Chery Tiggo driving review
When I mention Chery, many people still look at me a little confused. Either they have never heard of the manufacturer or they think of it as a cheap and unsafe car. Well things have certainly changed. The Tiggo proves this.
The Chery Tiggo may not be a common sight on South African roads. A first glance at the updated model from the Chinese manufacturer makes one notice that Chery really has brought its game in updating it, making it a real contender in the medium sized SUV segment.
The front and rear appearance of Chery’s updated Tiggo is rounded and sleek with a hint of aggression. The fact that all parts of the vehicle are colour-coded to the body gives the car somewhat of an upmarket feel to the overall design. The exterior features 17-inch alloy wheels, daytime running lights, light emitting diode (LED) stop- and tail-lights, with front and rear fog lamps.
The mid-sized SUV runs on a 1.6-litre engine which in turn develops 93 kW of power at 6150r/min and 160 N.m of torque at 3 900r/min. The new engine upgrade increases the power output by 15% over the previous version. However, it does still lack that power you need when wanting to overtake or increase speed on the highway, or especially on a incline.
The interior change Chery made is the fitment of grey, leather-trimmed seats which for me looks a little dated. It lacks in the quality feel you may look for in a car of this price but added features include Bluetooth, a multifunction steering wheel and rear park distance control. Hill start assist is another useful feature which is standard.
Air conditioning, power windows, power steering, electrically-operated exterior mirrors, 60/40 split rear seat backrest for load versatility, an audio system with CD player and MP3/USB jack are all standard fitment as is central locking with remote keyless entry. Although, none of my personal devices could be connected with the tiny USB port, which is quite distressing for a millennial.
This car drives even better on a gravel road than on a tar road, especially with increased speed. If you’re thinking about getting a bigger-than compact SUV, but you don’t want to spend over R230 000, you might want to take this car out for a test drive. The Tiggo is, after all, the top-selling SUV in Egypt, with a 40% share of this segment! Chery may still have a way to go to really compete in the South African market, but it is most certainly headed in the right direction.
Standard safety features on the new Tiggo includes an electronic stability control programme (ESP), dual airbags and ABS with electronic brake distribution (EBD) as well as ISOFIX fittings for child seats.
Tiggo owners will recieve a 3-year/75 000 km service plan and factory-backed 5-year/120 000km warranty and roadside assistance.