Chery Tiggo 7 Pro vs Haval Jolion vs Toyota Corolla Cross: Which one is the best value for money?

Chinese brand Chery and its contemporary, Haval, has taken the local market by storm, but do their products have what it takes to take on the locally produced Toyota Corolla Cross?

Chery is back in South Africa, and its three-model line-up is garnering loads of attention within the SUV market thanks to competitive pricing and great specification. How does the Chery compare with a fellow Chinese rival from Haval and a popular entrant in terms of value, though?

Toyota Corolla Cross

Practicality

The Haval has the longest wheelbase at 2 700, but the Chery and Toyota are superior in terms of width, length and height. Overall, the Chery is the largest car, offering 475-litres of boot space and 1 500-litres with the second row of seats folded flat. In second position is the Toyota, sporting a 400-litre boot, while the Haval comes in last place, offering 337-litres of boot space that expands to 1 133-litres

Chery Tiggo 7 Pro

Performance

In terms of performance, none of these contenders are big on performance, however, the Chinese competitors are likely to have an edge over the naturally aspirated Toyota since their turbocharged engines produce more torque. The Chery and Toyota are matched in terms of efficiency, with the Chery in last position, however, the superior CO2 emissions of the Toyota grant it the win.

*This table was compiled with information sourced from www.duoporta.co.za as well as the official press releases of each model.

Specification

All three models are well specified, with 18-inch wheels, climate control, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitor, multifunction steering wheel, LED head and taillights, LED daytime running lights, roof rails, rear park distance control, front fog lamps, 6 airbags (7 in the Toyota), keyless entry/start, front and rear electric windows. Both the Chery and Haval feature a panoramic roof and surround-view cameras, while the Corolla Cross gets real leather pews and a reverse camera.

Haval Jolion

Safety

Two of our contenders have been crash tested, with the Chery having been tested by the Chinese C-NCAP assessment programme in 2015 where it achieved a 5-Star rating, with 56.60 out of a possible 58 points. The Jolion is yet to be tested, but it comes with a raft of semi-autonomous driver aids and 6 airbags. The Corolla Cross was tested by the ASEAN NCAP in 2022, where it achieved a 5-Star rating, with a score of 88.16 out of 100. Without a crash test result, the Jolion comes third in this comparison, with the Toyota and the Chery sharing the spoils.

Toyota Corolla Cross

Warranty and maintenance

There is a clear winner in the warranty department, and that is the Chery, which offers a 5-year/150 000km car warranty as well as an additional 10-year/1 000 000km drivetrain warranty as well as a 5-year/60 000km service plan. In second place is the Toyota with a 3-year/100 000km warranty and a 9-service/60 000km service plan. The Haval is last in this category, offering a 3-year/100 000km warranty and a 5-year/60 000km service plan.

Haval Jolion

Verdict

Looking at all three of our contenders there are areas in which each performs well, and we can recommend all three models since they all offer value for money, however, there can only be one winner. Having looked at the data, it would appear that in terms of value, the Toyota Corolla Cross is our winner, offering the service plan, a price that sits between the Chery and the Haval, tied first in terms of efficiency and a good standard specification.

Keyword: Chery Tiggo 7 Pro vs Haval Jolion vs Toyota Corolla Cross: Which one is the best value for money?