Jetour T1 i-DM vs Chery Tiggo 7 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.

Jetour T1 i-DM in South Africa

Jetour T1 i-DM

T1 i-DM Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 689,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 100 kW 🔧 220 Nm ⛽ 90.9 km/l
VS
Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV

PHEV Ultra Plug-In Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 679,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 265 kW 🔧 530 Nm ⛽ 20.4 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

⚡ Performance Tiggo 7 PHEV
⛽ Fuel Economy T1 i-DM
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tiggo 7 PHEV
🔑 Ownership Tiggo 7 PHEV
Tiggo 7 PHEV starts ZAR 689900 cheaper T1 i-DM from ZAR 689,900 · Tiggo 7 PHEV from ZAR 599,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec T1 i-DM Tiggo 7 PHEV
Engine Power 100 kW 265 kW
Torque 220 Nm 530 Nm
Engine Size 1499 cc 1.5 cc
Claimed Mileage 90.9 km/l 20.4 km/l
Ground Clearance 190 mm 162 mm
Boot / Load Bay 574 l 626 l
Airbags Front, front side, and front/rear curtain airbags Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 2000 kg 1870 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 7-year/200,000 km vehicle warranty 7 Year / 200 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Tiggo 7 PHEV has a slight advantage, but T1 i-DM remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 7 PHEV +46 pts
Efficiency T1 i-DM +13 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Tiggo 7 PHEV +5 pts
Ownership Tiggo 7 PHEV +7 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

T1 i-DM

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

Tiggo 7 PHEV

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • 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?

T1 i-DM

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Tiggo 7 PHEV

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec T1 i-DM Tiggo 7 PHEV
Model Introduced Year 2026 2026
Generation Current local listing Current South Africa Tiggo 7 PHEV range
Facelift History Not listed by current South African source page. Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since 2026 2026
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year Current 2026
Production Status Active active
Segment SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec T1 i-DM Tiggo 7 PHEV
Ground Clearance 190 mm 162 mm
Wheelbase 2800 mm 2670 mm
Length 4705 mm 4553 mm
Width 1967 mm 1862 mm
Height 1843 mm 1686 mm
Kerb Weight 2000 kg 1870 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 2348 kg 2310 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 574 l 626 l
Towing Capacity 1600 kg -
Front Track Width 1690 mm 1570 mm
Rear Track Width 1700 mm 1570 mm
Turning Radius - -
Load Bed Length 574 l 626 l
Load Bed Width - -
Front Legroom - -
Rear Legroom - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -
Front Shoulder Room - -
Rear Shoulder Room - -
Boot Space Seats Folded 1455 l 1672 l
Number of Doors - 5
Max Payload - -
Boot Volume 574 l 626 l
Doors - 5
Seats 5 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 70 l 60 l
Gross Combined Mass Kg 3948 kg -
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 2348 kg 2310 kg
Ground Clearance Max 190 mm 162 mm
Ground Clearance Min 190 mm 162 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 190 mm 162 mm
Height Mm 1843 mm 1686 mm
Length Mm 4705 mm 4553 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 574 l 626 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg - -
Cargo Volume 574 l 626 l
Tare Mass Kg 2000 kg 1870 kg
Turning Circle - -
Turning Circle M - -
Width Mm 1967 mm 1862 mm

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tiggo 7 PHEV leads by 11 points

Tiggo 7 PHEV has a slight advantage, but T1 i-DM remains highly competitive.

Winner 84 /100
Lead 11 points
Data 74% confidence
84
#1 Winner

Tiggo 7 PHEV

74% data confidence 4 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Ownership 69
Performance 91
Efficiency 85
Safety 94
Practicality 76
Ownership 69
Leads by 11 points
73
#2

T1 i-DM

81% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 98 Check Performance 45
Performance 45
Efficiency 98
Safety 94
Practicality 71
Ownership 62
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 7 PHEV +46 Efficiency T1 i-DM +13 Safety Level Practicality Tiggo 7 PHEV +5 Ownership Tiggo 7 PHEV +7

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tiggo 7 PHEV

Performance 91/100
Efficiency 85/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 76/100
Ownership 69/100

T1 i-DM

Performance 45/100
Efficiency 98/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 71/100
Ownership 62/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV wins with 84 pts vs 73 pts for T1 i-DM

In structured scoring, Tiggo 7 PHEV emerges as the stronger overall package. However, T1 i-DM may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Other Comparisons Worth Checking

See how similar cars go head-to-head — you might find a better fit than you expected.

T1 i-DM
T1 i-DM
VS
T-Roc
T-Roc
T1 i-DM vs T-Roc →
T1 i-DM
T1 i-DM
VS
H7
H7
T1 i-DM vs H7 →
T1 i-DM
T1 i-DM
VS
Sportage
Sportage
T1 i-DM vs Sportage →
T1 i-DM
T1 i-DM
VS
Tiguan
Tiguan
T1 i-DM vs Tiguan →
T1 i-DM
T1 i-DM
VS
Tiggo 8 Pro Max
Tiggo 8 Pro Max
T1 i-DM vs Tiggo 8 Pro Max →
T1 i-DM
T1 i-DM
VS
Fortuner
Fortuner
T1 i-DM vs Fortuner →
Tiggo 7 PHEV
Tiggo 7 PHEV
VS
T-Roc
T-Roc
Tiggo 7 PHEV vs T-Roc →
Tiggo 7 PHEV
Tiggo 7 PHEV
VS
H7
H7
Tiggo 7 PHEV vs H7 →

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

T1 i-DM
T1 i-DM
VS
Tiggo 4 Cross
Tiggo 4 Cross
T1 i-DM vs Tiggo 4 Cross →
T1 i-DM
T1 i-DM
VS
Tiggo 4 Cross HEV
Tiggo 4 Cross HEV
T1 i-DM vs Tiggo 4 Cross HEV →
T1 i-DM
T1 i-DM
VS
Tiggo 4 Pro
Tiggo 4 Pro
T1 i-DM vs Tiggo 4 Pro →
T1 i-DM
T1 i-DM
VS
Tiggo 7
Tiggo 7
T1 i-DM vs Tiggo 7 →
T1 i-DM
T1 i-DM
VS
Tiggo 7 Pro
Tiggo 7 Pro
T1 i-DM vs Tiggo 7 Pro →
T1 i-DM
T1 i-DM
VS
Tiggo 8 PHEV
Tiggo 8 PHEV
T1 i-DM vs Tiggo 8 PHEV →

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Tiggo 7 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: T1 i-DM 98 vs Tiggo 7 PHEV 85. 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: T1 i-DM 94, Tiggo 7 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: T1 i-DM 62, Tiggo 7 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: T1 i-DM 71, Tiggo 7 PHEV 76. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: T1 i-DM 45, Tiggo 7 PHEV 91. 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 7 PHEV edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tiggo 7 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 T1 i-DM and Tiggo 7 PHEV in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: T1 i-DM scores 45 vs 91.

Efficiency: T1 i-DM scores 98 vs 85.

Safety: T1 i-DM scores 94 vs 94.

Practicality: T1 i-DM scores 71 vs 76.

Ownership: T1 i-DM scores 62 vs 69.

Final structured scoring gives Tiggo 7 PHEV the advantage in this comparison.