Mazda CX-5 vs Chery Tiggo 8 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.

Mazda CX-5 in South Africa

Mazda CX-5

2.0 Carbon Edition Auto FWD Petrol Automatic
ZAR 688,400 ex-showroom
⚡ 121 kW 🔧 213 Nm ⛽ 14.5 km/l
VS
Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV

PHEV Apex Plug-In Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 729,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 230 Nm ⛽ 19.2 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

⚡ Performance Tiggo 8 PHEV
⛽ Fuel Economy Tiggo 8 PHEV
🛡 Safety Tiggo 8 PHEV
📦 Practicality Tiggo 8 PHEV
🔑 Ownership Tiggo 8 PHEV
CX-5 starts ZAR 729900 cheaper CX-5 from ZAR 570,500 · Tiggo 8 PHEV from ZAR 729,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec CX-5 Tiggo 8 PHEV
Engine Power 121 kW 150 kW
Torque 213 Nm 230 Nm
Engine Size 1998 cc 1.5 cc
Claimed Mileage 14.5 km/l 19.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 200 mm 170 mm
Boot / Load Bay 438 l 494 l
Airbags 6 Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 1575 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 7
Warranty 5 Years/Unlimited km 7 Year / 200 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Tiggo 8 PHEV has a slight advantage, but CX-5 remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 8 PHEV +8 pts
Efficiency Tiggo 8 PHEV +25 pts
Safety Tiggo 8 PHEV +12 pts
Practicality Tiggo 8 PHEV +17 pts
Ownership Tiggo 8 PHEV +14 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

CX-5

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 8 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?

CX-5

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Tiggo 8 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 CX-5 Tiggo 8 PHEV
Model Introduced Year 2017 2026
Generation Second-generation KF-series Mazda CX-5, current outgoing South African range Current South Africa Tiggo 8 PHEV range
Facelift History The second generation arrived in 2017 and received a substantial update from 2021. An all-new replacement is scheduled to reach South Africa on 1 August 2026, while this current range remains on sale. Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since 2017 2026
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active active
Segment Mid-size family SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec CX-5 Tiggo 8 PHEV
Ground Clearance 200 mm 170 mm
Wheelbase 2700 mm 2710 mm
Length 4575 mm 4725 mm
Width 1845 mm 1860 mm
Height 1680 mm 1705 mm
Kerb Weight 1575 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight 2065 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 7
Boot Space 438 l 494 l
Towing Capacity 1000 kg -
Turning Radius 5.95 m -
Load Bed Length 438 l 494 l
Load Bed Width - -
Front Legroom 1041 mm -
Rear Legroom 1007 mm -
Front Shoulder Room 1451 mm -
Rear Shoulder Room 1391 mm -
Boot Space Seats Folded 1340 l 1930 l
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload 490 kg -
Boot Volume 438 l 494 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 5 7
Fuel Tank Capacity 56 l 60 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 2065 kg -
Ground Clearance Max 200 mm 170 mm
Ground Clearance Min 200 mm 170 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 200 mm 170 mm
Height Mm 1680 mm 1705 mm
Length Mm 4575 mm 4725 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 438 l 494 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg 490 kg -
Cargo Volume 438 l 494 l
Tare Mass Kg 1575 kg -
Turning Circle 5.95 m -
Turning Circle M 5.95 m -
Width Mm 1845 mm 1860 mm
Front Track Width - -
Rear Track Width - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tiggo 8 PHEV leads by 14 points

Tiggo 8 PHEV has a slight advantage, but CX-5 remains highly competitive.

Winner 75 /100
Lead 14 points
Data 74% confidence
75
#1 Winner

Tiggo 8 PHEV

74% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Performance 56
Performance 56
Efficiency 81
Safety 94
Practicality 78
Ownership 69
Leads by 14 points
61
#2

CX-5

94% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 82 Check Performance 48
Performance 48
Efficiency 56
Safety 82
Practicality 61
Ownership 55
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 8 PHEV +8 Efficiency Tiggo 8 PHEV +25 Safety Tiggo 8 PHEV +12 Practicality Tiggo 8 PHEV +17 Ownership Tiggo 8 PHEV +14

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tiggo 8 PHEV

Performance 56/100
Efficiency 81/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 78/100
Ownership 69/100

CX-5

Performance 48/100
Efficiency 56/100
Safety 82/100
Practicality 61/100
Ownership 55/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV wins with 75 pts vs 61 pts for CX-5

In structured scoring, Tiggo 8 PHEV emerges as the stronger overall package. However, CX-5 may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Other Comparisons Worth Checking

See how similar cars go head-to-head — you might find a better fit than you expected.

CX-5
CX-5
VS
H7
H7
CX-5 vs H7 →
CX-5
CX-5
VS
T-Roc
T-Roc
CX-5 vs T-Roc →
CX-5
CX-5
VS
Sportage
Sportage
CX-5 vs Sportage →
CX-5
CX-5
VS
Tiguan
Tiguan
CX-5 vs Tiguan →
CX-5
CX-5
VS
Fortuner
Fortuner
CX-5 vs Fortuner →
CX-5
CX-5
VS
X-Trail
X-Trail
CX-5 vs X-Trail →
Tiggo 8 PHEV
Tiggo 8 PHEV
VS
H7
H7
Tiggo 8 PHEV vs H7 →
Tiggo 8 PHEV
Tiggo 8 PHEV
VS
T-Roc
T-Roc
Tiggo 8 PHEV vs T-Roc →

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

CX-5
CX-5
VS
Tiggo 4 Cross
Tiggo 4 Cross
CX-5 vs Tiggo 4 Cross →
CX-5
CX-5
VS
Tiggo 4 Cross HEV
Tiggo 4 Cross HEV
CX-5 vs Tiggo 4 Cross HEV →
CX-5
CX-5
VS
Tiggo 4 Pro
Tiggo 4 Pro
CX-5 vs Tiggo 4 Pro →
CX-5
CX-5
VS
Tiggo 7
Tiggo 7
CX-5 vs Tiggo 7 →
CX-5
CX-5
VS
Tiggo 7 PHEV
Tiggo 7 PHEV
CX-5 vs Tiggo 7 PHEV →
CX-5
CX-5
VS
Tiggo 7 Pro
Tiggo 7 Pro
CX-5 vs Tiggo 7 Pro →

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Tiggo 8 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: CX-5 56 vs Tiggo 8 PHEV 81. 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: CX-5 82, Tiggo 8 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: CX-5 55, Tiggo 8 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: CX-5 61, Tiggo 8 PHEV 78. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: CX-5 48, Tiggo 8 PHEV 56. 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 8 PHEV edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tiggo 8 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 CX-5 and Tiggo 8 PHEV in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: CX-5 scores 48 vs 56.

Efficiency: CX-5 scores 56 vs 81.

Safety: CX-5 scores 82 vs 94.

Practicality: CX-5 scores 61 vs 78.

Ownership: CX-5 scores 55 vs 69.

Final structured scoring gives Tiggo 8 PHEV the advantage in this comparison.