Hyundai Creta vs. Chery Tiggo 4 Pro: SUV Ownership Costs Compared in South Africa
Compact crossover SUVs are one of the busiest market segments in the automotive sector in South Africa, and deciding which one will give you the best ownership experience can be difficult. We check out two big players to see which will suit your pocket better.
Compact crossover comparison
Compact crossovers are very popular in South Africa as they offer a command driving position, elevated ride height to tackle our terrible roads and are easy to resell later on. The Chery Tiggo 4 Pro has proven to be one of the more popular choices by consumers, while legacy brands like the Hyundai Creta are finding the current sales climate difficult.
Related: Hyundai Creta 1.5 Executive IVT Matte Edition (2025) Review
It may not be as cut and dry as the numbers below suggest, as the cost of owning one of these vehicles needs to be carefully considered if you are looking for a long-term transport solution. The cost of ownership is much more than just the sticker price on the window, as a few more factors need to be considered. We look at some of the lesser-thought-about figures to deduce which of these two models has the overall best cost of ownership.
Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T Elite DCT auto (2024) Review
Purchase price
| Hyundai Creta 1.5 Executive Matt Edition | Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T Elite auto (CVT) | |
| 2025 Purchase Price | R 524 900 | R 386 900 |
| 10% Deposit | R 52 490 | R 38 690 |
| 12% interest | R 192 561 | R 141 935 |
| Period | 72 Months | 72 Months |
| Repayment | R 664 971 | R 490 145 |
| Monthly payment | R 9 236 | R 6 808 |
It's hard to ignore the massive price disparity here. The Creta has a significantly more expensive upfront cost than the Tiggo. You will also need to factor in insurance costs, which will change depending on your personal circumstances. However, data suggests that Tiggo has a slightly higher risk for insurers, so expenses will most likely differ.
Maintenance
| Hyundai Creta 1.5 Executive Matt Edition | Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T Elite auto (CVT) | |
| Warranty | 5-year vehicle / 7-year drivetrain | 5-year vehicle / 10-year engine (for 1st owner only) |
| Distance | 150 000km vehicle / 200 000km drivetrain | 150 000km vehicle / 1 000 000km engine (for 1st owner only) |
| Service/Maintenance Plan | 4-Year service plan | 5-year service plan |
| Distance | 60 000km | 60 000km |
| Service interval | 15 000km's | 15 000km's |
The two brands offer very similar aftermarket plans for maintaining these cars. As most of the used models you may encounter will still have the plans in place, there is no need to worry too much about out-of-pocket costs until these plans expire. However, not enough data is currently available to determine the out-of-plan maintenance costs of the Chery.
Fuel
| Hyundai Creta 1.5 Executive Matt Edition | Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T Elite auto (CVT) | |
| Claimed Consumption | 6.3 L/100km | 6.7 L/100km |
| Consumption as tested (combined cycle) | 7.8 L/100km | 8.9 L/100km |
| Tank size | 50 | 51 |
| Distance on tank (claimed) | 736km | 761km |
| Actual distance on tank | 702km | 655km |
The Hyundai Creta takes a slim win in this category as the day-to-day costs of operating it come in a little bit cheaper, as its fuel consumption figures are lower, and you can go further for less.
Depreciation
| Hyundai Creta 1.5 Executive Matt Edition | Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T Elite auto (CVT) | |
| 2024 Purchase Price | R 519 900 | R 415 900 |
| Used Price in 2025 | R 389 900 | R 319 495 |
| 1 year of Depreciation | 25% | 23% |
| Demand (cars for sale on AutoTrader) | 14 vehicles for sale | 151 vehicles for sale |
This is rather revealing in that the Creta has slightly higher depreciation, but many fewer models are currently on sale, indicating a flooded market for Tiggos. This means that you should get a better resale price for your Creta, and it will be easier to resell later on.
Verdict
Although the Creta is initially more expensive, it repays that cost over time. The Tiggo may be cheaper initially, but over time, it will cost you more to run, and you aren't guaranteed a return when it eventually comes time to sell, as dealers may not offer the best price due to a flooded market. There is also a significant question surrounding how the Tiggo will age and the ongoing maintenance required after the service plans expire. Hyundai has over two decades of data indicating what out-of-plan maintenance will look like, and it's a known quantity.
With most consumers very cogniscent of in-the-moment costs, the Tiggo is an attractive option, but given what we know, we would take that upfront hit and opt for the lower cost of ownership from the Creta.
* All figures correct at time of publication, subject to change without notice
