Hyundai IONIQ 5 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.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Hyundai IONIQ 5 Discontinued model
Hyundai IONIQ 5 in South Africa

Hyundai IONIQ 5

72kWh AWD Executive Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Discontinued model
ZAR 1,068,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 225 kW 🔧 605 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

Hyundai IONIQ 5 vs Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV: the short answer

IONIQ 5 and Tiggo 9 PHEV are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context IONIQ 5: last listed from ZAR 859,900 · Tiggo 9 PHEV: current from ZAR 839,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification IONIQ 5 Tiggo 9 PHEV
Maximum Power IONIQ 5225 kW Tiggo 9 PHEV455 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque IONIQ 5605 Nm Tiggo 9 PHEV920 Nm
Engine Size IONIQ 5Not Applicable Tiggo 9 PHEV1500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy IONIQ 5Not Applicable Tiggo 9 PHEV16.1 km/l
Ground Clearance IONIQ 5160 mm Tiggo 9 PHEV183 mm

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

Evidence for Hyundai IONIQ 5 72kWh AWD Executive

Source type: Hagalu catalogue record

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

IONIQ 5

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency

Tiggo 9 PHEV

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

IONIQ 5

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Tiggo 9 PHEV

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec IONIQ 5 Tiggo 9 PHEV
Model Introduced Year 2022 2026
Generation First generation Ioniq 5 on Hyundai's dedicated E-GMP electric platform; 800V fast charging architecture allows rapid 18-minute charge from 10-80% at suitable DC fast chargers Current South Africa Tiggo 9 PHEV range
Facelift History Launched in SA in 2022; updates to battery specifications and charging capabilities followed; the car has been on Hyundai SA's EV flagship from launch Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since 2022 2026
Tare Mass Kg 2190 kg 2265 kg
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed active
Segment Not confirmed SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Spec IONIQ 5 Tiggo 9 PHEV
Length 4635 mm 4810 mm
Width 1890 mm 1925 mm
Height 1605 mm 1741 mm
Wheelbase 3000 mm 2800 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 160 mm 183 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 72.6 l 70 l
Boot/Cargo Space 527 l 448 l
Kerb Weight 2190 kg 2265 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not confirmed 150 mm
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) Not confirmed 2886 kg
Payload Capacity Not confirmed 621 kg
Towing Capacity Not confirmed 1500 kg
Number of Rows Not confirmed 3 rows
Minimum Turning Radius Not confirmed 5.9 m
Front Headroom Not confirmed 1025 mm
Rear Headroom Not confirmed 990 mm
Front Legroom Not confirmed 1060 mm
Rear Legroom Not confirmed 960 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This IONIQ 5 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: IONIQ 5 100 vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 98.

Efficiency index: IONIQ 5 90 vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 72.

Safety-equipment index: IONIQ 5 98 vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 94.

Practicality index: IONIQ 5 70 vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 70.

Ownership-cover index: IONIQ 5 65 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

IONIQ 5 leads by 1 points

IONIQ 5 and Tiggo 9 PHEV are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 86 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 75% source coverage
86
#1 Evidence leader

IONIQ 5

75% source coverage 4 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Ownership 65
Performance 100
Efficiency 90
Safety 98
Practicality 70
Ownership 65
Leads by 1 points
85
#2

Tiggo 9 PHEV

69% source coverage 4 strong categories
Best at Performance 98 Check Practicality 70
Performance 98
Efficiency 72
Safety 94
Practicality 70
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance IONIQ 5 +2 Efficiency IONIQ 5 +18 Safety IONIQ 5 +4 Practicality Level

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

IONIQ 5

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 70/100
Ownership 65/100

Tiggo 9 PHEV

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Hyundai IONIQ 5 leads the specification evidence index with 86 pts vs 85 pts for Tiggo 9 PHEV

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, IONIQ 5 leads. However, Tiggo 9 PHEV may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

IONIQ 5 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.