Honda Elevate vs Chery Tiggo 4 Cross

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.

Honda Elevate in South Africa

Honda Elevate

1.5 Elegance CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 399,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 119 kW 🔧 145 Nm ⛽ 16.1 km/l
VS
Chery Tiggo 4 Cross in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 4 Cross

LiT MT Petrol Manual
ZAR 279,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 83 kW 🔧 170 Nm ⛽ 14.3 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

⚡ Performance Elevate
⛽ Fuel Economy Elevate
🛡 Safety Elevate
📦 Practicality Tiggo 4 Cross
🔑 Ownership Elevate
Tiggo 4 Cross starts ZAR 369900 cheaper Elevate from ZAR 369,900 · Tiggo 4 Cross from ZAR 279,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Elevate Tiggo 4 Cross
Engine Power 119 kW 83 kW
Torque 145 Nm 170 Nm
Engine Size 1498 cc 1.5 cc
Claimed Mileage 16.1 km/l 14.3 km/l
Ground Clearance 220 mm 180 mm
Boot / Load Bay 458 l -
Airbags 6 Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 1240 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 3 5 Years / 150 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both Elevate and Tiggo 4 Cross are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Elevate +1 pts
Efficiency Elevate +6 pts
Safety Elevate +7 pts
Practicality Tiggo 4 Cross +1 pts
Ownership Elevate +4 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Elevate

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency

Tiggo 4 Cross

Strengths
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Elevate

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

Tiggo 4 Cross

  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Elevate Tiggo 4 Cross
Ground Clearance 220 mm 180 mm
Wheelbase 2650 mm 2610 mm
Width 1790 mm 1831 mm
Height 1650 mm 1662 mm
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 458 l -
Towing Capacity 1200 kg -
Boot Volume 458 l -
Fuel Tank Capacity 40 l -
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 1680 kg 1701 kg
Ground Clearance Mm 220 mm 180 mm
Height Mm 1650 mm 1662 mm
Length Mm 4312 mm 4351 mm
Width Mm 1790 mm 1831 mm
Number of Doors 5 5
Ground Clearance Min 220 mm 180 mm
Ground Clearance Max 220 mm 180 mm
Tare Mass Kg 1240 kg -
Cargo Volume 458 l -
Doors 5 5
Load Bed Length 458 l -
Load Bed Width - -
Loadbox Length Mm 458 l -
Max Payload - -
Front Track Width - -
Rear Track Width - -
Turning Radius - -
Boot Space Seats Folded 458 l -
Front Legroom - -
Rear Legroom - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -
Front Shoulder Room - -
Rear Shoulder Room - -
Payload Kg - -
Turning Circle - -
Turning Circle M - -
Length 4312 mm 4351 mm
Kerb Weight 1240 kg -
Seats 5 5
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Gross Vehicle Weight 1680 kg 1701 kg
Spec Elevate Tiggo 4 Cross
Engine 1.5L i-VTEC Petrol 1.5L petrol
Displacement 1498 cc 1.5 cc
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 16
Power 119 kW 83 kW
Torque 145 Nm 170 Nm
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection Petrol injection
Top Speed 180 km/h -
0-100 km/h 12.5 sec -
Engine Displacement 1498 cc 1.5 cc
Engine Displacement Cc 1498 cc 1.5 cc
Engine Power kW 119 kW 83 kW
Engine Torque Nm 145 Nm 170 Nm
Max Power kW 119 kW 83 kW
Max Torque Nm 145 Nm 170 Nm
Maximum Torque 145 Nm 170 Nm
Power 16 bhp 111.3 bhp
Engine Config 1.5L i-VTEC Petrol 1.5L petrol
Engine Type Config 1.5L i-VTEC Petrol 1.5L petrol
Engine Cylinders 4 4
Engine Valves 4 16
0–100 km/h 12.5 sec -
Acceleration 0 100 12.5 sec -
Power Assisted Steering Electric Power Steering -
Battery Capacity - -
Charging Port - -
AC Charging Time - -
EV Range - -
Motor Position - -
Motor Power - -
Motor Torque - -
Motor Type - -
System Output - -
Combined System Power - -
Combined System Torque - -
Active Exhaust - -
Engine Displacement Litres 1498 cc 1.5 cc
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Engine Code - -
Engine Aspiration - Naturally aspirated
Induction - Naturally aspirated
Turbocharger - -
Turbo Type - -
Power @ RPM - 5500
Power kW Rpm - 5500
Torque @ RPM - 1750-4000
Torque Nm Rpm - 1750-4000
Compression Ratio - -
Cylinder Bore - -
Piston Stroke - -
Maximum Power 119 kW 83 kW
Cylinder Layout - Inline
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated 1.5L petrol

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Elevate leads by 3 points

Both Elevate and Tiggo 4 Cross are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 60 /100
Lead 3 points
Data 95% confidence
60
#1 Winner

Elevate

95% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 82 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 62
Safety 82
Practicality 66
Ownership 51
Leads by 3 points
57
#2

Tiggo 4 Cross

68% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 75 Check Performance 38
Performance 38
Efficiency 56
Safety 75
Practicality 67
Ownership 47
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Elevate +1 Efficiency Elevate +6 Safety Elevate +7 Practicality Tiggo 4 Cross +1 Ownership Elevate +4

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Elevate

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 62/100
Safety 82/100
Practicality 66/100
Ownership 51/100

Tiggo 4 Cross

Performance 38/100
Efficiency 56/100
Safety 75/100
Practicality 67/100
Ownership 47/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Honda Elevate wins with 60 pts vs 57 pts for Tiggo 4 Cross

In structured scoring, Elevate emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Tiggo 4 Cross may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

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Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Elevate 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: Elevate 62 vs Tiggo 4 Cross 56. 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: Elevate 82, Tiggo 4 Cross 75. 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: Elevate 51, Tiggo 4 Cross 47. 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: Elevate 66, Tiggo 4 Cross 67. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Elevate 39, Tiggo 4 Cross 38. 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 Elevate edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Elevate 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 Elevate and Tiggo 4 Cross in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Elevate scores 39 vs 38.

Efficiency: Elevate scores 62 vs 56.

Safety: Elevate scores 82 vs 75.

Practicality: Elevate scores 66 vs 67.

Ownership: Elevate scores 51 vs 47.

Final structured scoring gives Elevate the advantage in this comparison.