Hyundai Kona vs Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

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 Kona Discontinued model
Hyundai Kona in South Africa

Hyundai Kona

1.0T DCT Executive Petrol 7-Speed DCT Discontinued model
ZAR 565,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 15.5 km/l
VS
Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max

Executive 7DCT 2.0TGDI Petrol 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 609,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 187 kW 🔧 390 Nm ⛽ 13.2 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Hyundai Kona vs Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max: the short answer

Tiggo 8 Pro Max has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Kona remains close.

Recorded price context Kona: last listed from ZAR 459,900 · Tiggo 8 Pro Max: current from ZAR 609,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Kona Tiggo 8 Pro Max
Maximum Power Kona88 kW @ 5500 rpm Tiggo 8 Pro Max187 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque Kona172 Nm @ 1500 rpm Tiggo 8 Pro Max390 Nm
Engine Size Kona998 cc Tiggo 8 Pro Max2000 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Kona15.5 km/l Tiggo 8 Pro Max13.2 km/l
Ground Clearance Kona165 mm Tiggo 8 Pro Max203 mm

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

Independent editorial assessment

Hagalu editorial ratings

When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.

Hyundai Kona

1.0T DCT Executive

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max

Executive 7DCT 2.0TGDI

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Kona

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

Tiggo 8 Pro Max

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?

Kona

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Tiggo 8 Pro Max

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

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 8 Pro Max
Model Introduced Year 2018 2023
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 8 Pro Max 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 2023
Body Style SUV SUV
Production Status discontinued active
Segment SUV SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1460 kg 1658 kg
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Spec Kona Tiggo 8 Pro Max
Length 4355 mm 4720 mm
Width 1825 mm 1860 mm
Height 1570 mm 1705 mm
Wheelbase 2660 mm 2710 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 165 mm 203 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed 203 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 51 l
Boot/Cargo Space 466 l 117 l
Kerb Weight 1460 kg 1658 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) Not Officially Disclosed 2211 kg
Payload Capacity Not Officially Disclosed 553 kg
Towing Capacity Not Officially Disclosed 1500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 3 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius Not Officially Disclosed 5.6 m
Front Headroom Not Officially Disclosed 1020 mm
Rear Headroom Not Officially Disclosed 985 mm
Front Legroom Not Officially Disclosed 1055 mm
Rear Legroom Not Officially Disclosed 945 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Kona and Tiggo 8 Pro Max comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Kona 40 vs Tiggo 8 Pro Max 75.

Efficiency index: Kona 62 vs Tiggo 8 Pro Max 52.

Safety-equipment index: Kona 84 vs Tiggo 8 Pro Max 94.

Practicality index: Kona 67 vs Tiggo 8 Pro Max 58.

Ownership-cover index: Kona 65 vs Tiggo 8 Pro Max 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

Tiggo 8 Pro Max leads by 8 points

Tiggo 8 Pro Max has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Kona remains close.

Evidence leader 71 /100
Lead 8 points
Data 69% source coverage
71
#1 Evidence leader

Tiggo 8 Pro Max

69% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 52
Performance 75
Efficiency 52
Safety 94
Practicality 58
Leads by 8 points
63
#2

Kona

90% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 84 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 62
Safety 84
Practicality 67
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 8 Pro Max +35 Efficiency Kona +10 Safety Tiggo 8 Pro Max +10 Practicality Kona +9

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Tiggo 8 Pro Max

Performance 75/100
Efficiency 52/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 58/100

Kona

Performance 40/100
Efficiency 62/100
Safety 84/100
Practicality 67/100
Ownership 65/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max leads the specification evidence index with 71 pts vs 63 pts for Kona

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Tiggo 8 Pro Max leads. However, Kona may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Kona vs Tiggo 8 Pro Max questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa 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.