Hyundai ALCAZAR vs Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV

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 ALCAZAR in South Africa

Hyundai ALCAZAR

1.5D Elite AT Diesel Automatic
ZAR 669,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 85 kW 🔧 250 Nm ⛽ 16.9 km/l
VS
Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV

PHEV Vanguard AWD Plug-In Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 989,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 455 kW 🔧 920 Nm ⛽ 16.1 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV
Fuel Economy Tiggo 9 PHEV
🛡 Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV
📦 Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV
🔑 Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV
ALCAZAR starts ZAR 839900 cheaper ALCAZAR from ZAR 499,900 · Tiggo 9 PHEV from ZAR 839,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec ALCAZAR Tiggo 9 PHEV
Engine Power 85 kW 455 kW
Torque 250 Nm 920 Nm
Engine Size 1493 cc 1.5 cc
Claimed Mileage 16.9 km/l 16.1 km/l
Ground Clearance 200 mm 183 mm
Boot / Load Bay 180 l 448 l
Airbags Driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 1445 kg -
Seating Capacity 7 7
Warranty 5 7 Year / 200 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Tiggo 9 PHEV dominates this comparison with clear advantages across multiple categories.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV +54 pts
Efficiency Tiggo 9 PHEV +4 pts
Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV +66 pts
Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV +13 pts
Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV +4 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

ALCAZAR

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

Tiggo 9 PHEV

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

ALCAZAR

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Tiggo 9 PHEV

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec ALCAZAR Tiggo 9 PHEV
Model Introduced Year Current local generation year not confirmed 2026
Generation Current South African ALCAZAR listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data. Current South Africa Tiggo 9 PHEV range
Facelift History Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle. Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2026
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Seven-seat SUV SUV
Color Note Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering. -
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup -
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published active
Segment SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec ALCAZAR Tiggo 9 PHEV
Ground Clearance 200 mm 183 mm
Wheelbase 2760 mm 2800 mm
Length 4560 mm 4810 mm
Width 1800 mm 1925 mm
Height 1710 mm 1741 mm
Kerb Weight 1445 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight 2090 kg -
Seating Capacity 7 7
Boot Space 180 l 448 l
Towing Capacity - -
Front Track Width - -
Rear Track Width - -
Turning Radius - -
Load Bed Length 180 l 448 l
Load Bed Width - -
Front Legroom - -
Rear Legroom - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -
Front Shoulder Room - -
Rear Shoulder Room - -
Boot Space Seats Folded 180 l 2065 l
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload 645 kg -
Boot Volume 180 l 448 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 7 7
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 70 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 2090 kg -
Ground Clearance Max 200 mm 183 mm
Ground Clearance Min 200 mm 183 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 200 mm 183 mm
Height Mm 1710 mm 1741 mm
Length Mm 4560 mm 4810 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 180 l 448 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg 645 kg -
Cargo Volume 180 l 448 l
Tare Mass Kg 1445 kg -
Turning Circle - -
Turning Circle M - -
Width Mm 1800 mm 1925 mm

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tiggo 9 PHEV leads by 32 points

Tiggo 9 PHEV dominates this comparison with clear advantages across multiple categories.

Winner 84 /100
Lead 32 points
Data 74% confidence
84
#1 Winner

Tiggo 9 PHEV

74% data confidence 4 strong categories
Best at Performance 98 Check Ownership 69
Performance 98
Efficiency 72
Safety 94
Practicality 77
Ownership 69
Leads by 32 points
52
#2

ALCAZAR

79% data confidence 0 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 68 Check Safety 28
Performance 44
Efficiency 68
Safety 28
Practicality 64
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV +54 Efficiency Tiggo 9 PHEV +4 Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV +66 Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV +13 Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV +4

High confidence result.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tiggo 9 PHEV

Performance 98/100
Efficiency 72/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 77/100
Ownership 69/100

ALCAZAR

Performance 44/100
Efficiency 68/100
Safety 28/100
Practicality 64/100
Ownership 65/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV wins with 84 pts vs 52 pts for ALCAZAR

In structured scoring, Tiggo 9 PHEV emerges as the stronger overall package. However, ALCAZAR 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 Tiggo 9 PHEV 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: ALCAZAR 68 vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 72. 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: ALCAZAR 28, Tiggo 9 PHEV 94. 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: ALCAZAR 65, Tiggo 9 PHEV 69. 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: ALCAZAR 64, Tiggo 9 PHEV 77. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: ALCAZAR 44, Tiggo 9 PHEV 98. 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 Tiggo 9 PHEV edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tiggo 9 PHEV 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 ALCAZAR and Tiggo 9 PHEV in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: ALCAZAR scores 44 vs 98.

Efficiency: ALCAZAR scores 68 vs 72.

Safety: ALCAZAR scores 28 vs 94.

Practicality: ALCAZAR scores 64 vs 77.

Ownership: ALCAZAR scores 65 vs 69.

Final structured scoring gives Tiggo 9 PHEV the advantage in this comparison.