Toyota RAV4 vs Chery Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

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.

Toyota RAV4 in South Africa

Toyota RAV4

2.5 HEV GR-S CVT Hybrid CVT Current
ZAR 941,800 ex-showroom
⚡ 137 kW 🔧 221 Nm ⛽ 21.3 km/l
VS
Chery Tiggo 4 Cross HEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

Comfort HEV Hybrid Current
ZAR 439,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 310 Nm ⛽ 18.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Toyota RAV4 vs Chery Tiggo 4 Cross HEV: the short answer

RAV4 and Tiggo 4 Cross HEV are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Tiggo 4 Cross HEV starts ZAR 170,100 cheaper RAV4 from ZAR 610,000 · Tiggo 4 Cross HEV from ZAR 439,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification RAV4 Tiggo 4 Cross HEV
Maximum Power RAV4137 kW @ 6000 rpm Tiggo 4 Cross HEV150 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque RAV4221 Nm Tiggo 4 Cross HEV310 Nm
Engine Size RAV42500 cc Tiggo 4 Cross HEV1500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy RAV421.3 km/l Tiggo 4 Cross HEV18.5 km/l
Ground Clearance RAV4186 mm Tiggo 4 Cross HEV180 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

RAV4

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance

Which One's Right for You?

RAV4

  • 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

Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec RAV4 Tiggo 4 Cross HEV
Model Introduced Year 2026 2026
Generation All-new sixth-generation RAV4 introduced in South Africa in July 2026 Current South Africa Tiggo 4 Cross HEV range
Facelift History Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives 2026
Facelift Version Ending Current South African 2026 specification Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published active
Segment SUV SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1725-1740 kg 1387 kg
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec RAV4 Tiggo 4 Cross HEV
Length 4645 mm 4351 mm
Width 1880 mm 1831 mm
Height 1680 mm 1662 mm
Wheelbase 2690 mm 2610 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 186 mm 180 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 55 l 51 l
Boot/Cargo Space 732 l 340 l
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2230 kg 1905 kg
Towing Capacity 1000 kg 1300 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.6 m 5.5 m
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - 180 mm
Kerb Weight - 1387 kg
Payload Capacity - 518 kg
Number of Rows - 2 rows
Front Headroom - 1010 mm
Rear Headroom - 975 mm
Front Legroom - 1040 mm
Rear Legroom - 930 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This RAV4 and Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 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: RAV4 50 vs Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 62.

Efficiency index: RAV4 84 vs Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 75.

Safety-equipment index: RAV4 93 vs Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 91.

Practicality index: RAV4 71 vs Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 57.

Ownership-cover index: RAV4 not separately scored vs Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 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.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

RAV4 leads by 2 points

RAV4 and Tiggo 4 Cross HEV are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 73 /100
Lead 2 points
Data 61% source coverage
73
#1 Evidence leader

RAV4

61% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 50
Performance 50
Efficiency 84
Safety 93
Practicality 71
Leads by 2 points
71
#2

Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

65% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Practicality 57
Performance 62
Efficiency 75
Safety 91
Practicality 57
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 4 Cross HEV +12 Efficiency RAV4 +9 Safety RAV4 +2 Practicality RAV4 +14

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

RAV4

Performance 50/100
Efficiency 84/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 71/100

Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

Performance 62/100
Efficiency 75/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 57/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Toyota RAV4 leads the specification evidence index with 73 pts vs 71 pts for Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, RAV4 leads. However, Tiggo 4 Cross HEV may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

RAV4 vs Tiggo 4 Cross HEV questions

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.