Hyundai Palisade 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.

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 9 PHEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV

PHEV Vanguard AWD Plug-In Hybrid Automatic
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 Tie
🔑 Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV
Tiggo 9 PHEV starts ZAR 1204500 cheaper Palisade from ZAR 1,204,500 · Tiggo 9 PHEV from ZAR 839,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Palisade Tiggo 9 PHEV
Engine Power 142 kW 455 kW
Torque 440 Nm 920 Nm
Engine Size 2199 cc 1.5 cc
Claimed Mileage 8.2 km/l 16.1 km/l
Ground Clearance Not confirmed 183 mm
Boot / Load Bay Not confirmed 448 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 9 PHEV dominates this comparison with clear advantages across multiple categories.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV +24 pts
Efficiency Tiggo 9 PHEV +32 pts
Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV +56 pts
Practicality Equal
Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV +18 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Palisade

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

Tiggo 9 PHEV

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Palisade

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Tiggo 9 PHEV

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • 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 9 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 9 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 9 PHEV
Kerb Weight 1952 kg -
Seating Capacity 7 7
Towing Capacity 2200 kg -
Load Bed Length Not confirmed 448 l
Load Bed Width Not confirmed -
Seats 7 7
Fuel Tank Capacity 71 l 70 l
Loadbox Length Mm Not confirmed 448 l
Loadbox Width Mm Not confirmed -
Tare Mass Kg 1952 kg -
Ground Clearance Not confirmed 183 mm
Wheelbase Not confirmed 2800 mm
Length Not confirmed 4810 mm
Width Not confirmed 1925 mm
Height Not confirmed 1741 mm
Gross Vehicle Weight Not confirmed -
Boot Space Not confirmed 448 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 2065 l
Number of Doors Not confirmed 5
Max Payload Not confirmed -
Boot Volume Not confirmed 448 l
Doors Not confirmed 5
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg Not confirmed -
Ground Clearance Max Not confirmed 183 mm
Ground Clearance Min Not confirmed 183 mm
Ground Clearance Mm Not confirmed 183 mm
Height Mm Not confirmed 1741 mm
Length Mm Not confirmed 4810 mm
Payload Kg Not confirmed -
Cargo Volume Not confirmed 448 l
Turning Circle Not confirmed -
Turning Circle M Not confirmed -
Width Mm Not confirmed 1925 mm

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tiggo 9 PHEV leads by 26 points

Tiggo 9 PHEV dominates this comparison with clear advantages across multiple categories.

Winner 84 /100
Lead 26 points
Data 74% confidence
84
#1 Winner

Tiggo 9 PHEV

74% data confidence 4 strong categories
Best at Performance 98 Check Ownership 69
Performance 98
Efficiency 72
Safety 94
Practicality 77
Ownership 69
Leads by 26 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 Tiggo 9 PHEV +24 Efficiency Tiggo 9 PHEV +32 Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV +56 Practicality Level Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV +18

High confidence result.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tiggo 9 PHEV

Performance 98/100
Efficiency 72/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 77/100
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 9 PHEV wins with 84 pts vs 58 pts for Palisade

In structured scoring, Tiggo 9 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 9 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 9 PHEV 72. 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 9 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 9 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 9 PHEV 77. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Palisade 74, Tiggo 9 PHEV 98. 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 9 PHEV edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tiggo 9 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 9 PHEV in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Palisade scores 74 vs 98.

Efficiency: Palisade scores 40 vs 72.

Safety: Palisade scores 38 vs 94.

Practicality: Palisade scores 77 vs 77.

Ownership: Palisade scores 51 vs 69.

Final structured scoring gives Tiggo 9 PHEV the advantage in this comparison.