Chery Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 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.

Chery Tiggo 4 Cross HEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

Comfort HEV Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 439,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 310 Nm ⛽ 18.5 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 4 Cross HEV
🛡 Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV
📦 Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV
🔑 Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV
Tiggo 4 Cross HEV starts ZAR 839900 cheaper Tiggo 4 Cross HEV from ZAR 439,900 · Tiggo 9 PHEV from ZAR 839,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Tiggo 4 Cross HEV Tiggo 9 PHEV
Engine Power 150 kW 455 kW
Torque 310 Nm 920 Nm
Engine Size 1.5 cc 1.5 cc
Claimed Mileage 18.5 km/l 16.1 km/l
Ground Clearance 180 mm 183 mm
Boot / Load Bay - 448 l
Airbags Multiple airbags Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight - -
Seating Capacity 5 7
Warranty 5 Years / 150 000 km 7 Year / 200 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Tiggo 9 PHEV holds a noticeable edge over Tiggo 4 Cross HEV, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV +36 pts
Efficiency Tiggo 4 Cross HEV +3 pts
Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV +19 pts
Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV +10 pts
Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV +14 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

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 9 PHEV

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?

Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Tiggo 9 PHEV

  • 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 Tiggo 4 Cross HEV Tiggo 9 PHEV
Model Introduced Year 2026 2026
Generation Current South Africa Tiggo 4 Cross HEV range Current South Africa Tiggo 9 PHEV range
Facelift History Current South Africa version listed by official source Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since 2026 2026
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active active
Segment SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Tiggo 4 Cross HEV Tiggo 9 PHEV
Ground Clearance 180 mm 183 mm
Wheelbase 2610 mm 2800 mm
Length 4351 mm 4810 mm
Width 1831 mm 1925 mm
Height 1662 mm 1741 mm
Kerb Weight - -
Gross Vehicle Weight 1905 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 7
Boot Space - 448 l
Towing Capacity - -
Front Track Width - -
Rear Track Width - -
Turning Radius - -
Load Bed Length - 448 l
Load Bed Width - -
Front Legroom - -
Rear Legroom - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -
Front Shoulder Room - -
Rear Shoulder Room - -
Boot Space Seats Folded - 2065 l
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload - -
Boot Volume - 448 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 5 7
Fuel Tank Capacity - 70 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 1905 kg -
Ground Clearance Max 180 mm 183 mm
Ground Clearance Min 180 mm 183 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 180 mm 183 mm
Height Mm 1662 mm 1741 mm
Length Mm 4351 mm 4810 mm
Loadbox Length Mm - 448 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg - -
Cargo Volume - 448 l
Tare Mass Kg - -
Turning Circle - -
Turning Circle M - -
Width Mm 1831 mm 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 17 points

Tiggo 9 PHEV holds a noticeable edge over Tiggo 4 Cross HEV, especially in key ownership areas.

Winner 84 /100
Lead 17 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 17 points
67
#2

Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

68% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 75 Check Ownership 55
Performance 62
Efficiency 75
Safety 75
Practicality 67
Ownership 55
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV +36 Efficiency Tiggo 4 Cross HEV +3 Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV +19 Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV +10 Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV +14

Moderate difference between the models.

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

Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

Performance 62/100
Efficiency 75/100
Safety 75/100
Practicality 67/100
Ownership 55/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV wins with 84 pts vs 67 pts for Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

In structured scoring, Tiggo 9 PHEV emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 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: Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 75 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: Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 75, 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: Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 55, 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: Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 67, Tiggo 9 PHEV 77. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 62, 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 Tiggo 4 Cross HEV and Tiggo 9 PHEV in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Tiggo 4 Cross HEV scores 62 vs 98.

Efficiency: Tiggo 4 Cross HEV scores 75 vs 72.

Safety: Tiggo 4 Cross HEV scores 75 vs 94.

Practicality: Tiggo 4 Cross HEV scores 67 vs 77.

Ownership: Tiggo 4 Cross HEV scores 55 vs 69.

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