Toyota Starlet Cross vs Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Toyota Starlet Cross in South Africa

Toyota Starlet Cross

1.5 XR CVT Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 375,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 77 kW 🔧 140 Nm ⛽ 18.5 km/l
VS
Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV

PHEV Apex Plug-in Hybrid Current
ZAR 729,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 230 Nm ⛽ 19.2 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Toyota Starlet Cross vs Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV: the short answer

Tiggo 8 PHEV holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Starlet Cross.

Starlet Cross starts ZAR 425,000 cheaper Starlet Cross from ZAR 304,900 · Tiggo 8 PHEV from ZAR 729,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Starlet Cross Tiggo 8 PHEV
Maximum Power Starlet Cross77 kW Tiggo 8 PHEV150 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque Starlet Cross140 Nm Tiggo 8 PHEV230 Nm
Engine Size Starlet Cross1498 cc Tiggo 8 PHEV1500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Starlet Cross18.5 km/l Tiggo 8 PHEV19.2 km/l
Ground Clearance Starlet Cross185 mm Tiggo 8 PHEV170 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Starlet Cross

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use
Specification evidence leader

Tiggo 8 PHEV

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

Starlet Cross

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

Tiggo 8 PHEV

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • 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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Starlet Cross Tiggo 8 PHEV
Model Introduced Year 2022 2026
Generation First generation Starlet Cross for SA market Current South Africa Tiggo 8 PHEV range
Facelift History Introduced to SA in 2022 as a Starlet-based crossover Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since 2022 2026
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note White Pearl, Silver Metallic, Black, Blue, Red -
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup -
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active active
Segment SUV SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1080 kg 1907 kg
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Starlet Cross Tiggo 8 PHEV
Length 4055 mm 4725 mm
Width 1740 mm 1860 mm
Height 1575 mm 1705 mm
Wheelbase 2520 mm 2710 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 185 mm 170 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 125 mm 190 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 42 l 60 l
Boot/Cargo Space 270 l 494 l
Kerb Weight 1080 kg 1907 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1480 kg 2430 kg
Payload Capacity 400 kg 523 kg
Towing Capacity 1600 kg 1500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 7 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 3 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.1 m 5.6 m
Front Headroom 991 mm 1020 mm
Rear Headroom 940 mm 985 mm
Front Legroom 1039 mm 1055 mm
Rear Legroom 881 mm 945 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Starlet Cross and Tiggo 8 PHEV comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Starlet Cross 34 vs Tiggo 8 PHEV 56.

Efficiency index: Starlet Cross 70 vs Tiggo 8 PHEV 81.

Safety-equipment index: Starlet Cross 70 vs Tiggo 8 PHEV 94.

Practicality index: Starlet Cross 55 vs Tiggo 8 PHEV 70.

Ownership-cover index: Starlet Cross 43 vs Tiggo 8 PHEV 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

Tiggo 8 PHEV leads by 20 points

Tiggo 8 PHEV holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Starlet Cross.

Evidence leader 74 /100
Lead 20 points
Data 69% source coverage
74
#1 Evidence leader

Tiggo 8 PHEV

69% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Performance 56
Performance 56
Efficiency 81
Safety 94
Practicality 70
Leads by 20 points
54
#2

Starlet Cross

87% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 70 Check Performance 34
Performance 34
Efficiency 70
Safety 70
Practicality 55
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 8 PHEV +22 Efficiency Tiggo 8 PHEV +11 Safety Tiggo 8 PHEV +24 Practicality Tiggo 8 PHEV +15

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Tiggo 8 PHEV

Performance 56/100
Efficiency 81/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 70/100

Starlet Cross

Performance 34/100
Efficiency 70/100
Safety 70/100
Practicality 55/100
Ownership 43/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV leads the specification evidence index with 74 pts vs 54 pts for Starlet Cross

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Tiggo 8 PHEV leads. However, Starlet Cross may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Starlet Cross vs Tiggo 8 PHEV questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa 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.