Nissan Magnite 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.

Nissan Magnite in South Africa

Nissan Magnite

1.0 Acenta Plus EZ-Shift Petrol Automatic
ZAR 323,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 53 kW 🔧 96 Nm ⛽ 16.9 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 Tiggo 4 Cross
Fuel Economy Magnite
🛡 Safety Tiggo 4 Cross
📦 Practicality Tiggo 4 Cross
🔑 Ownership Tiggo 4 Cross
Magnite starts ZAR 279900 cheaper Magnite from ZAR 229,900 · Tiggo 4 Cross from ZAR 279,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Magnite Tiggo 4 Cross
Engine Power 53 kW 83 kW
Torque 96 Nm 170 Nm
Engine Size 999 cc 1.5 cc
Claimed Mileage 16.9 km/l 14.3 km/l
Ground Clearance 205 mm 180 mm
Boot / Load Bay 336 l -
Airbags 6 airbags Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 1007 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 6 years / 150,000 km 5 Years / 150 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both Magnite and Tiggo 4 Cross are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 4 Cross +15 pts
Efficiency Magnite +9 pts
Safety Tiggo 4 Cross +4 pts
Practicality Tiggo 4 Cross +3 pts
Ownership Tiggo 4 Cross +4 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Magnite

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency
🏆 Overall Winner

Tiggo 4 Cross

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Magnite

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Tiggo 4 Cross

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • 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

Spec Magnite Tiggo 4 Cross
4WD Engagement - -
4WD Hi Range - -
4WD Lo Range - -
4WD Selector - -
Differential Lock - -
Differential Type Front - -
Differential Type Rear - -
Front Differential Lock - -
Number of Gears 5 km/h 5 km/h
Transmission AMT Manual
Gearbox Type AMT Manual
LSD Available - -
Low Range - -
Rear Differential Lock - -
Transfer Case - -
Transfer Case Guard - -
Transmission AMT Manual
Transmission Speeds 5 km/h 5 km/h
Transmission Type AMT Manual
Drive Type 2WD FWD
Drivetrain 2WD FWD
Drivetrain Layout 2WD FWD
Axle Layout 2WD FWD
Paddle Shifters - -
Automatic Shift Paddles - -
Final Drive Ratio - -
Steering Turns Lock to Lock - -
Clutch Type - Manual clutch
Spec Magnite Tiggo 4 Cross
4WD System Type 2WD FWD
Crawl Control - -
Energy Recovery Display - -
Front Skid Plate Guard - -
Locking Differential - -
Off Road Descent Control - -
Off Road Traction Assist - -
Rear Skid Plate Guard - -
Skid Plates Transfer Case - -
Terrain Mode Mud - -
Terrain Mode Normal - -
Terrain Mode Rock - -
Terrain Mode Sand - -
Terrain Mode Snow - -
Terrain Modes - -
Terrain Response System - -
Underbody Camera - -
Approach Angle - -
Departure Angle - -
Breakover Angle - -
Wading Depth - -
Approach Angle Deg - -
Breakover Angle Deg - -
Departure Angle Deg - -
Hill Descent Control - Standard
Ramp Breakover Angle - -
Ramp-over Angle - -
Recovery Hooks - -
Underbody Protection - -
Wading Depth Mm - -
Skid Plates Fuel Tank - -

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tiggo 4 Cross leads by 4 points

Both Magnite and Tiggo 4 Cross are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 57 /100
Lead 4 points
Data 68% confidence
57
#1 Winner

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
Leads by 4 points
53
#2

Magnite

91% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 71 Check Performance 23
Performance 23
Efficiency 65
Safety 71
Practicality 64
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 4 Cross +15 Efficiency Magnite +9 Safety Tiggo 4 Cross +4 Practicality Tiggo 4 Cross +3 Ownership Tiggo 4 Cross +4

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tiggo 4 Cross

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

Magnite

Performance 23/100
Efficiency 65/100
Safety 71/100
Practicality 64/100
Ownership 43/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 4 Cross wins with 57 pts vs 53 pts for Magnite

In structured scoring, Tiggo 4 Cross emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Magnite 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 4 Cross 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: Magnite 65 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: Magnite 71, 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: Magnite 43, 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: Magnite 64, Tiggo 4 Cross 67. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Magnite 23, 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 Tiggo 4 Cross edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

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

Performance: Magnite scores 23 vs 38.

Efficiency: Magnite scores 65 vs 56.

Safety: Magnite scores 71 vs 75.

Practicality: Magnite scores 64 vs 67.

Ownership: Magnite scores 43 vs 47.

Final structured scoring gives Tiggo 4 Cross the advantage in this comparison.