Geely E5 EM-i 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.

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
VS
Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV

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

Decision summary

Geely E5 EM-i vs Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV: the short answer

Tiggo 9 PHEV holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over E5 EM-i.

E5 EM-i starts ZAR 239,901 cheaper E5 EM-i from ZAR 599,999 · Tiggo 9 PHEV from ZAR 839,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification E5 EM-i Tiggo 9 PHEV
Maximum Power E5 EM-i73 kW Tiggo 9 PHEV455 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque E5 EM-i125 Nm Tiggo 9 PHEV920 Nm
Engine Size E5 EM-i1499 cc Tiggo 9 PHEV1500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy E5 EM-iNot Officially Disclosed Tiggo 9 PHEV16.1 km/l
Ground Clearance E5 EM-iNot Officially Disclosed Tiggo 9 PHEV183 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

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
Specification evidence leader

Tiggo 9 PHEV

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

Which One's Right for You?

E5 EM-i

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

Tiggo 9 PHEV

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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec E5 EM-i Tiggo 9 PHEV
Model Introduced Year 2025 2026
Generation Current South African model / exact generation number not separately published Current South Africa Tiggo 9 PHEV range
Facelift History No applicable South African facelift history established Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since Not Applicable 2026
Facelift Version Ending Not Applicable Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active active
Segment Passenger vehicle SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Tare Mass Kg - 2265 kg
Spec E5 EM-i Tiggo 9 PHEV
Length 4740 mm 4810 mm
Width 1905 mm 1925 mm
Height 1685 mm 1741 mm
Wheelbase 2755 mm 2800 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) Not Officially Disclosed 183 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed 150 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 51 l 70 l
Boot/Cargo Space 528 l 448 l
Kerb Weight 1770 kg 2265 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) Not Officially Disclosed 2886 kg
Payload Capacity Not Officially Disclosed 621 kg
Towing Capacity Not Officially Disclosed 1500 kg
Seating Capacity Not Officially Disclosed 7 seats
Number of Rows Not Officially Disclosed 3 rows
Doors Not Officially Disclosed 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius Not Officially Disclosed 5.9 m
Front Headroom Not Officially Disclosed 1025 mm
Rear Headroom Not Officially Disclosed 990 mm
Front Legroom Not Officially Disclosed 1060 mm
Rear Legroom Not Officially Disclosed 960 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This E5 EM-i and Tiggo 9 PHEV comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: E5 EM-i 39 vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 98.

Efficiency index: E5 EM-i 79 vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 72.

Safety-equipment index: E5 EM-i 91 vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 94.

Practicality index: E5 EM-i 74 vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 70.

Ownership-cover index: E5 EM-i not separately scored vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 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

Tiggo 9 PHEV leads by 15 points

Tiggo 9 PHEV holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over E5 EM-i.

Evidence leader 85 /100
Lead 15 points
Data 69% source coverage
85
#1 Evidence leader

Tiggo 9 PHEV

69% source coverage 4 strong categories
Best at Performance 98 Check Practicality 70
Performance 98
Efficiency 72
Safety 94
Practicality 70
Leads by 15 points
70
#2

E5 EM-i

51% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 79
Safety 91
Practicality 74
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV +59 Efficiency E5 EM-i +7 Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV +3 Practicality E5 EM-i +4

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Tiggo 9 PHEV

Performance 98/100
Efficiency 72/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 70/100

E5 EM-i

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 79/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 74/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV leads the specification evidence index with 85 pts vs 70 pts for E5 EM-i

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Tiggo 9 PHEV leads. However, E5 EM-i 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 African models and comparable body styles.

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Tiggo 9 PHEV vs Tiggo 8 PHEV →

E5 EM-i vs Tiggo 9 PHEV questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives 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.