Pajero Sport vs Ford Everest — Honest Comparison & Verdict
Genuine off-road pedigree, the proven Super Select II 4WD system, and a price that starts R75,000 below the cheapest Everest and a full R400,000 below the V6. The Pajero Sport makes the Everest work hard to justify its premium.
The most powerful, most modern and most refined ladder-frame SUV in the segment. 184 kW / 600 Nm from the V6, a 10-speed auto and permanent 4WD with 4A mode — but you pay handsomely for it.
This is the closest fight in the segment — and the most interesting. The Everest is, by most objective measures, the better vehicle. The question is whether it’s R75,000 to R400,000 better.
Unlike the Pajero Sport’s fight against the Fortuner — where Mitsubishi wins on value and capability — the Ford Everest is a genuinely tougher opponent. The Everest has been comprehensively updated for 2026, it’s widely regarded as the most car-like and refined SUV in the ladder-frame class, and its V6 derivatives are seriously powerful. It out-guns the Pajero Sport on paper in almost every performance metric.
But the Everest’s 2026 range now spans an enormous price spread — from R825,000 for the entry 2.0 single-turbo Active, up to R1,340,000 for the V6 Platinum. The Pajero Sport, by contrast, tops out at R904,990. So the real comparison depends entirely on which Everest you’re looking at. Against the entry Everest, the Pajero Sport is a close-run value play. Against the V6, it’s a fundamentally different (and far cheaper) proposition.
Here’s the honest breakdown — where the Everest’s premium is justified, and where the Pajero Sport quietly makes more sense for the South African buyer.
Power & Drivetrain Everest wins
- One engine, no compromise choice — every Pajero Sport gets the same proven 133 kW diesel, no stripped-out entry motor
- Best-in-class fuel economy — the lighter 2.4 with 8 ratios sips fuel where the V6 Everest drinks it
- Proven powertrain — the 4N15 and 8-speed are well-understood, durable units shared with the Triton
- 51 kW & 170 Nm more (V6) — a different league of performance, effortless overtaking and load-hauling
- 10-speed automatic — more ratios than anything in the class, supremely smooth and well-calibrated
- Engine choice — frugal 2.0 SiT for budget buyers, monster V6 for those who want it; even a 2.3 EcoBoost petrol option
4WD Systems & Trail Ability Genuinely close
- Super Select II is a proven, trusted system — decades of refinement and a strong reputation among serious off-roaders
- Mechanically simpler than the Everest’s electronics-heavy setup — fewer systems to potentially fault over a long, hard life
- Genuine full-time and locked options give real flexibility across changing surfaces
- Deeper 800 mm wading depth and 226 mm clearance — marginally more outright capability on paper
- 4A automatic mode — the system decides how much drive each axle needs, ideal for unpredictable mixed surfaces
- More sophisticated traction electronics and a genuinely excellent off-road interface with terrain-management display
- Note: entry 2.0 models use part-time 4WD, not the permanent system — capability varies by trim
Cabin & Refinement Everest wins
- More equipment per rand — the Pajero Sport loads in features that cost extra on an equivalently-priced Everest
- Hard-wearing materials suited to genuine bush and farm use without precious cabin worries
- Simple, intuitive controls — physical buttons where the Everest increasingly relies on screen menus
- Best interior in the class — the large portrait SYNC 4 screen, material quality and design feel a clear step above
- Most refined ride and NVH — the Everest drives more like a premium monocoque SUV than a ladder-frame workhorse
- FordPass connectivity — remote start, vehicle monitoring and over-the-air features the Pajero Sport can’t match
Who Should Buy Which
Pajero Sport vs Everest — Full Spec Table
| Specification | Pajero Sport (Exceed) | Everest 3.0 V6 4WD |
|---|---|---|
| Engine & Performance | ||
| Engine (flagship) | 2.4L MIVEC TD | 3.0L V6 TD |
| Power | 133 kW | 184 kW — More |
| Torque | 430 Nm | 600 Nm — More |
| Transmission | 8-speed auto | 10-speed auto |
| Entry engine | 2.4 (133 kW) — one engine | 2.0 SiT (125 kW / 405 Nm) |
| Fuel economy (claimed) | 8.0 L/100km — Better | 8.5 L/100km (V6) |
| Off-Road & 4WD | ||
| 4WD system (top) | Super Select II (full-time) | Permanent 4WD + 4A |
| Auto 4WD mode | — | Yes (4A) |
| Ground clearance | 218 mm | 226 mm — More |
| Wading depth | 700 mm | 800 mm — Deeper |
| Rear diff lock | Yes | Yes (electronic) |
| Reputation | Proven, trusted system | Excellent, more electronic |
| Practicality & Towing | ||
| Seating | 7 | 7 |
| Touchscreen | Up to 9-inch | 10.1″–12″ portrait |
| Braked towing | 3,100 kg | 3,500 kg — More |
| Fuel tank | 68 L | 80 L — Larger |
| Interior quality | Functional, durable | Class-leading |
| Ownership (South Africa) | ||
| Entry price (2026) | R749,900 — Cheaper | R825,000 (2.0 Active) |
| Top-spec price (2026) | R904,990 | R1,340,000 (V6 Platinum) |
| V6 model price | n/a | R1,149,000+ (Sport V6) |
| Warranty | 3yr/100,000 km | 4yr/120,000 km — Longer |
| Service plan | 5yr/90,000 km | 6yr/90,000 km |
| Resale value | Moderate | Strong |
How They Score — Out of 10
The Everest takes the overall average — it’s the better vehicle on most objective measures, particularly performance, refinement and technology. But the Pajero Sport wins decisively on value and economy. The gap in the scorecard is far smaller than the gap in price: you’re paying 25–45% more for a roughly 9% higher score.
