Lexus NX vs Chery Tiggo 7 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.

Lexus NX in South Africa

Lexus NX

NX 350 F SPORT Petrol Automatic 8-speed
ZAR 1,276,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 205 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
VS
Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV

PHEV Ultra Plug-In Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 679,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 265 kW 🔧 530 Nm ⛽ 20.4 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

⚡ Performance Tiggo 7 PHEV
⛽ Fuel Economy Tiggo 7 PHEV
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tiggo 7 PHEV
🔑 Ownership NX
Tiggo 7 PHEV starts ZAR 1074200 cheaper NX from ZAR 1,074,200 · Tiggo 7 PHEV from ZAR 599,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec NX Tiggo 7 PHEV
Engine Power 205 kW 265 kW
Torque 430 Nm 530 Nm
Engine Size 2400 cc 1.5 cc
Claimed Mileage 12.3 km/l 20.4 km/l
Ground Clearance 195 mm 162 mm
Boot / Load Bay 520 l 626 l
Airbags Side,Curtain,Driver,Passenger,Driver Knee Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 1760-1860 kg 1870 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 7 years / 105,000km 7 Year / 200 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both NX and Tiggo 7 PHEV are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 7 PHEV +5 pts
Efficiency Tiggo 7 PHEV +36 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Tiggo 7 PHEV +12 pts
Ownership NX +24 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

NX

Strengths
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

Tiggo 7 PHEV

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

NX

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

Tiggo 7 PHEV

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec NX Tiggo 7 PHEV
Model Introduced Year 2023 2026
Generation Second-generation Lexus NX mid-size luxury SUV Current South Africa Tiggo 7 PHEV range
Facelift History Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives 2026
Facelift Version Ending Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17 Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published active
Segment Luxury SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec NX Tiggo 7 PHEV
Ground Clearance 195 mm 162 mm
Wheelbase 2690 mm 2670 mm
Length 4660 mm 4553 mm
Width 1865 mm 1862 mm
Height 1670 mm 1686 mm
Kerb Weight 1760-1860 kg 1870 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 2370 kg 2310 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 520 l 626 l
Towing Capacity 1000 kg -
Front Track Width 1605 mm 1570 mm
Rear Track Width 1625 mm 1570 mm
Turning Radius 5.8 m -
Load Bed Length 520 l 626 l
Load Bed Width - -
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload 510-610 kg -
Boot Volume 520 l 626 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 5 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 55 l 60 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 2370 kg 2310 kg
Ground Clearance Max 195 mm 162 mm
Ground Clearance Min 195 mm 162 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 195 mm 162 mm
Height Mm 1670 mm 1686 mm
Length Mm 4660 mm 4553 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 520 l 626 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg 510-610 kg -
Cargo Volume 520 l 626 l
Tare Mass Kg 1760-1860 kg 1870 kg
Turning Circle 5.8 m -
Turning Circle M 5.8 m -
Width Mm 1865 mm 1862 mm
Front Legroom - -
Rear Legroom - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -
Front Shoulder Room - -
Rear Shoulder Room - -
Boot Space Seats Folded - 1672 l

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tiggo 7 PHEV leads by 6 points

Both NX and Tiggo 7 PHEV are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 84 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 74% confidence
84
#1 Winner

Tiggo 7 PHEV

74% data confidence 4 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Ownership 69
Performance 91
Efficiency 85
Safety 94
Practicality 76
Ownership 69
Leads by 6 points
78
#2

NX

79% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 86
Efficiency 49
Safety 94
Practicality 64
Ownership 93
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 7 PHEV +5 Efficiency Tiggo 7 PHEV +36 Safety Level Practicality Tiggo 7 PHEV +12 Ownership NX +24

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tiggo 7 PHEV

Performance 91/100
Efficiency 85/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 76/100
Ownership 69/100

NX

Performance 86/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 64/100
Ownership 93/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV wins with 84 pts vs 78 pts for NX

In structured scoring, Tiggo 7 PHEV emerges as the stronger overall package. However, NX may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Other Comparisons Worth Checking

See how similar cars go head-to-head — you might find a better fit than you expected.

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Tiggo 7 PHEV vs Tiggo 9 PHEV →
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Tiggo 7 PHEV vs Everest →

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

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NX vs Tiggo 4 Cross →
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NX vs Tiggo 8 PHEV →

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Tiggo 7 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: NX 49 vs Tiggo 7 PHEV 85. 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: NX 94, Tiggo 7 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: NX 93, Tiggo 7 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: NX 64, Tiggo 7 PHEV 76. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: NX 86, Tiggo 7 PHEV 91. 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 7 PHEV edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tiggo 7 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 NX and Tiggo 7 PHEV in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: NX scores 86 vs 91.

Efficiency: NX scores 49 vs 85.

Safety: NX scores 94 vs 94.

Practicality: NX scores 64 vs 76.

Ownership: NX scores 93 vs 69.

Final structured scoring gives Tiggo 7 PHEV the advantage in this comparison.