Hyundai Kona 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.

Includes an archived model

Current and archived cars are compared side by side. Archived models keep their verified historical specs, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Hyundai Kona
Hyundai Kona in South Africa

Hyundai Kona

1.0T DCT Executive Petrol Automatic Archive reference
ZAR 565,900 last listed
No longer sold new Specs stay visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 15.5 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 Kona
⛽ Fuel Economy Kona
🛡 Safety Kona
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Kona
Tiggo 4 Cross starts ZAR 459900 cheaper Kona from ZAR 459,900 · Tiggo 4 Cross from ZAR 279,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Kona Tiggo 4 Cross
Engine Power 88 kW 83 kW
Torque 172 Nm 170 Nm
Engine Size 998 cc 1.5 cc
Claimed Mileage 15.5 km/l 14.3 km/l
Ground Clearance 165 mm 180 mm
Boot / Load Bay 466 l -
Airbags 6 Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 1460 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 5 5 Years / 150 000 km

= leads in this spec

Archived models stay fully comparable. Verified specs remain visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

Kona has a slight advantage, but Tiggo 4 Cross remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Kona +2 pts
Efficiency Kona +4 pts
Safety Kona +17 pts
Practicality Equal
Ownership Kona +18 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Kona

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency

Tiggo 4 Cross

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

Which One's Right for You?

Kona

  • 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

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

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 Kona Tiggo 4 Cross
Model Introduced Year 2018 2026
Generation Second generation Kona on Hyundai's K2 GEN platform; the design is more conservative than the first gen but better resolved Current South Africa Tiggo 4 Cross range
Facelift History Second generation launched globally in 2023 and brought to SA; softened styling compared to the sharper first gen, improved interior quality and tech Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since 2023 2026
Facelift Version Ending Discontinued - exact end year 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 Kona Tiggo 4 Cross
Ground Clearance 165 mm 180 mm
Wheelbase 2660 mm 2610 mm
Length 4355 mm 4351 mm
Width 1825 mm 1831 mm
Height 1570 mm 1662 mm
Kerb Weight 1460 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 466 l -
Load Bed Length 466 l -
Load Bed Width Not confirmed -
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Volume 466 l -
Doors 5 5
Seats 5 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l -
Ground Clearance Max 165 mm 180 mm
Ground Clearance Min 165 mm 180 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 165 mm 180 mm
Height Mm 1570 mm 1662 mm
Length Mm 4355 mm 4351 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 466 l -
Loadbox Width Mm Not confirmed -
Cargo Volume 466 l -
Tare Mass Kg 1460 kg -
Width Mm 1825 mm 1831 mm
Gross Vehicle Weight Not confirmed 1701 kg
Towing Capacity Not confirmed -
Front Track Width Not confirmed -
Rear Track Width Not confirmed -
Turning Radius Not confirmed -
Front Legroom Not confirmed -
Rear Legroom Not confirmed -
Front Headroom Not confirmed -
Rear Headroom Not confirmed -
Front Shoulder Room Not confirmed -
Rear Shoulder Room Not confirmed -
Boot Space Seats Folded Not confirmed -
Max Payload Not confirmed -
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg Not confirmed 1701 kg
Payload Kg Not confirmed -
Turning Circle Not confirmed -
Turning Circle M Not confirmed -

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Kona leads by 8 points

Kona has a slight advantage, but Tiggo 4 Cross remains highly competitive.

Winner 65 /100
Lead 8 points
Data 88% confidence
65
#1 Winner

Kona

88% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 60
Safety 92
Practicality 67
Ownership 65
Leads by 8 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 Kona +2 Efficiency Kona +4 Safety Kona +17 Practicality Level Ownership Kona +18

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Kona

Performance 40/100
Efficiency 60/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 67/100
Ownership 65/100

Tiggo 4 Cross

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

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Hyundai Kona wins with 65 pts vs 57 pts for Tiggo 4 Cross

In structured scoring, Kona 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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Buyers Also Looked At These

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

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Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Kona 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: Kona 60 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: Kona 92, 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: Kona 65, 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: Kona 67, Tiggo 4 Cross 67. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Kona 40, 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 Kona edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

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

Performance: Kona scores 40 vs 38.

Efficiency: Kona scores 60 vs 56.

Safety: Kona scores 92 vs 75.

Practicality: Kona scores 67 vs 67.

Ownership: Kona scores 65 vs 47.

Final structured scoring gives Kona the advantage in this comparison.