Suzuki Grand Vitara vs Chery Tiggo 7 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.

Suzuki Grand Vitara in South Africa

Suzuki Grand Vitara

1.5 Hybrid GLX AllGrip AT Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 542,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 76 kW 🔧 137 Nm ⛽ 17.9 km/l
VS
Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV

PHEV Ultra Plug-In Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 679,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 265 kW 🔧 530 Nm ⛽ 20.4 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tiggo 7 PHEV
Fuel Economy Tiggo 7 PHEV
🛡 Safety Tiggo 7 PHEV
📦 Practicality Tiggo 7 PHEV
🔑 Ownership Grand Vitara
Grand Vitara starts ZAR 599900 cheaper Grand Vitara from ZAR 359,900 · Tiggo 7 PHEV from ZAR 599,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Grand Vitara Tiggo 7 PHEV
Engine Power 76 kW 265 kW
Torque 137 Nm 530 Nm
Engine Size 1462 cc 1.5 cc
Claimed Mileage 17.9 km/l 20.4 km/l
Ground Clearance 210 mm 162 mm
Boot / Load Bay 310 l 626 l
Airbags 6 Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 1225 kg 1870 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 5 7 Year / 200 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Tiggo 7 PHEV holds a noticeable edge over Grand Vitara, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 7 PHEV +57 pts
Efficiency Tiggo 7 PHEV +12 pts
Safety Tiggo 7 PHEV +12 pts
Practicality Tiggo 7 PHEV +14 pts
Ownership Grand Vitara +2 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Grand Vitara

Strengths
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

Tiggo 7 PHEV

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Grand Vitara

  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Tiggo 7 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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Grand Vitara Tiggo 7 PHEV
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Mild Hybrid (SHVS) 1.5T plug-in hybrid
Engine Code K15C -
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline
Engine Aspiration Naturally Aspirated Turbocharged
Displacement 1462 cc 1.5 cc
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 16
Cylinder Bore 74.0 mm -
Piston Stroke 85.1 mm -
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 -
Engine Position Transverse Front-Mounted -
Variable Valve Timing Dual VVT — Intake and Exhaust -
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection with 12V ISG Petrol injection
Turbocharger - Standard
Power 76 kW 265 kW
Power @ RPM 6,000 rpm 5500
Power 102 bhp 355.4 bhp
Torque 137 Nm 530 Nm
Torque @ RPM 4,400 rpm 1750-4000
Maximum Engine RPM 6800 rpm -
Engine Oil Capacity 3.7 l -
Fuel Grade Required 93 RON Unleaded Petrol Petrol
Top Speed 175 km/h -
0-100 km/h 13.5 sec -
Engine Displacement 1462 cc 1.5 cc
Engine Displacement Cc 1462 cc 1.5 cc
Engine Power kW 76 kW 265 kW
Engine Torque Nm 137 Nm 530 Nm
Max Power kW 76 kW 265 kW
Max Torque Nm 137 Nm 530 Nm
Maximum Power 76 kW 265 kW
Maximum Torque 137 Nm 530 Nm
Engine Config 1.5L K15C Dualjet SHVS Mild Hybrid 4-Cylinder 1.5T plug-in hybrid
Engine Type Config 1.5L K15C Dualjet SHVS Mild Hybrid 4-Cylinder 1.5T plug-in hybrid
Engine Cylinders 4 4
Engine Valves 4 16
Power kW Rpm 6,000 rpm 5500
Torque Nm Rpm 4,400 rpm 1750-4000
0–100 km/h 13.5 sec -
Acceleration 0 100 13.5 sec -
Induction Naturally Aspirated Turbocharged
Turbo Type Naturally Aspirated Single turbo
Power Assisted Steering Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) -
Battery Capacity - -
Charging Port - -
AC Charging Time - -
EV Range - -
Motor Position - -
Motor Power - -
Motor Torque - -
Engine Displacement Litres 1462 cc 1.5 cc
Engine 1.5L K15C Dualjet SHVS Mild Hybrid 4-Cylinder 1.5T plug-in hybrid
Motor Type - -
Spec Grand Vitara Tiggo 7 PHEV
Transmission Type Automatic Automatic
Number of Gears 6 km/h Hybrid DHT
Drive Type 4WD / AWD FWD
Drivetrain Layout All Wheel Drive (AWD) FWD
Final Drive Ratio 4.388:1 -
Steering Turns Lock to Lock 2.8 -
Clutch Type Single Dry Plate Diaphragm Automatic clutch
LSD Available - -
Differential Lock - -
Transfer Case - -
Paddle Shifters Standard Sport Paddle Shifters Standard
Drivetrain 4WD / AWD FWD
Transmission Automatic Automatic
Gearbox Type Automatic Automatic
Transmission Speeds 6 km/h Hybrid DHT
Axle Layout 4WD / AWD FWD
Automatic Shift Paddles Standard Sport Paddle Shifters Standard
4WD Engagement - -
4WD Hi Range - -
4WD Lo Range - -
4WD Selector - -
Low Range - -
Front Differential Lock - -
Rear Differential Lock - -
Transmission Automatic Automatic

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tiggo 7 PHEV leads by 21 points

Tiggo 7 PHEV holds a noticeable edge over Grand Vitara, especially in key ownership areas.

Winner 84 /100
Lead 21 points
Data 74% confidence
84
#1 Winner

Tiggo 7 PHEV

74% data confidence 4 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Ownership 69
Performance 91
Efficiency 85
Safety 94
Practicality 76
Ownership 69
Leads by 21 points
63
#2

Grand Vitara

94% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 82 Check Performance 34
Performance 34
Efficiency 73
Safety 82
Practicality 62
Ownership 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 7 PHEV +57 Efficiency Tiggo 7 PHEV +12 Safety Tiggo 7 PHEV +12 Practicality Tiggo 7 PHEV +14 Ownership Grand Vitara +2

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tiggo 7 PHEV

Performance 91/100
Efficiency 85/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 76/100
Ownership 69/100

Grand Vitara

Performance 34/100
Efficiency 73/100
Safety 82/100
Practicality 62/100
Ownership 71/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV wins with 84 pts vs 63 pts for Grand Vitara

In structured scoring, Tiggo 7 PHEV emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Grand Vitara may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

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

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Tiggo 7 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: Grand Vitara 73 vs Tiggo 7 PHEV 85. 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: Grand Vitara 82, Tiggo 7 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: Grand Vitara 71, Tiggo 7 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: Grand Vitara 62, Tiggo 7 PHEV 76. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Grand Vitara 34, Tiggo 7 PHEV 91. 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 7 PHEV edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tiggo 7 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 Grand Vitara and Tiggo 7 PHEV in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Grand Vitara scores 34 vs 91.

Efficiency: Grand Vitara scores 73 vs 85.

Safety: Grand Vitara scores 82 vs 94.

Practicality: Grand Vitara scores 62 vs 76.

Ownership: Grand Vitara scores 71 vs 69.

Final structured scoring gives Tiggo 7 PHEV the advantage in this comparison.