Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV vs Hyundai Tucson

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 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
VS
Hyundai Tucson in South Africa

Hyundai Tucson

2.0D AT Executive AWD Diesel Automatic
ZAR 764,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 137 kW 🔧 416 Nm ⛽ 13.9 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV
Fuel Economy Tiggo 9 PHEV
🛡 Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV
📦 Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV
🔑 Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV
Tucson starts ZAR 839900 cheaper Tiggo 9 PHEV from ZAR 839,900 · Tucson from ZAR 568,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Tiggo 9 PHEV Tucson
Engine Power 455 kW 137 kW
Torque 920 Nm 416 Nm
Engine Size 1.5 cc 1995 cc
Claimed Mileage 16.1 km/l 13.9 km/l
Ground Clearance 183 mm 181 mm
Boot / Load Bay 448 l 540 l
Airbags Multiple airbags 6
Kerb Weight - 1720 kg
Seating Capacity 7 5
Warranty 7 Year / 200 000 km 5

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Tiggo 9 PHEV has a slight advantage, but Tucson remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV +29 pts
Efficiency Tiggo 9 PHEV +16 pts
Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV +2 pts
Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV +4 pts
Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV +4 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Tiggo 9 PHEV

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Tucson

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Tiggo 9 PHEV

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Tucson

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Tiggo 9 PHEV Tucson
Model Introduced Year 2026 2004
Generation Current South Africa Tiggo 9 PHEV range Fourth generation Tucson on Hyundai's i-GMP platform; distinctive parametric design language makes it one of the more striking mid-size SUVs in SA
Facelift History Current South Africa version listed by official source Fourth generation launched in SA in 2021; major step change in styling, interior quality, and technology over the third-gen car
Facelift Launched Since 2026 2021
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active published
Segment SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Dealer Stock Note - Executive grade in the South Africa lineup
Color Note - White, Black, Silver, Blue, Grey, Green
Drivetrain Note - Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.0D AT Executive AWD
Spec Tiggo 9 PHEV Tucson
Ground Clearance 183 mm 181 mm
Wheelbase 2800 mm 2755 mm
Length 4810 mm 4630 mm
Width 1925 mm 1865 mm
Height 1741 mm 1665 mm
Kerb Weight - 1720 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight - 2110 kg
Seating Capacity 7 5
Boot Space 448 l 540 l
Towing Capacity - -
Front Track Width - -
Rear Track Width - -
Turning Radius - 5.4 m
Load Bed Length 448 l 540 l
Load Bed Width - -
Front Legroom - -
Rear Legroom - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -
Front Shoulder Room - -
Rear Shoulder Room - -
Boot Space Seats Folded 2065 l 1799 l
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload - -
Boot Volume 448 l 540 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 7 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 70 l 54 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg - 2110 kg
Ground Clearance Max 183 mm 181 mm
Ground Clearance Min 183 mm 181 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 183 mm 181 mm
Height Mm 1741 mm 1665 mm
Length Mm 4810 mm 4630 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 448 l 540 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg - -
Cargo Volume 448 l 540 l
Tare Mass Kg - 1720 kg
Turning Circle - 5.4 m
Turning Circle M - 5.4 m
Width Mm 1925 mm 1865 mm
Boot Space Seats Folded 2065 l 1799 l

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tiggo 9 PHEV leads by 12 points

Tiggo 9 PHEV has a slight advantage, but Tucson remains highly competitive.

Winner 84 /100
Lead 12 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 12 points
72
#2

Tucson

91% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Efficiency 56
Performance 69
Efficiency 56
Safety 92
Practicality 73
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 9 PHEV +29 Efficiency Tiggo 9 PHEV +16 Safety Tiggo 9 PHEV +2 Practicality Tiggo 9 PHEV +4 Ownership Tiggo 9 PHEV +4

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

Tucson

Performance 69/100
Efficiency 56/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 73/100
Ownership 65/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV wins with 84 pts vs 72 pts for Tucson

In structured scoring, Tiggo 9 PHEV emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Tucson 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 9 PHEV 72 vs Tucson 56. 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 9 PHEV 94, Tucson 92. 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 9 PHEV 69, Tucson 65. 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 9 PHEV 77, Tucson 73. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Tiggo 9 PHEV 98, Tucson 69. 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 9 PHEV and Tucson in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Tiggo 9 PHEV scores 98 vs 69.

Efficiency: Tiggo 9 PHEV scores 72 vs 56.

Safety: Tiggo 9 PHEV scores 94 vs 92.

Practicality: Tiggo 9 PHEV scores 77 vs 73.

Ownership: Tiggo 9 PHEV scores 69 vs 65.

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