Hyundai Kona 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 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 9 PHEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV

PHEV Vanguard AWD Plug-In Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 989,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 455 kW 🔧 920 Nm ⛽ 16.1 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

⚡ Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV
⛽ Fuel Economy Tiggo 9 PHEV
🛡 Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV
📦 Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV
🔑 Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV
Kona starts ZAR 839900 cheaper Kona from ZAR 459,900 · Tiggo 9 PHEV from ZAR 839,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Kona Tiggo 9 PHEV
Engine Power 88 kW 455 kW
Torque 172 Nm 920 Nm
Engine Size 998 cc 1.5 cc
Claimed Mileage 15.5 km/l 16.1 km/l
Ground Clearance 165 mm 183 mm
Boot / Load Bay 466 l 448 l
Airbags 6 Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 1460 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 7
Warranty 5 7 Year / 200 000 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

Tiggo 9 PHEV holds a noticeable edge over Kona, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV +58 pts
Efficiency Tiggo 9 PHEV +12 pts
Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV +2 pts
Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV +10 pts
Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV +4 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Kona

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

Tiggo 9 PHEV

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

Which One's Right for You?

Kona

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Tiggo 9 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
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

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 9 PHEV
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 9 PHEV 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 9 PHEV
Ground Clearance 165 mm 183 mm
Wheelbase 2660 mm 2800 mm
Length 4355 mm 4810 mm
Width 1825 mm 1925 mm
Height 1570 mm 1741 mm
Kerb Weight 1460 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 7
Boot Space 466 l 448 l
Load Bed Length 466 l 448 l
Load Bed Width Not confirmed -
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Volume 466 l 448 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 5 7
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 70 l
Ground Clearance Max 165 mm 183 mm
Ground Clearance Min 165 mm 183 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 165 mm 183 mm
Height Mm 1570 mm 1741 mm
Length Mm 4355 mm 4810 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 466 l 448 l
Loadbox Width Mm Not confirmed -
Cargo Volume 466 l 448 l
Tare Mass Kg 1460 kg -
Width Mm 1825 mm 1925 mm
Gross Vehicle Weight Not confirmed -
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 2065 l
Max Payload Not confirmed -
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg Not confirmed -
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

Tiggo 9 PHEV leads by 19 points

Tiggo 9 PHEV holds a noticeable edge over Kona, especially in key ownership areas.

Winner 84 /100
Lead 19 points
Data 74% confidence
84
#1 Winner

Tiggo 9 PHEV

74% data confidence 4 strong categories
Best at Performance 98 Check Ownership 69
Performance 98
Efficiency 72
Safety 94
Practicality 77
Ownership 69
Leads by 19 points
65
#2

Kona

88% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 60
Safety 92
Practicality 67
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV +58 Efficiency Tiggo 9 PHEV +12 Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV +2 Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV +10 Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV +4

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tiggo 9 PHEV

Performance 98/100
Efficiency 72/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 77/100
Ownership 69/100

Kona

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

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV wins with 84 pts vs 65 pts for Kona

In structured scoring, Tiggo 9 PHEV emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Kona 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 Tiggo 9 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: Kona 60 vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 72. 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 9 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: Kona 65, Tiggo 9 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: Kona 67, Tiggo 9 PHEV 77. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Kona 40, Tiggo 9 PHEV 98. 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 9 PHEV edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tiggo 9 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 Kona and Tiggo 9 PHEV in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Kona scores 40 vs 98.

Efficiency: Kona scores 60 vs 72.

Safety: Kona scores 92 vs 94.

Practicality: Kona scores 67 vs 77.

Ownership: Kona scores 65 vs 69.

Final structured scoring gives Tiggo 9 PHEV the advantage in this comparison.