Hyundai Tucson vs Jetour X70 Plus

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.

Hyundai Tucson in South Africa

Hyundai Tucson

2.0D AT Executive AWD Diesel Automatic
ZAR 764,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 137 kW 🔧 416 Nm ⛽ 14.5 km/l
VS
Jetour X70 Plus in South Africa

Jetour X70 Plus

Deluxe Petrol Automatic
ZAR 484,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 115 kW 🔧 230 Nm ⛽ 7.8 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tucson
Fuel Economy Tucson
🛡 Safety Tucson
📦 Practicality X70 Plus
🔑 Ownership Tucson
X70 Plus starts ZAR 568900 cheaper Tucson from ZAR 568,900 · X70 Plus from ZAR 454,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Tucson X70 Plus
Engine Power 137 115
Torque 416 230
Engine Size 1995 1498
Claimed Mileage 14.5 7.8
Ground Clearance 181 200
Boot Space 540 1680
Airbags 6 Front and front side airbags plus side curtain airbags
Kerb Weight 1720 Not Applicable
Seating Capacity 5 7
Warranty 5 -

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Tucson has a slight advantage, but X70 Plus remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tucson +20 pts
Efficiency Tucson +22 pts
Safety Tucson +26 pts
Practicality X70 Plus +18 pts
Ownership Tucson +25 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Tucson

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

X70 Plus

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

Which One's Right for You?

Tucson

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

X70 Plus

  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Tucson X70 Plus
Model Introduced Year 2004 Not Available
Generation 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 Current local listing
Facelift History Fourth generation launched in SA in 2021; major step change in styling, interior quality, and technology over the third-gen car Not listed by current South African source page.
Facelift Launched Since 2021 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Blue, Grey, Green -
Dealer Stock Note Executive grade in the South Africa lineup -
Drivetrain Note Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.0D AT Executive AWD -
Model Year 2026 Current
Production Status published Active
Segment SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Tucson X70 Plus
Ground Clearance 181 mm 200 mm
Wheelbase 2755 mm 2720 mm
Length 4630 mm 4724 mm
Width 1865 mm 1900 mm
Height 1665 mm 1720 mm
Kerb Weight 1720 kg Not Applicable
Gross Vehicle Weight 2110 kg 2076 kg
Seating Capacity 5 7
Boot Space 540 l 1680 l
Towing Capacity Not Applicable Not Applicable
Front Track Width Not Applicable Not Applicable
Rear Track Width Not Applicable Not Applicable
Turning Radius 5.4 m Not Applicable
Load Bed Length Not Applicable Not Applicable
Load Bed Width Not Applicable Not Applicable
Front Legroom Not Applicable Not Applicable
Rear Legroom Not Applicable Not Applicable
Front Headroom Not Applicable Not Applicable
Rear Headroom Not Applicable Not Applicable
Front Shoulder Room Not Applicable Not Applicable
Rear Shoulder Room Not Applicable Not Applicable
Boot Space Seats Folded 1799 l 1680 l
Number of Doors 5 Not Applicable
Max Payload Not Applicable Not Applicable
Boot Volume 540 l 1680 l
Doors 5 Not Applicable
Seats 5 7
Fuel Tank Capacity 54 l 57 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 2110 kg 2076 kg
Ground Clearance Max 181 mm 200 mm
Ground Clearance Min 181 mm 200 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 181 mm 200 mm
Height Mm 1665 mm 1720 mm
Length Mm 4630 mm 4724 mm
Loadbox Length Mm Not Applicable Not Applicable
Loadbox Width Mm Not Applicable Not Applicable
Payload Kg Not Applicable Not Applicable
Cargo Volume 540 l 1680 l
Tare Mass Kg 1720 kg Not Applicable
Turning Circle 5.4 m Not Applicable
Turning Circle M 5.4 m Not Applicable
Width Mm 1865 mm 1900 mm
Boot Space Seats Folded 1799 l 1680 l

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tucson leads by 14 points

Tucson has a slight advantage, but X70 Plus remains highly competitive.

Winner 72 /100
Lead 14 points
Data 91% confidence
72
#1 Winner

Tucson

91% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Efficiency 58
Performance 69
Efficiency 58
Safety 92
Practicality 73
Ownership 65
Leads by 14 points
58
#2

X70 Plus

68% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Practicality 91 Check Efficiency 36
Performance 49
Efficiency 36
Safety 66
Practicality 91
Ownership 40
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tucson +20 Efficiency Tucson +22 Safety Tucson +26 Practicality X70 Plus +18 Ownership Tucson +25

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tucson

Performance 69/100
Efficiency 58/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 73/100
Ownership 65/100

X70 Plus

Performance 49/100
Efficiency 36/100
Safety 66/100
Practicality 91/100
Ownership 40/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Hyundai Tucson wins with 72 pts vs 58 pts for X70 Plus

In structured scoring, Tucson emerges as the stronger overall package. However, X70 Plus 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 Tucson 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: Tucson 58 vs X70 Plus 36. 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: Tucson 92, X70 Plus 66. 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: Tucson 65, X70 Plus 40. 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: Tucson 73, X70 Plus 91. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Tucson 69, X70 Plus 49. 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 Tucson edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tucson 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 Tucson and X70 Plus in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Tucson scores 69 vs 49.

Efficiency: Tucson scores 58 vs 36.

Safety: Tucson scores 92 vs 66.

Practicality: Tucson scores 73 vs 91.

Ownership: Tucson scores 65 vs 40.

Final structured scoring gives Tucson the advantage in this comparison.