Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV vs Lexus UX

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 8 PHEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV

PHEV Apex Plug-In Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 729,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 230 Nm ⛽ 19.2 km/l
VS
Lexus UX in South Africa

Lexus UX

UX 300h EX Hybrid ECVT
ZAR 957,100 ex-showroom
⚡ 146 kW 🔧 188 Nm ⛽ 23.8 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tiggo 8 PHEV
Fuel Economy UX
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tiggo 8 PHEV
🔑 Ownership UX
Tiggo 8 PHEV starts ZAR 957100 cheaper Tiggo 8 PHEV from ZAR 729,900 · UX from ZAR 957,100

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Tiggo 8 PHEV UX
Engine Power 150 kW 146 kW
Torque 230 Nm 188 Nm
Engine Size 1.5 cc 2000 cc
Claimed Mileage 19.2 km/l 23.8 km/l
Ground Clearance 170 mm 160 mm
Boot / Load Bay 494 l 268 l
Airbags Multiple airbags Side,Knee,Curtain,Driver,Passenger
Kerb Weight - 1585 kg
Seating Capacity 7 5
Warranty 7 Year / 200 000 km 7 years / 105,000km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both Tiggo 8 PHEV and UX are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 8 PHEV +1 pts
Efficiency UX +11 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Tiggo 8 PHEV +23 pts
Ownership UX +24 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Tiggo 8 PHEV

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage
🏆 Overall Winner

UX

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Tiggo 8 PHEV

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

UX

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Tiggo 8 PHEV UX
Model Introduced Year 2026 2019
Generation Current South Africa Tiggo 8 PHEV range Current Lexus UX compact luxury crossover with the 300h hybrid powertrain
Facelift History Current South Africa version listed by official source Updated local UX range centred on the UX 300h EX hybrid
Facelift Launched Since 2026 Updated local UX range centred on the UX 300h EX hybrid
Facelift Version Ending Current Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active published
Segment SUV Luxury SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Tiggo 8 PHEV UX
Ground Clearance 170 mm 160 mm
Wheelbase 2710 mm 2640 mm
Length 4725 mm 4495 mm
Width 1860 mm 1840 mm
Height 1705 mm 1520 mm
Kerb Weight - 1585 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight - 2110 kg
Seating Capacity 7 5
Boot Space 494 l 268 l
Towing Capacity - -
Front Track Width - 1550 mm
Rear Track Width - 1550 mm
Turning Radius - 5.2 m
Load Bed Length 494 l 268 l
Load Bed Width - -
Front Legroom - -
Rear Legroom - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -
Front Shoulder Room - -
Rear Shoulder Room - -
Boot Space Seats Folded 1930 l -
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload - 525 kg
Boot Volume 494 l 268 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 7 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 60 l 43 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg - 2110 kg
Ground Clearance Max 170 mm 160 mm
Ground Clearance Min 170 mm 160 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 170 mm 160 mm
Height Mm 1705 mm 1520 mm
Length Mm 4725 mm 4495 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 494 l 268 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg - 525 kg
Cargo Volume 494 l 268 l
Tare Mass Kg - 1585 kg
Turning Circle - 5.2 m
Turning Circle M - 5.2 m
Width Mm 1860 mm 1840 mm

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

UX leads by 1 points

Both Tiggo 8 PHEV and UX are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 76 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 75% confidence
76
#1 Winner

UX

75% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Performance 55
Performance 55
Efficiency 92
Safety 94
Practicality 55
Ownership 93
Leads by 1 points
75
#2

Tiggo 8 PHEV

74% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Performance 56
Performance 56
Efficiency 81
Safety 94
Practicality 78
Ownership 69
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 8 PHEV +1 Efficiency UX +11 Safety Level Practicality Tiggo 8 PHEV +23 Ownership UX +24

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

UX

Performance 55/100
Efficiency 92/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 55/100
Ownership 93/100

Tiggo 8 PHEV

Performance 56/100
Efficiency 81/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 78/100
Ownership 69/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Lexus UX wins with 76 pts vs 75 pts for Tiggo 8 PHEV

In structured scoring, UX emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Tiggo 8 PHEV 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 UX 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 8 PHEV 81 vs UX 92. 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 8 PHEV 94, UX 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 8 PHEV 69, UX 93. 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 8 PHEV 78, UX 55. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Tiggo 8 PHEV 56, UX 55. 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 UX edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The UX 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 8 PHEV and UX in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Tiggo 8 PHEV scores 56 vs 55.

Efficiency: Tiggo 8 PHEV scores 81 vs 92.

Safety: Tiggo 8 PHEV scores 94 vs 94.

Practicality: Tiggo 8 PHEV scores 78 vs 55.

Ownership: Tiggo 8 PHEV scores 69 vs 93.

Final structured scoring gives UX the advantage in this comparison.