Toyota Starlet Cross vs Chery Tiggo 8 Pro

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 Starlet Cross in South Africa

Toyota Starlet Cross

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

Chery Tiggo 8 Pro

Executive Plus 1.6T TGDI Petrol Automatic
ZAR 529,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 145 kW 🔧 290 Nm ⛽ 13.9 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tiggo 8 Pro
Fuel Economy Starlet Cross
🛡 Safety Tiggo 8 Pro
📦 Practicality Tiggo 8 Pro
🔑 Ownership Tiggo 8 Pro
Starlet Cross starts ZAR 529900 cheaper Starlet Cross from ZAR 304,900 · Tiggo 8 Pro from ZAR 529,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Starlet Cross Tiggo 8 Pro
Engine Power 77 kW 145 kW
Torque 140 Nm 290 Nm
Engine Size 1498 cc 1.6 cc
Claimed Mileage 18.5 km/l 13.9 km/l
Ground Clearance 185 mm 207 mm
Boot / Load Bay 270 l 117 l
Airbags 4 Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 1080 kg 1590 kg
Seating Capacity 5 7
Warranty 3 years / 100 000 km 5 Year / 150 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Tiggo 8 Pro has a slight advantage, but Starlet Cross remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 8 Pro +25 pts
Efficiency Starlet Cross +16 pts
Safety Tiggo 8 Pro +31 pts
Practicality Tiggo 8 Pro +3 pts
Ownership Tiggo 8 Pro +11 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Starlet Cross

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency
🏆 Overall Winner

Tiggo 8 Pro

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Starlet Cross

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Tiggo 8 Pro

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • 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

Spec Starlet Cross Tiggo 8 Pro
Model Introduced Year 2022 2023
Generation First generation Starlet Cross for SA market Current South Africa Tiggo 8 Pro 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 2023
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 published active
Segment SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Starlet Cross Tiggo 8 Pro
Ground Clearance 185 mm 207 mm
Wheelbase 2520 mm 2710 mm
Length 4055 mm 4720 mm
Width 1740 mm 1860 mm
Height 1575 mm 1705 mm
Kerb Weight 1080 kg 1590 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 1480 kg 2142 kg
Seating Capacity 5 7
Boot Space 270 l 117 l
Towing Capacity - -
Front Track Width - 1582 mm
Rear Track Width - 1604 mm
Turning Radius 5.1 m -
Load Bed Length 270 l 117 l
Load Bed Width - -
Front Legroom - -
Rear Legroom - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -
Front Shoulder Room - -
Rear Shoulder Room - -
Boot Space Seats Folded 270 l 739 l
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload - -
Boot Volume 270 l 117 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 5 7
Fuel Tank Capacity 42 l 51 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 1480 kg 2142 kg
Ground Clearance Max 185 mm 207 mm
Ground Clearance Min 185 mm 207 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 185 mm 207 mm
Height Mm 1575 mm 1705 mm
Length Mm 4055 mm 4720 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 270 l 117 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg - -
Cargo Volume 270 l 117 l
Tare Mass Kg 1080 kg 1590 kg
Turning Circle 5.1 m -
Turning Circle M 5.1 m -
Width Mm 1740 mm 1860 mm

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tiggo 8 Pro leads by 13 points

Tiggo 8 Pro has a slight advantage, but Starlet Cross remains highly competitive.

Winner 66 /100
Lead 13 points
Data 74% confidence
66
#1 Winner

Tiggo 8 Pro

74% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 54
Performance 59
Efficiency 54
Safety 94
Practicality 61
Ownership 55
Leads by 13 points
53
#2

Starlet Cross

91% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 70 Check Performance 34
Performance 34
Efficiency 70
Safety 63
Practicality 58
Ownership 44
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 8 Pro +25 Efficiency Starlet Cross +16 Safety Tiggo 8 Pro +31 Practicality Tiggo 8 Pro +3 Ownership Tiggo 8 Pro +11

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tiggo 8 Pro

Performance 59/100
Efficiency 54/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 61/100
Ownership 55/100

Starlet Cross

Performance 34/100
Efficiency 70/100
Safety 63/100
Practicality 58/100
Ownership 44/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro wins with 66 pts vs 53 pts for Starlet Cross

In structured scoring, Tiggo 8 Pro emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Starlet Cross 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 Pro 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: Starlet Cross 70 vs Tiggo 8 Pro 54. 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: Starlet Cross 63, Tiggo 8 Pro 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: Starlet Cross 44, Tiggo 8 Pro 55. 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: Starlet Cross 58, Tiggo 8 Pro 61. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Starlet Cross 34, Tiggo 8 Pro 59. 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 Pro edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tiggo 8 Pro 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 Starlet Cross and Tiggo 8 Pro in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Starlet Cross scores 34 vs 59.

Efficiency: Starlet Cross scores 70 vs 54.

Safety: Starlet Cross scores 63 vs 94.

Practicality: Starlet Cross scores 58 vs 61.

Ownership: Starlet Cross scores 44 vs 55.

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