Chery Tiggo 9 sets the standard in Chinese class

Chery has brought a number of new-energy vehicles to South Africa recently. Adding hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants to existing models, the brand also launched its flagship Tiggo 9 in August. 

It did that by crash testing it on the Kyalami circuit to showcase the safety of the vehicle. 

But make no mistake, this is not a car you would just want to waste on a crash test. 

The Tiggo 9 is a seven-seater available in two variants, the Pinnacle CSH and the Vanguard CSH, which we had on test. Both are plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), but the Pinnacle is front-wheel drive while the Vanguard is an all-wheel drive. 

Chery has made the car look very classy from the outside. The Tiggo 9 strikes a balance between grandeur and poise. Sleek body lines flow seamlessly into an imposing front fascia, where a bold 3D diamond grille takes centre stage, framed by sculpted LED headlamps.

At the back, a full-width LED light bar stretches across the tailgate, inspired by diamond jewellery, which is a testament to the luxury the car offers. 

The attractive 20-inch alloy wheels cap the luxurious exterior perfectly. They are not over the top or futuristic, but are an exceptional fit with the rest of the car’s looks. 

What I love is that, although Chery has made this vehicle look much classier than the rest of the Tiggo range, it still keeps the identity of a Chery. If you see it on the road, you might wonder what Chery it is, but you will definitely know that it is a vehicle from the brand.

Interior

The interior is where Chery really makes you feel the luxury.

The seats are heated, ventilated and also offer massages to the front seat passengers, while the second row has independent climate control and also heated and ventilated seats. 

The second row of seats is adjustable, which means that if the third row is not being used, those passengers have the option to move further back and recline. 

However, if there are passengers in the third row, they can be comfortable if the second row is moved forward. 

In seven seaters, it usually feels as if the passengers in the third row could suffocate, but the adjustability of the second row in the Tiggo 9 makes it very easy for everyone to be comfortable. 

The Tiggo 9 also has a 15.6-inch infotainment system and a 10.25-inch digital cluster. 

Chery incorporated the screens from the Jaecoo J7 into the Tiggo 9 to give it a more premium feeling. 

But everything on the inside of this car feels premium and posh. 

You would never say that you were sitting in a Chinese car, but here we are, and we have to give them credit for how far they have come. 

The Drive

A week ago, I posted a video on TikTok talking about the features in the Tiggo 9, compared to those in a R4 million Range Rover, and I struck a few nerves. 

A lot of the comments said that you needed to drive the two vehicles to see that they were incomparable. 

That’s true to a certain extent. I mean, the Chery Tiggo 9 doesn’t have air suspension, but it still does have a Macpherson front suspension and a rear multi-link suspension that makes it feel very firm and solid. 

Not to mention, it has three electric motors paired to a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine that pushes out 455kW of power and 920Nm of torque. 

That is an exceptional amount of power and, even though it is a large seven-seater, this car picks up speed so quickly, it can zoom when you need it to and doesn’t feel nervous on the road at all. 

Of course, there will be body roll when it comes to handling because it is a big vehicle, but I found handling to be smooth and simple. 

Thanks to the 34.4kWh battery used in the Vanguard variant, the vehicle has up to 160km of electric range alone and a combined range of 1 400km. 

Essentially, that means that you could make it from Johannesburg to Cape Town on a single tank and charge. 

I found that driving it in hybrid mode gave me an excellent 1.7 litres/100km and when the battery was depleted, I still managed to stay under 7 litres/100km.

Safety

In terms of safety, the Tiggo 9 was put to the test in front of the South African media by undergoing Africa’s first dual-vehicle collision test. 

Two Tiggo 9 SUVs collided in a controlled 50% offset head-on crash while travelling at 50km/h. The demonstration was designed to prove that the Tiggo 9 delivers world-class protection in one of the most dangerous accident scenarios.

The Tiggo 9 passed the test as expected (video below). 

The car also has a number of safety features, like a 540-degree camera, automatic parking, front and rear parking sensors, lane-departure warning, traffic jam assistance and remote parking assistance. 

Ultimately, the Tiggo 9 makes you feel incredibly safe, despite having a superb amount of power at your disposal. 

Verdict

The Pinnacle variant is priced at R839 900 and the Vanguard costs R989 900. 

It is excellent value for money for the amount of features you get, the luxury you experience, the power it produces and the fact that it is a PHEV, at the end of the day. 

The only issue I have with the Tiggo 9 is that, although it is a seven-seater, it doesn’t give the same feeling that the Omoda C9 gave and that is priced just R10 000 above it.

The top-of-the-range PHEV offers luxury, power and unlimited kilometres, but does it give you the same feeling as the Omoda C9?