2024 Chery Tiggo 7 Professional Elite assessment

The mid-sized SUV phase is the most important by quantity in Australia, so Chery is tackling it with not one, not two, however three automobiles.

The Chery Tiggo 7 Professional seen right here got here first, arriving on our shores late final yr. It’s on the smaller finish of the spectrum, with a 4513mm-long physique sitting it beside the Mazda CX-5.

It’s being joined imminently by the three-row Tiggo 8 Professional Max, extra of a rival to the Mitsubishi Outlander, whereas Chery’s new Jaecoo model is due right here this yr with the purportedly extra premium J7.

Chery is shortly increasing its lineup after having solely arrived right here early in 2023 with the Omoda 5, which was developed as a worldwide automobile and benchmarked towards the Mazda CX-30 and Hyundai Kona.

That automobile has some interesting attributes, equivalent to distinctive (if polarising) styling, a low value and a peppy (if thirsty) powertrain, nevertheless it’s additionally flawed in some respects.

The Tiggo 7 Professional is a extra spectacular effort.

How does the Chery Tiggo 7 Professional examine?

View an in depth breakdown of the Chery Tiggo 7 Professional towards equally sized automobiles.

Chery

Tiggo 7 Professional

How a lot does the Chery Tiggo 7 Professional price?

We put the mid-range Elite to the check.

Whereas the gear listing is lengthy (extra on that later), it’s not the most cost effective of the Chinese language challengers. The bigger GWM Haval H6 prices $39,990 drive-away in top-spec Extremely guise with front-wheel drive, whereas including all-wheel drive sees it price $42,990 drive-away.

Chery is providing a deal till the top of the monetary yr the place you possibly can get $3000 off the drive-away value. It’s value noting various rivals are additionally being provided with EOFY offers.

To see how the Chery Tiggo 7 Professional compares with its rivals, use our comparability software.

What’s the Chery Tiggo 7 Professional like on the within?

First impressions are vital, and the Chery Tiggo 7 Professional makes an awesome one.

This inside not solely seems good in a showroom, it’s additionally sensible and largely purposeful.

You’re greeted by two massive screens: a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen.

The digital instrument cluster is especially spectacular, as there are a number of views you possibly can choose from. You possibly can also have a full-screen map view – one thing you’d normally solely discover on a Volkswagen.

The graphics are trendy, legible and enticing, significantly for the maps on each the cluster and the touchscreen.

We additionally love that there’s wi-fi connectivity for each Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and it labored effectively – my cellphone related immediately and I didn’t expertise any dropouts.

There are some barely oddly labelled menu objects on the touchscreen, however then that’s simply the editor in me discovering fault.

The settings menu is complete, and you’ll modify issues like the peak of the headlights… to the peak of the tailgate.

Whenever you’re not in smartphone mirroring, there’s an anchored bar on the facet with shortcuts for media, maps and the house menu.

There’s additionally a disembodied head floating on the touchscreen, which jogs my memory of a decapitated Jawa from Star Wars. Although it’s a bit creepy wanting, the voice assistant works effectively – you should use it to regulate capabilities just like the sunroof or local weather management, although we weren’t capable of get it to work for the navigation.

Chery seems to have tried to match GWM with its surround-view digital camera setup, full with a 3D view of the automobile you possibly can swipe round. The distinction right here is GWM’s setup is far greater in decision, with the Chery’s digital camera additionally having a slight delay. They’re not the worst cameras, however they’re nowhere close to GWM’s in readability.

You possibly can have the cameras robotically activate if you’re indicating, which is an interpretation of Hyundai’s blind-spot view monitor various Chinese language manufacturers have taken. It may be turned off.

I didn’t have any tech glitches, per se, as I’ve beforehand skilled with the Omoda 5.

I did have one main annoyance, nonetheless. After I first acquired the automobile, it was caught in some type of screensaver mode. I might contact or swipe on the display screen, and it might simply change the wallpaper.

Of all of the buttons I attempted urgent to entry the remainder of the infotainment system, I didn’t suppose to press the Energy button on the centre console. Consumer error? Possibly, however there are nonetheless some quirks within the tech which are shortly being ironed out.

You can also’t see local weather info whilst you’re utilizing smartphone mirroring. You possibly can change settings with out subject due to the management panel below the touchscreen, however you possibly can’t see what you’re altering except you go into the Local weather menu, as there’s no overlay or anchored info bar such as you’ll see in different automobiles.

At the very least Chery has finished a separate local weather management panel as a substitute of placing all of the controls on the touchscreen, as some manufacturers have switched to.

Curiously, there are a number of air-conditioning modes: snug, energy-saving, and robust.

I’ve talked tech till I’m as blue within the face as these bizarre stripes on the Tiggo 7 Professional’s entrance bumper. What about the remainder of the inside? Nicely, it’s genuinely good.

