Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max vs Mahindra XUV700

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
Mahindra XUV700 in South Africa

Mahindra XUV700

AX7L BE Automatic Petrol Automatic
ZAR 627,899 ex-showroom
⚡ 149 kW 🔧 380 Nm ⛽ 13 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tiggo 8 Pro Max
Fuel Economy XUV700
🛡 Safety Tiggo 8 Pro Max
📦 Practicality XUV700
🔑 Ownership Tiggo 8 Pro Max
XUV700 starts ZAR 609900 cheaper Tiggo 8 Pro Max from ZAR 609,900 · XUV700 from ZAR 495,199

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Tiggo 8 Pro Max XUV700
Engine Power 187 kW 149 kW
Torque 390 Nm 380 Nm
Engine Size 2.0 cc 1997 cc
Claimed Mileage 13.2 km/l 13 km/l
Ground Clearance 203 mm 200 mm
Boot / Load Bay 117 l 240 l
Airbags Multiple airbags 7
Kerb Weight 1658 kg 2040 kg
Seating Capacity 7 7
Warranty 7 Year / 200 000 km 5 years / 150 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Tiggo 8 Pro Max has a slight advantage, but XUV700 remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 8 Pro Max +8 pts
Efficiency XUV700 +1 pts
Safety Tiggo 8 Pro Max +32 pts
Practicality XUV700 +6 pts
Ownership Tiggo 8 Pro Max +33 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Tiggo 8 Pro Max

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving

XUV700

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Tiggo 8 Pro Max

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

XUV700

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Tiggo 8 Pro Max XUV700
Model Introduced Year 2023 -
Generation Current South Africa Tiggo 8 Pro Max range Current local listing
Facelift History Current South Africa version listed by official source Not listed by current South African source page.
Facelift Launched Since 2023 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 Current
Production Status active Active
Segment SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Tiggo 8 Pro Max XUV700
Ground Clearance 203 mm 200 mm
Wheelbase 2710 mm 2750 mm
Length 4720 mm 4695 mm
Width 1860 mm 1890 mm
Height 1705 mm 1755 mm
Kerb Weight 1658 kg 2040 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 2211 kg -
Seating Capacity 7 7
Boot Space 117 l 240 l
Towing Capacity - -
Front Track Width 1582 mm -
Rear Track Width 1604 mm -
Turning Radius - -
Load Bed Length 117 l 240 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 -
Max Payload - -
Boot Volume 117 l 240 l
Doors 5 -
Seats 7 7
Fuel Tank Capacity 51 l 60 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 2211 kg -
Ground Clearance Max 203 mm 200 mm
Ground Clearance Min 203 mm 200 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 203 mm 200 mm
Height Mm 1705 mm 1755 mm
Length Mm 4720 mm 4695 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 117 l 240 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg - -
Cargo Volume 117 l 240 l
Tare Mass Kg 1658 kg 2040 kg
Turning Circle - -
Turning Circle M - -
Width Mm 1860 mm 1890 mm

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tiggo 8 Pro Max leads by 12 points

Tiggo 8 Pro Max has a slight advantage, but XUV700 remains highly competitive.

Winner 72 /100
Lead 12 points
Data 74% confidence
72
#1 Winner

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
Leads by 12 points
60
#2

XUV700

85% data confidence 0 strong categories
Best at Performance 67 Check Ownership 44
Performance 67
Efficiency 53
Safety 62
Practicality 67
Ownership 44
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 8 Pro Max +8 Efficiency XUV700 +1 Safety Tiggo 8 Pro Max +32 Practicality XUV700 +6 Ownership Tiggo 8 Pro Max +33

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tiggo 8 Pro Max

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

XUV700

Performance 67/100
Efficiency 53/100
Safety 62/100
Practicality 67/100
Ownership 44/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max wins with 72 pts vs 60 pts for XUV700

In structured scoring, Tiggo 8 Pro Max emerges as the stronger overall package. However, XUV700 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 8 Pro Max 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 XUV700 53. 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, XUV700 62. 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, XUV700 44. 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, XUV700 67. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Tiggo 8 Pro Max 75, XUV700 67. 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 8 Pro Max edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tiggo 8 Pro Max 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 XUV700 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Tiggo 8 Pro Max scores 75 vs 67.

Efficiency: Tiggo 8 Pro Max scores 52 vs 53.

Safety: Tiggo 8 Pro Max scores 94 vs 62.

Practicality: Tiggo 8 Pro Max scores 61 vs 67.

Ownership: Tiggo 8 Pro Max scores 77 vs 44.

Final structured scoring gives Tiggo 8 Pro Max the advantage in this comparison.