Geely E5 EM-i vs Hyundai Tucson

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
Hyundai Tucson in South Africa

Hyundai Tucson

2.0D AT Executive AWD Diesel 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 764,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 137 kW 🔧 416 Nm ⛽ 13.9 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Geely E5 EM-i vs Hyundai Tucson: the short answer

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

Tucson starts ZAR 31,099 cheaper E5 EM-i from ZAR 599,999 · Tucson from ZAR 568,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification E5 EM-i Tucson
Maximum Power E5 EM-i73 kW Tucson137 kW @ 3800 rpm
Maximum Torque E5 EM-i125 Nm Tucson416 Nm @ 2000 rpm
Engine Size E5 EM-i1499 cc Tucson1995 cc
Combined Fuel Economy E5 EM-iNot Officially Disclosed Tucson13.9 km/l
Ground Clearance E5 EM-iNot Officially Disclosed Tucson181 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

Tucson

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

Tucson

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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec E5 EM-i Tucson
Model Introduced Year 2025 2004
Generation Current South African model / exact generation number not separately published Fourth generation Tucson on Hyundai's i-GMP platform; distinctive parametric design language makes it one of the more striking mid-size SUVs in SA
Facelift History No applicable South African facelift history established Fourth generation launched in SA in 2021; major step change in styling, interior quality, and technology over the third-gen car
Facelift Launched Since Not Applicable 2021
Facelift Version Ending Not Applicable Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active published
Segment Passenger vehicle SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Color Note - White, Black, Silver, Blue, Grey, Green
Dealer Stock Note - Executive grade in the South Africa lineup
Drivetrain Note - Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.0D AT Executive AWD
Tare Mass Kg - 1720 kg
Spec E5 EM-i Tucson
Length 4740 mm 4630 mm
Width 1905 mm 1865 mm
Height 1685 mm 1665 mm
Wheelbase 2755 mm 2755 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) Not Officially Disclosed 181 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed -
Fuel Tank Capacity 51 l 54 l
Boot/Cargo Space 528 l 540 l
Kerb Weight 1770 kg 1720 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) Not Officially Disclosed 2110 kg
Payload Capacity Not Officially Disclosed -
Towing Capacity Not Officially Disclosed -
Seating Capacity Not Officially Disclosed 5 seats
Number of Rows Not Officially Disclosed -
Doors Not Officially Disclosed 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius Not Officially Disclosed 5.4 m
Front Headroom Not Officially Disclosed -
Rear Headroom Not Officially Disclosed -
Front Legroom Not Officially Disclosed -
Rear Legroom Not Officially Disclosed -

In depth: how these cars differ

This E5 EM-i and Tucson 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 Tucson 69.

Efficiency index: E5 EM-i 79 vs Tucson 56.

Safety-equipment index: E5 EM-i 91 vs Tucson 92.

Practicality index: E5 EM-i 74 vs Tucson 73.

Ownership-cover index: E5 EM-i not separately scored vs Tucson 65.

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

Tucson leads by 2 points

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

Evidence leader 72 /100
Lead 2 points
Data 90% source coverage
72
#1 Evidence leader

Tucson

90% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Efficiency 56
Performance 69
Efficiency 56
Safety 92
Practicality 73
Ownership 65
Leads by 2 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 Tucson +30 Efficiency E5 EM-i +23 Safety Tucson +1 Practicality E5 EM-i +1

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Tucson

Performance 69/100
Efficiency 56/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 73/100
Ownership 65/100

E5 EM-i

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Hyundai Tucson leads the specification evidence index with 72 pts vs 70 pts for E5 EM-i

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Tucson 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.

E5 EM-i
E5 EM-i
VS
H6
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E5 EM-i vs H6 →
E5 EM-i
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E5 EM-i vs CX-5 →
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E5 EM-i vs Tiggo 7 PHEV →
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Tiggo 8 Pro Max
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E5 EM-i vs Tiggo 8 Pro Max →
E5 EM-i
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E5 EM-i vs Harrier →
Tucson
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VS
H6
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Tucson vs H6 →
Tucson
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VS
CX-5
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Tucson vs CX-5 →

E5 EM-i vs Tucson 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.