Ford Territory vs Hyundai Grand Creta vs Mazda CX-30: Which one has the lowest running costs?

Ford's most recent addition to its passenger car lineup is the new Territory, which bridges the gap between the Puma and the Everest, offering a mid-size 5-seater SUV with more space than you will probably need. Available in three different trim levels, Ambiente, Trend, and Titanium, the Territory is competitively priced when one considers how much vehicle you're getting for your money.

Related: New Ford Territory launched in SA!

Compared to its nearest price rivals, the Territory offers far more sheer size than the opposition. It's affordable for a vehicle of size and power output, but how does it compare once this initial purchase is out of the way? Surely the larger, more powerful Territory is more expensive to run than its peers? We're comparing it against the Hyundai Grand Creta and the Mazda CX-30, which are fairly established in their respective markets. We're also comparing the mid-range Trend specification against two of its nearest price rivals.

Figure Comparison

Repayments

Purchasing a vehicle on a finance agreement is still the most common method of buying a new car, and this will see you repay the lending institution each month. In exchange for this convenience, they charge you interest on the loan. Our finance calculator will allow you to enter the parameters you qualify for. Still, we use a standardized example of an agreement for the list price taken over 72 months with a 10% deposit. No balloon or residual is factored in, and the interest is set at Prime plus 2% for an effective rate of 13.5%.

Ford Territory

The Ford Territory 1.8T Trend retails for R632 600 before options. Using the above parameters, you can expect to pay R11 580 each month for 72 months.

Hyundai Grand Creta

A new Hyundai Grand Creta in 2.0 Elite spec will cost R622 900, which is R11 402 per month.

Mazda CX-30

A new Mazda CX-30 2.0 Individual Edition will cost you R630 900. When using our calculator, the monthly instalments work out to R11 549.

Service plans

Service plans are one of the biggest incentives for buying a new car instead of a used one. The peace of mind of the warranty is complemented by the knowledge that service costs are also covered.

The Right To Repair Act has meant that manufacturers can now unbundle the service plans from their vehicles, offering it as a separate product and helping reduce the initial purchase price. The Ford Territory has the service plan unbundled. If you wish to add this to the finance agreement, it will cost you an additional R14 000 and cover you for 6 years/90 000 km.

The Hyundai Grand Creta is covered by a 4-year/60 000 km service plan, which allows you to cover approximately 15 000 km a year for 4 years and cover all your service costs. If you do more mileage than this in a year, this won't cover you past the 60 000 km mark.

The Mazda has the most comprehensive service plan, covering you for 5 years with no limitation to the mileage. This 5-year/Unlimited Km service plan guarantees that your service costs will be covered for the full 5-year period.

Verdict

By the numbers, it's the Mazda CX-30 that comes out on top with the best claimed fuel consumption and the most extensive included service plan. Should you add the service plan to the Territory for a final purchase price of R646 600, and you don't do more than 15 000 km a year, the Territory poses fair competition. For those covering high mileage annualy, the Mazda is the one to choose, but for the daily commuter, the Ford Territory is a compelling choice.