Hyundai Palisade 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.

Includes an archived model

Current and archived cars are compared side by side. Archived models keep their verified historical specs, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Hyundai Palisade
Hyundai Palisade in South Africa

Hyundai Palisade

2.2D Elite AWD 8AT 7-Seater Diesel Automatic Archive reference
ZAR 1,204,500 last listed
No longer sold new Specs stay visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 142 kW 🔧 440 Nm ⛽ 8.2 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 Palisade
Fuel Economy Tiggo 8 PHEV
🛡 Safety Tiggo 8 PHEV
📦 Practicality Tiggo 8 PHEV
🔑 Ownership Tiggo 8 PHEV
Tiggo 8 PHEV starts ZAR 1204500 cheaper Palisade from ZAR 1,204,500 · Tiggo 8 PHEV from ZAR 729,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Palisade Tiggo 8 PHEV
Engine Power 142 kW 150 kW
Torque 440 Nm 230 Nm
Engine Size 2199 cc 1.5 cc
Claimed Mileage 8.2 km/l 19.2 km/l
Ground Clearance Not confirmed 170 mm
Boot / Load Bay Not confirmed 494 l
Airbags Driver, passenger, side and curtain Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 1952 kg -
Seating Capacity 7 7
Warranty 5 years / 150 000 km plus 2 years / 50 000 km powertrain 7 Year / 200 000 km

= leads in this spec

Archived models stay fully comparable. Verified specs remain visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Palisade +18 pts
Efficiency Tiggo 8 PHEV +41 pts
Safety Tiggo 8 PHEV +56 pts
Practicality Tiggo 8 PHEV +1 pts
Ownership Tiggo 8 PHEV +18 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Palisade

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving
🏆 Overall Winner

Tiggo 8 PHEV

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Palisade

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power

Tiggo 8 PHEV

  • 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

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Palisade Tiggo 8 PHEV
Model Introduced Year Current local generation year not confirmed 2026
Generation Current South African Palisade listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data. Current South Africa Tiggo 8 PHEV range
Facelift History Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle. Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2026
Facelift Version Ending Discontinued - exact end year not confirmed Current
Body Style Seven-seat SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Not confirmed active
Segment Not confirmed SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Spec Palisade Tiggo 8 PHEV
Kerb Weight 1952 kg -
Seating Capacity 7 7
Towing Capacity 2200 kg -
Load Bed Length Not confirmed 494 l
Load Bed Width Not confirmed -
Seats 7 7
Fuel Tank Capacity 71 l 60 l
Loadbox Length Mm Not confirmed 494 l
Loadbox Width Mm Not confirmed -
Tare Mass Kg 1952 kg -
Ground Clearance Not confirmed 170 mm
Wheelbase Not confirmed 2710 mm
Length Not confirmed 4725 mm
Width Not confirmed 1860 mm
Height Not confirmed 1705 mm
Gross Vehicle Weight Not confirmed -
Boot Space Not confirmed 494 l
Front Track Width Not confirmed -
Rear Track Width Not confirmed -
Turning Radius Not confirmed -
Front Legroom Not confirmed -
Rear Legroom Not confirmed -
Front Headroom Not confirmed -
Rear Headroom Not confirmed -
Front Shoulder Room Not confirmed -
Rear Shoulder Room Not confirmed -
Boot Space Seats Folded Not confirmed 1930 l
Number of Doors Not confirmed 5
Max Payload Not confirmed -
Boot Volume Not confirmed 494 l
Doors Not confirmed 5
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg Not confirmed -
Ground Clearance Max Not confirmed 170 mm
Ground Clearance Min Not confirmed 170 mm
Ground Clearance Mm Not confirmed 170 mm
Height Mm Not confirmed 1705 mm
Length Mm Not confirmed 4725 mm
Payload Kg Not confirmed -
Cargo Volume Not confirmed 494 l
Turning Circle Not confirmed -
Turning Circle M Not confirmed -
Width Mm Not confirmed 1860 mm

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tiggo 8 PHEV leads by 17 points

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

Winner 75 /100
Lead 17 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 17 points
58
#2

Palisade

69% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Practicality 77 Check Safety 38
Performance 74
Efficiency 40
Safety 38
Practicality 77
Ownership 51
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Palisade +18 Efficiency Tiggo 8 PHEV +41 Safety Tiggo 8 PHEV +56 Practicality Tiggo 8 PHEV +1 Ownership Tiggo 8 PHEV +18

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

Palisade

Performance 74/100
Efficiency 40/100
Safety 38/100
Practicality 77/100
Ownership 51/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV wins with 75 pts vs 58 pts for Palisade

In structured scoring, Tiggo 8 PHEV emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Palisade 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: Palisade 40 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: Palisade 38, 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: Palisade 51, 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: Palisade 77, Tiggo 8 PHEV 78. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Palisade 74, 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 Palisade and Tiggo 8 PHEV in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Palisade scores 74 vs 56.

Efficiency: Palisade scores 40 vs 81.

Safety: Palisade scores 38 vs 94.

Practicality: Palisade scores 77 vs 78.

Ownership: Palisade scores 51 vs 69.

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