Nissan Magnite 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.

Nissan Magnite in South Africa

Nissan Magnite

1.0 Acenta Plus EZ-Shift Petrol Current
ZAR 323,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 53 kW 🔧 96 Nm ⛽ 16.9 km/l
VS
Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV

PHEV Vanguard AWD Plug-in Hybrid Current
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 Not enough comparable data
Magnite starts ZAR 610,000 cheaper Magnite from ZAR 229,900 · Tiggo 9 PHEV from ZAR 839,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Magnite Tiggo 9 PHEV
Maximum Power 53 kW @ 6250 rpm 455 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque 96 Nm @ 3500 rpm 920 Nm
Engine Size 999 cc 1500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 16.9 km/l 16.1 km/l
Ground Clearance 205 mm 183 mm
Boot / Load Bay 336 l 448 l
Airbags 6 airbags Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 1007 kg 2265 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Warranty 6 years / 150,000 km 7 Year / 200 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Tiggo 9 PHEV has a large lead in Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index over Magnite.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV +82 pts
Efficiency Tiggo 9 PHEV +7 pts
Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV +8 pts
Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV +6 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Magnite

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use
Catalogue-index leader

Tiggo 9 PHEV

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

Magnite

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

Tiggo 9 PHEV

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Magnite Tiggo 9 PHEV
Model Introduced Year 2021 2026
Generation First generation Magnite arrived in SA in 2021 — Nissan's entry into the growing budget compact SUV segment Current South Africa Tiggo 9 PHEV range
Facelift History 2023 facelift refreshed the grille, interior trims, and added safety upgrades Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since 2023 2026
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note Brick Red, Storm White, Pearl White, Onyx Black, Gun Grey, Blade Silver -
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup -
Drivetrain Note Front-wheel drive confirmed by Nissan South Africa derivative/specification data -
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active active
Segment Compact SUV SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1007 kg 2265 kg
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Magnite Tiggo 9 PHEV
Length 3995 mm 4810 mm
Width 1758 mm 1925 mm
Height 1571 mm 1741 mm
Wheelbase 2500 mm 2800 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 205 mm 183 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 40 l 70 l
Boot/Cargo Space 336 l 448 l
Kerb Weight 1007 kg 2265 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1399 kg 2886 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5 m 5.9 m
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - 150 mm
Payload Capacity - 621 kg
Towing Capacity - 1500 kg
Number of Rows - 3 rows
Front Headroom - 1025 mm
Rear Headroom - 990 mm
Front Legroom - 1060 mm
Rear Legroom - 960 mm

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Tiggo 9 PHEV leads by 29 points

Tiggo 9 PHEV has a large lead in Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index over Magnite.

Index leader 85 /100
Lead 29 points
Data 69% source coverage
85
#1 Index leader

Tiggo 9 PHEV

69% source coverage 4 strong categories
Best at Performance 98 Check Practicality 70
Performance 98
Efficiency 72
Safety 94
Practicality 70
Leads by 29 points
56
#2

Magnite

67% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 86 Check Performance 16
Performance 16
Efficiency 65
Safety 86
Practicality 64
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV +82 Efficiency Tiggo 9 PHEV +7 Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV +8 Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV +6

Large difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Tiggo 9 PHEV

Performance 98/100
Efficiency 72/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 70/100

Magnite

Performance 16/100
Efficiency 65/100
Safety 86/100
Practicality 64/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV leads the catalogue index with 85 pts vs 56 pts for Magnite

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Tiggo 9 PHEV leads. However, Magnite may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. 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

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives 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.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This Magnite and Tiggo 9 PHEV comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Magnite 16 vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 98.

Efficiency index: Magnite 65 vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 72.

Safety-equipment index: Magnite 86 vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 94.

Practicality index: Magnite 64 vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 70.

Ownership-cover index: Magnite not separately scored vs Tiggo 9 PHEV 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.