 144Nm, which is followed by the Suzuki Fronx and Toyota Urban Cruiser, which share the same 1.5-litre drivetrain with 77kW and 138Nm.

Another pairing is the Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger, which achieve 74kW and 160Nm courtesy of a 1.0-litre turbo.

The last carmakers with a sub-R400,000 crossover include the Citroen C3, Hyundai Venue, and Opel Crossland, all of which feature a 1.2-litre mill capped out around 60kW and 115Nm.

Bang for your buck

These are the most powerful crossovers from every brand that has a model under R400,000 in South Africa.

Click on the underlined prices for more information.

Omoda C5 1.5T 230T Style

• Power – 115kW/230Nm
• Fuel consumption – 6.9l/100km
• Starting price – R359,900

Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T LiT auto DCT

• Power – 108kW/210Nm
• Fuel consumption – 6.7l/100km
• Starting price – R382,900

Haval Jolion Pro 1.5T Premium

• Power – 105kW/210Nm
• Fuel consumption – 8.1l/100km
• Starting price – R391,150

Honda Elevate 1.5 Comfort

• Power – 89kW/145Nm
• Fuel consumption – 6.7l/100km
• Starting price – R371,000

Mahindra XUV300 1.5TD W6

• Power – 86kW/300Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.0l/100km
• Starting price – R326,999

Kia Sonet 1.5 LX manual

• Power – 85kW/144Nm
• Fuel consumption – 7.0l/100km
• Starting price – R366,995

Suzuki Fronx 1.5 GL manual

• Power – 77kW/138Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.5l/100km
• Starting price – R297,900

Toyota Urban Cruiser 1.5 XS

• Power – 77kW/138Nm
• Fuel consumption – 6.1l/100km
• Starting price – R342,500

Nissan Magnite 1.0 Turbo Visia manual

• Power – 74kW/160Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.2l/100km
• Starting price – R302,800

Renault Kiger 1.0 Turbo Zen

• Power – 74kW/160Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.0l/100km
• Starting price – R319,999

Citroen C3 1.2 Feel

• Power – 61kW/115Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.6l/100km
• Starting price – R242,900

Hyundai Venue 1.2 Premium

• Power – 61kW/115Nm
• Fuel consumption – 6.5l/100km
• Starting price – R309,900

Opel Crossland 1.2

• Power – 60kW/118Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.1l/100km
• Starting price – R359,900