Pajero Sport Pricing (2026)
Entry · SS4-II · 133 kW
Leather · 9″ screen · BSW
Sunroof · 360° cam · ACC
The entire Pajero Sport range fits below where the Everest V6 even begins. The top Exceed costs less than the cheapest V6 Everest Sport by R244,000.
Everest Pricing (2026)
Entry · 125 kW · single-turbo
V6 · permanent 4WD
184 kW · loaded
Flagship
The Everest’s range spans over half a million rand. Only the entry 2.0 Active competes on price with the Pajero Sport — and it’s the least capable, single-turbo, part-time 4WD model.
The value buy — and it’s not even close on price
The Pajero Sport’s case is simple and powerful: you get genuine, proven 4×4 capability, strong economy and a full 7-seat package for R750k–R905k. The Everest is the better vehicle — but the cheapest V6 costs R244,000 more than a fully-loaded Pajero Sport Exceed. For the buyer who wants real ability without the premium, the Pajero Sport is the smart money, and the savings buy a lot of fuel, accessories, or financial breathing room.
The better vehicle — if the budget reaches
There’s no getting around it: the Everest V6 is the more powerful, more refined, more advanced SUV, with class-leading interior tech and the best on-road manners in the segment. If your budget stretches past R1.1m and you want the most complete ladder-frame SUV money can buy in SA — particularly for heavy towing or long tar-heavy commutes — the Everest earns its premium. It’s the aspirational choice, and it delivers.
The honest truth is that the Ford Everest is, on most objective measures, the better vehicle — and we won’t pretend otherwise. It’s more powerful, more refined, better-equipped and a nicer place to spend time. If money is no object and you want the best ladder-frame SUV in South Africa, buy the V6 Everest.
But “better” and “better value” are very different questions. The Pajero Sport delivers the overwhelming majority of the Everest’s real-world capability — the same 7 seats, comparable off-road ability, genuine Super Select II 4WD — for as little as R750,000, against R1,149,000 for the cheapest V6 Everest. That R400,000 gap is enormous. It’s a second vehicle. It’s years of fuel and servicing. It’s a full overland build with money to spare.
Our recommendation: if your budget tops out around R900k, the Pajero Sport is the clear, rational choice and you won’t feel short-changed. If you can comfortably spend R1.1m+ and you want the most refined, powerful option — and especially if you tow heavy loads — the Everest V6 is worth every rand. Test-drive both back to back; the Everest will impress you, and then you’ll have to decide honestly whether it impresses you R400,000 worth.
Two footnotes worth weighing before you decide. First, don’t overlook the Everest 2.0 SiT 4×4 at around R875,000 — it narrows the entry gap to roughly R140,000 and includes Ford’s service plan, though its part-time 4WD can’t match Super Select II’s versatility in that bracket. Second, the used market tilts heavily Ford: AutoTrader SA carries roughly 998 active Everest listings against 133 for the Pajero Sport — more choice and easier resale for the Everest, while the Mitsubishi’s scarcity helps hold its values. And if the budget genuinely stretches past R1.1 million, the Land Cruiser Prado deserves the same shortlist — see our Pajero Sport vs Fortuner vs Prado three-way comparison.