Chinese cars seem to be the hot new thing in the automotive world, going off the success that brands like Chery and Haval have been enjoying in South Africa over the last few years.
In just over 12 months, Chery has managed to rocket to the top of the sales charts rivaling long-term industry staples like Toyota and Volkswagen, which made me very curious to see what all the fuss is about.
Having finally had the chance to spend a few days in the in-betweener of Chery’s SUV family, the Tiggo 7 Pro, I fully understand why people are eagerly jumping on board with these up-and-coming autos.
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The Tiggo 7 is one of the most feature-packed cars retailing under R500,000. Every day I was discovering a new detail – a compartment here, a textured surface there.
The first time I happened to take the car out at night I was surprised to see numerous lighting aspects that were hidden during the day, like ambient cabin lighting and even a little “Tiggo” puddle lamp projected on the floor.
The darkness also helped to accentuate the fantastic-looking LED headlights and singular reverse bar stretching across the back.
It’s a striking car overall, thanks to the crystal-like clusters, as well as a gorgeous red paint scheme and the distinctive patterned grille that’s fitted across the Tiggo range.
The Chery on top (pun intended) is that the Executive model on test even came with a sliding panoramic sunroof which let out all the heat in the late afternoon making journeys home that much better.
It’s a similar story inside, as the crossover has a sleek cabin with soft-touch materials and wood-like textured silver panels on the doors.
The most intriguing visual aspect has to be the centre console, which uses a dual-shelf design with an upper and lower deck.
The lower shelf has a storage area and wireless charging pad, while the higher shelf houses all the usual suspects like the gearshift, cupholders, and climate controls. It’s an odd layout, and one that comes with a list of pros and cons.
The raised design means that the centre console rests higher than it does in most other cars, which can take some getting used to. The main problem, however, is that the phone storage area is rather inaccessible – especially to the driver – which meant I had to stretch and squeeze my arm in the space between the console and steering wheel to grab my phone.
Compounding this issue is the fact that the Tiggo requires a wired connection for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which makes the process of hooking up your phone at the start of every journey a clumsy one.
A smaller issue is that the centre console and infotainment surfaces are extremely easy to leave finger marks on, so it’s best that you keep a cloth on hand to wipe away the myriad of prints that will accumulate in short order.
There are a few ways in which the console redeems itself though. The dedicated shelf means you get a generous amount of space to store small items and the overhead cover protects the wireless charger from direct sunlight – great for avoiding overheating problems.
One consequence of this “housing” for your phone is that it can be easy to forget it when leaving the car. Chery clearly knew this might be a problem as the car will emit a (very loud) beeping sound if a device is left in the charging dock when the engine is turned off.
The climate control works well and are easy to operate, as the automaker has thankfully kept a separate set of controls rather than cramming everything into the infotainment screen, and the six-speaker sound system delivers great audio.
The media interface itself is unfortunately not that intuitive – requiring you to jump through several menus to access most functions.
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It’s telling that I can spend so long talking about the Tiggo 7 before I even get to the part about what it’s like to drive.
It runs on a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol with 108kW and 210Nm, which is more than most other crossovers in its price range, and it shows.
The acceleration is responsive whether you are starting at a green light or trying to overtake someone on the highway while going up a hill, and you’ll want to leave it in Sport mode to get the most out of it.
There is a small delay between the “gearshifts” as the Chery uses a CVT, but I never found it to be annoying, and the CVT itself was acceptably smooth when dealing with the awful combination of load shedding and rush hour traffic.
It doesn’t end there, as the Pro comes with adaptive cruise control that displays the distance between you and the car in front via the digital driver screen, and it has a full 360-degree camera system that illuminates the relevant blind spot whenever you indicate left or right.
It also comes with rear parking sensors, and it’s easy enough to configure your ideal seating position thanks to the electronically adjustable chairs.
There’s a liberal amount of legroom for all passengers, you get a deployable armrest with cupholders for the rear bench, and the boot is a decent 475 litres.
Verdict
If I had to describe the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro with a single phrase – it’d be value for money.
Prices start at R437,900 for the entry-level Distinction and R472,900 for the top-end Executive, making this one of the most feature-rich crossovers you can currently find in the increasingly popular entry-to-mid level market in South Africa.
The infotainment user interface leaves room for improvement, and I have mixed feelings about the layout of the centre console, but these are far from deal-breakers, and what you’re left with is a surprisingly sporty SUV that manages to tick all the boxes, and a whole lot more.
Chery Tiggo Pro 7
Keyword: Chery Tiggo 7 Pro review – This is why affordable Chinese cars are dominating