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 Current
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 e-CVT Current
ZAR 957,100 ex-showroom
⚡ 146 kW 🔧 188 Nm ⛽ 23.8 km/l
Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV vs Lexus UX: the short answer

Tiggo 8 PHEV and UX are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Tiggo 8 PHEV starts ZAR 227,200 cheaper Tiggo 8 PHEV from ZAR 729,900 · UX from ZAR 957,100

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Tiggo 8 PHEV UX
Maximum Power Tiggo 8 PHEV150 kW @ 5500 rpm UX146 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque Tiggo 8 PHEV230 Nm UX188 Nm
Engine Size Tiggo 8 PHEV1500 cc UX2000 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Tiggo 8 PHEV19.2 km/l UX23.8 km/l
Ground Clearance Tiggo 8 PHEV170 mm UX160 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

Tiggo 8 PHEV

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

UX

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Tiggo 8 PHEV

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

UX

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

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
Tare Mass Kg 1907 kg 1585 kg
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Tiggo 8 PHEV UX
Length 4725 mm 4495 mm
Width 1860 mm 1840 mm
Height 1705 mm 1520 mm
Wheelbase 2710 mm 2640 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 170 mm 160 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 190 mm -
Fuel Tank Capacity 60 l 43 l
Boot/Cargo Space 494 l 268 l
Kerb Weight 1907 kg 1585 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2430 kg 2110 kg
Payload Capacity 523 kg 525 kg
Towing Capacity 1500 kg -
Seating Capacity 7 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 3 rows -
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.6 m 5.2 m
Front Headroom 1020 mm -
Rear Headroom 985 mm -
Front Legroom 1055 mm -
Rear Legroom 945 mm -

In depth: how these cars differ

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

Performance index: Tiggo 8 PHEV 56 vs UX 55.

Efficiency index: Tiggo 8 PHEV 81 vs UX 92.

Safety-equipment index: Tiggo 8 PHEV 94 vs UX 93.

Practicality index: Tiggo 8 PHEV 70 vs UX 55.

Ownership-cover index: Tiggo 8 PHEV not separately scored vs UX 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 2 points

Tiggo 8 PHEV and UX are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 74 /100
Lead 2 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 2 points
72
#2

UX

67% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 55
Performance 55
Efficiency 92
Safety 93
Practicality 55
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 Tiggo 8 PHEV +1 Practicality Tiggo 8 PHEV +15

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Tiggo 8 PHEV

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

UX

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV leads the specification evidence index with 74 pts vs 72 pts for UX

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

Tiggo 8 PHEV vs UX questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives 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.