Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max 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 Pro Max in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max

Executive 7DCT 2.0TGDI Petrol Automatic
ZAR 609,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 187 kW 🔧 390 Nm ⛽ 13.2 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 Pro Max
Fuel Economy UX
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tiggo 8 Pro Max
🔑 Ownership UX
Tiggo 8 Pro Max starts ZAR 957100 cheaper Tiggo 8 Pro Max from ZAR 609,900 · UX from ZAR 957,100

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Tiggo 8 Pro Max UX
Engine Power 187 kW 146 kW
Torque 390 Nm 188 Nm
Engine Size 2.0 cc 2000 cc
Claimed Mileage 13.2 km/l 23.8 km/l
Ground Clearance 203 mm 160 mm
Boot / Load Bay 117 l 268 l
Airbags Multiple airbags Side,Knee,Curtain,Driver,Passenger
Kerb Weight 1658 kg 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 Pro Max and UX are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 8 Pro Max +20 pts
Efficiency UX +40 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Tiggo 8 Pro Max +6 pts
Ownership UX +16 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Tiggo 8 Pro Max

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 Pro Max

  • 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 Pro Max UX
Model Introduced Year 2023 2019
Generation Current South Africa Tiggo 8 Pro Max 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 2023 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 Pro Max UX
Ground Clearance 203 mm 160 mm
Wheelbase 2710 mm 2640 mm
Length 4720 mm 4495 mm
Width 1860 mm 1840 mm
Height 1705 mm 1520 mm
Kerb Weight 1658 kg 1585 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 2211 kg 2110 kg
Seating Capacity 7 5
Boot Space 117 l 268 l
Towing Capacity - -
Front Track Width 1582 mm 1550 mm
Rear Track Width 1604 mm 1550 mm
Turning Radius - 5.2 m
Load Bed Length 117 l 268 l
Load Bed Width - -
Front Legroom - -
Rear Legroom - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -
Front Shoulder Room - -
Rear Shoulder Room - -
Boot Space Seats Folded 739 l -
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload - 525 kg
Boot Volume 117 l 268 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 7 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 51 l 43 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 2211 kg 2110 kg
Ground Clearance Max 203 mm 160 mm
Ground Clearance Min 203 mm 160 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 203 mm 160 mm
Height Mm 1705 mm 1520 mm
Length Mm 4720 mm 4495 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 117 l 268 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg - 525 kg
Cargo Volume 117 l 268 l
Tare Mass Kg 1658 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 4 points

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

Winner 76 /100
Lead 4 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 4 points
72
#2

Tiggo 8 Pro Max

74% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 52
Performance 75
Efficiency 52
Safety 94
Practicality 61
Ownership 77
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 8 Pro Max +20 Efficiency UX +40 Safety Level Practicality Tiggo 8 Pro Max +6 Ownership UX +16

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 Pro Max

Performance 75/100
Efficiency 52/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 61/100
Ownership 77/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Lexus UX wins with 76 pts vs 72 pts for Tiggo 8 Pro Max

In structured scoring, UX emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Tiggo 8 Pro Max 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 Pro Max 52 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 Pro Max 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 Pro Max 77, 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 Pro Max 61, UX 55. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Tiggo 8 Pro Max 75, 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 Pro Max and UX in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Tiggo 8 Pro Max scores 75 vs 55.

Efficiency: Tiggo 8 Pro Max scores 52 vs 92.

Safety: Tiggo 8 Pro Max scores 94 vs 94.

Practicality: Tiggo 8 Pro Max scores 61 vs 55.

Ownership: Tiggo 8 Pro Max scores 77 vs 93.

Final structured scoring gives UX the advantage in this comparison.