Nissan Magnite vs Chery Tiggo 8 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.

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 8 PHEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV

PHEV Apex Plug-In Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 729,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 230 Nm ⛽ 19.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tiggo 8 PHEV
Fuel Economy Tiggo 8 PHEV
🛡 Safety Tiggo 8 PHEV
📦 Practicality Tiggo 8 PHEV
🔑 Ownership Tiggo 8 PHEV
Magnite starts ZAR 729900 cheaper Magnite from ZAR 229,900 · Tiggo 8 PHEV from ZAR 729,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Magnite Tiggo 8 PHEV
Engine Power 53 kW 150 kW
Torque 96 Nm 230 Nm
Engine Size 999 cc 1.5 cc
Claimed Mileage 16.9 km/l 19.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 205 mm 170 mm
Boot / Load Bay 336 l 494 l
Airbags 6 airbags Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 1007 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 7
Warranty 6 years / 150,000 km 7 Year / 200 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Tiggo 8 PHEV holds a noticeable edge over Magnite, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 8 PHEV +33 pts
Efficiency Tiggo 8 PHEV +16 pts
Safety Tiggo 8 PHEV +23 pts
Practicality Tiggo 8 PHEV +14 pts
Ownership Tiggo 8 PHEV +26 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Magnite

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 8 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?

Magnite

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Tiggo 8 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

Spec Magnite Tiggo 8 PHEV
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 Hybrid DHT
Transmission AMT Automatic
Gearbox Type AMT Automatic
LSD Available - -
Low Range - -
Rear Differential Lock - -
Transfer Case - -
Transfer Case Guard - -
Transmission AMT Automatic
Transmission Speeds 5 km/h Hybrid DHT
Transmission Type AMT Automatic
Drive Type 2WD FWD
Drivetrain 2WD FWD
Drivetrain Layout 2WD FWD
Axle Layout 2WD FWD
Paddle Shifters - Standard
Automatic Shift Paddles - Standard
Final Drive Ratio - -
Steering Turns Lock to Lock - -
Clutch Type - Automatic clutch
Spec Magnite Tiggo 8 PHEV
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 8 PHEV leads by 22 points

Tiggo 8 PHEV holds a noticeable edge over Magnite, especially in key ownership areas.

Winner 75 /100
Lead 22 points
Data 74% confidence
75
#1 Winner

Tiggo 8 PHEV

74% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Performance 56
Performance 56
Efficiency 81
Safety 94
Practicality 78
Ownership 69
Leads by 22 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 8 PHEV +33 Efficiency Tiggo 8 PHEV +16 Safety Tiggo 8 PHEV +23 Practicality Tiggo 8 PHEV +14 Ownership Tiggo 8 PHEV +26

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tiggo 8 PHEV

Performance 56/100
Efficiency 81/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 78/100
Ownership 69/100

Magnite

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

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV wins with 75 pts vs 53 pts for Magnite

In structured scoring, Tiggo 8 PHEV 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 8 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: Magnite 65 vs Tiggo 8 PHEV 81. 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 8 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: Magnite 43, Tiggo 8 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: Magnite 64, Tiggo 8 PHEV 78. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Magnite 23, Tiggo 8 PHEV 56. 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 8 PHEV edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tiggo 8 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 Magnite and Tiggo 8 PHEV in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Magnite scores 23 vs 56.

Efficiency: Magnite scores 65 vs 81.

Safety: Magnite scores 71 vs 94.

Practicality: Magnite scores 64 vs 78.

Ownership: Magnite scores 43 vs 69.

Final structured scoring gives Tiggo 8 PHEV the advantage in this comparison.