GWM ORA 5 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.

GWM ORA 5 in South Africa

GWM ORA 5

BEV Ultra Luxury Electric Automatic
ZAR 599,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 260 Nm Nm
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 ORA 5
🛡 Safety Tiggo 7 PHEV
📦 Practicality Tiggo 7 PHEV
🔑 Ownership ORA 5
ORA 5 starts ZAR 599900 cheaper ORA 5 from ZAR 364,900 · Tiggo 7 PHEV from ZAR 599,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec ORA 5 Tiggo 7 PHEV
Engine Power 150 kW 265 kW
Torque 260 Nm 530 Nm
Engine Size - 1.5 cc
Claimed Mileage - 20.4 km/l
Ground Clearance - 162 mm
Boot / Load Bay - 626 l
Airbags 6 Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight - 1870 kg
Seating Capacity - 5
Warranty 7 years / 200,000 km 7 Year / 200 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Tiggo 7 PHEV has a slight advantage, but ORA 5 remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 7 PHEV +35 pts
Efficiency ORA 5 +5 pts
Safety Tiggo 7 PHEV +2 pts
Practicality Tiggo 7 PHEV +26 pts
Ownership ORA 5 +8 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

ORA 5

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency
🏆 Overall Winner

Tiggo 7 PHEV

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

ORA 5

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Tiggo 7 PHEV

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec ORA 5 Tiggo 7 PHEV
Model Introduced Year 2026 2026
Generation First-generation ORA 5; South African launch specification Current South Africa Tiggo 7 PHEV range
Facelift History No facelift; first South African model year Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since - 2026
Facelift Version Ending - Current
Body Style Compact SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status On sale active
Segment Compact SUV SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle SUV
Spec ORA 5 Tiggo 7 PHEV
Wheelbase 2,720 mm 2670 mm
Length 4,471 mm 4553 mm
Width 1,833 mm 1862 mm
Height 1,641 mm 1686 mm
Load Bed Length - 626 l
Load Bed Width - -
Fuel Tank Capacity - 60 l
Height Mm 1,641 mm 1686 mm
Length Mm 4,471 mm 4553 mm
Loadbox Length Mm - 626 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Width Mm 1,833 mm 1862 mm
Ground Clearance - 162 mm
Kerb Weight - 1870 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight - 2310 kg
Seating Capacity - 5
Boot Space - 626 l
Towing Capacity - -
Front Track Width - 1570 mm
Rear Track Width - 1570 mm
Turning Radius - -
Front Legroom - -
Rear Legroom - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -
Front Shoulder Room - -
Rear Shoulder Room - -
Boot Space Seats Folded - 1672 l
Number of Doors - 5
Max Payload - -
Boot Volume - 626 l
Doors - 5
Seats - 5
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg - 2310 kg
Ground Clearance Max - 162 mm
Ground Clearance Min - 162 mm
Ground Clearance Mm - 162 mm
Payload Kg - -
Cargo Volume - 626 l
Tare Mass Kg - 1870 kg
Turning Circle - -
Turning Circle M - -

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tiggo 7 PHEV leads by 12 points

Tiggo 7 PHEV has a slight advantage, but ORA 5 remains highly competitive.

Winner 84 /100
Lead 12 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 12 points
72
#2

ORA 5

51% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Practicality 50
Performance 56
Efficiency 90
Safety 92
Practicality 50
Ownership 77
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 7 PHEV +35 Efficiency ORA 5 +5 Safety Tiggo 7 PHEV +2 Practicality Tiggo 7 PHEV +26 Ownership ORA 5 +8

Moderate difference between the models.

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

ORA 5

Performance 56/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 50/100
Ownership 77/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV wins with 84 pts vs 72 pts for ORA 5

In structured scoring, Tiggo 7 PHEV emerges as the stronger overall package. However, ORA 5 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 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: ORA 5 90 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: ORA 5 92, 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: ORA 5 77, 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: ORA 5 50, Tiggo 7 PHEV 76. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: ORA 5 56, 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 ORA 5 and Tiggo 7 PHEV in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: ORA 5 scores 56 vs 91.

Efficiency: ORA 5 scores 90 vs 85.

Safety: ORA 5 scores 92 vs 94.

Practicality: ORA 5 scores 50 vs 76.

Ownership: ORA 5 scores 77 vs 69.

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