Toyota C-HR vs Geely E5 EM-i

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Toyota C-HR Discontinued model
Toyota C-HR in South Africa

Toyota C-HR

2.0 HEV GR Sport CVT Hybrid e-CVT Discontinued model
ZAR 499,000 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 134 kW 🔧 190 Nm ⛽ 19.2 km/l
VS
Geely E5 EM-i in South Africa

Geely E5 EM-i

Apex Plug-in Hybrid Current
ZAR 679,999 ex-showroom
⚡ 73 kW 🔧 125 Nm
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Toyota C-HR vs Geely E5 EM-i: the short answer

C-HR and E5 EM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context C-HR: last listed from ZAR 429,000 · E5 EM-i: current from ZAR 599,999

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification C-HR E5 EM-i
Maximum Power C-HR134 kW E5 EM-i73 kW
Maximum Torque C-HR190 Nm E5 EM-i125 Nm
Engine Size C-HR1987 cc E5 EM-i1499 cc
Combined Fuel Economy C-HR19.2 km/l E5 EM-iNot Officially Disclosed
Ground Clearance C-HR160 mm E5 EM-i172 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

C-HR

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance
Specification evidence leader

E5 EM-i

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

C-HR

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

E5 EM-i

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec C-HR E5 EM-i
Model Introduced Year 2023 2025
Generation Second generation on TNGA-C platform – hybrid-only in SA Current South African model / exact generation number not separately published
Facelift History All-new second generation launched in SA in 2023 No applicable South African facelift history established
Facelift Launched Since 2023 Not Applicable
Facelift Version Ending 2024 Not Applicable
Body Style 5-door Crossover SUV SUV
Model Year 2021 2026
Production Status discontinued active
Segment SUV Passenger vehicle
Tare Mass Kg 1500 kg -
Vehicle Type 5-door Crossover SUV SUV
Spec C-HR E5 EM-i
Length 4390 mm 4740 mm
Width 1796 mm 1905 mm
Height 1550 mm 1685 mm
Wheelbase 2640 mm 2755 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 160 mm 172 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 125 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity 43 l 51 l
Boot/Cargo Space 377 l 528 l
Kerb Weight 1500 kg 1770 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1930 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Payload Capacity 430 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Towing Capacity 1600 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 5 seats Not Officially Disclosed
Number of Rows 2 rows Not Officially Disclosed
Doors 1 doors Not Officially Disclosed
Minimum Turning Radius 5.4 m Not Officially Disclosed
Front Headroom 993 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom 946 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Front Legroom 1030 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom 881 mm Not Officially Disclosed

In depth: how these cars differ

This C-HR and E5 EM-i comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: C-HR 53 vs E5 EM-i 39.

Efficiency index: C-HR 78 vs E5 EM-i 79.

Safety-equipment index: C-HR 98 vs E5 EM-i 91.

Practicality index: C-HR 57 vs E5 EM-i 71.

Ownership-cover index: C-HR 43 vs E5 EM-i not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

E5 EM-i leads by 2 points

C-HR and E5 EM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 69 /100
Lead 2 points
Data 55% source coverage
69
#1 Evidence leader

E5 EM-i

55% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 79
Safety 91
Practicality 71
Leads by 2 points
67
#2

C-HR

91% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Ownership 43
Performance 53
Efficiency 78
Safety 98
Practicality 57
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance C-HR +14 Efficiency E5 EM-i +1 Safety C-HR +7 Practicality E5 EM-i +14

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

E5 EM-i

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 79/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 71/100

C-HR

Performance 53/100
Efficiency 78/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 57/100
Ownership 43/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Geely E5 EM-i leads the specification evidence index with 69 pts vs 67 pts for C-HR

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, E5 EM-i leads. However, C-HR may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Related comparisons

Continue with closely related South Africa models and comparable body styles.

C-HR
C-HRDiscontinued
VS
Taigo
Taigo
C-HR vs Taigo →
C-HR
C-HRDiscontinued
VS
T1
T1
C-HR vs T1 →
C-HR
C-HRDiscontinued
VS
Captur
Captur
C-HR vs Captur →
C-HR
C-HRDiscontinued
VS
SEALION 5 DM-i
SEALION 5 DM-i
C-HR vs SEALION 5 DM-i →
C-HR
C-HRDiscontinued
VS
J7
J7
C-HR vs J7 →
C-HR
C-HRDiscontinued
VS
V23
V23
C-HR vs V23 →
E5 EM-i
E5 EM-i
VS
Taigo
Taigo
E5 EM-i vs Taigo →
E5 EM-i
E5 EM-i
VS
T1
T1
E5 EM-i vs T1 →

C-HR vs E5 EM-i questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.