The entrance seats seem like sports activities seats, and proved fairly snug. Chery is aware of easy methods to make steering wheel, too, with a tactile rim and substantial-feeling switchgear.

You possibly can program one of many steering wheel switches as a shortcut button, like in rivals from Hyundai and Kia.

Nearly each floor within the Tiggo 7 Professional’s cabin is completed in soft-touch plastic or leatherette, with swathes of tasteful carbon fibre-esque trim throughout the dashboard.

The sprint and door tops are completed in leather-look trim with stitching particulars, giving the cabin much more of an upmarket look.

There’s additionally fairly a little bit of wood-look trim which is trendy and chic. See, different manufacturers? You don’t should put gloss black trim in every single place!

Vibrant ambient lighting carries throughout from the sprint to the doorways and the perimeters of the centre console.

The soft-touch trim on the perimeters of the centre console might do with a bit extra padding, nevertheless it’s a minor gripe contemplating some rivals don’t even hassle to cowl the exhausting plastic down there.

To my eyes all of it comes collectively properly – that is a gorgeous cabin that places some rivals to disgrace.

There are some considerate touches, too. Contained in the well-lit centre console bin there’s a bit of glass hammer to interrupt the home windows in an emergency scenario. The USB retailers up entrance are illuminated, and the inside lighting is LED.

The Chery will even robotically activate the air air purifier when it detects the PMA 2.5 focus is excessive, and it’ll lock the doorways robotically if you stroll away.

There’s a shelf below the centre console with a 12V outlet, although it’s not as massive because the GWM Haval H6’s. Nonetheless, you may match a small purse down right here, and the ground is rubberised.

A few particulars want work. The drive mode knob might be endlessly twirled. The amount scroll wheel on the centre console additionally feels a bit of sharp, however these are minor complaints about an in any other case pretty cabin.

Step into the again, and the Tiggo 7 Professional impresses as a household hauler. That tall, boxy form pays dividends in terms of headroom, which is superb.

There’s solely a minimal driveline hump, so legroom can also be nice. If you’re exceptionally tall and your knees find yourself touching the entrance seatbacks, you’ll discover they’re delicate.

It’s not fairly as spacious again right here as a GWM Haval H6, nevertheless it feels roomier than a Mazda CX-5. There are three top-tether and two ISOFIX anchor factors for baby seats.

As with many rivals, the door tops again listed below are exhausting, nonetheless the armrests on the doorways are nonetheless softly padded.

There are air vents and map pockets again right here, plus a fold-down armrest with cupholders. You’ll discover just one USB-A outlet right here, nonetheless.

The Tiggo 7 Professional has a aggressive 626L of boot house, increasing to 1672L with the rear seats folded – although sadly they don’t fold fully flat.

On this age of space-saver spares or, even worse, tyre restore kits, you’ll be pleased to study it has a full-sized spare below the ground.

To see how the Chery Tiggo 7 Professional compares with its rivals, use our comparability software.

What’s below the bonnet?

Only one engine possibility is obtainable in Australia.

To see how the Chery Tiggo 7 Professional compares with its rivals, use our comparability software.

How does the Chery Tiggo 7 Professional drive?

The Tiggo 7 Professional is a little more resolved dynamically than the Omoda 5, however that’s to not say Chery has all of the sudden rotated and began making actually sporty automobiles.

That is one other very softly sprung SUV from Chery, however the distinction right here is the Tiggo 7 Professional feels extra tied down with higher physique management.

It’s clean over most surfaces, although it will possibly squirm round on significantly patchy roads

As with its smaller sibling, steering is feather-light. It’s straightforward to twirl the wheel when navigating a carpark, so for a lot of consumers this received’t be a turn-off.

However whereas Sport mode provides a bit of little bit of synthetic weight, it’s nonetheless fairly video game-like and fully devoid of really feel. The brakes don’t encourage a lot confidence both, with minimal really feel by way of the spongy pedal.

It’s typically snug and simple to drive, and there’s loads of energy off the road.

The powertrain is punchy – an excessive amount of so for the Atlas tyres this rides on. It’s merely far too straightforward to chirp the tyres on the Tiggo 7 Professional, not helped by the sharp throttle tip-in. Drive with a lighter foot!

As is widespread with Chinese language manufacturers, the Tiggo 7 Professional makes use of a dual-clutch automated transmission. It boasts the snappy shifts anticipated of such a transmission with out the low-speed roughness you’ll discover in a GWM Haval H6.

Talking of the transmission, Chery makes use of a monostatic gear selector which seems good however is fiddly to make use of. Generally you attempt to shift it into Reverse and it doesn’t go, and it’s a must to pull it once more.

Regardless of the punchy drivetrain, this isn’t a automobile that’ll encourage you to push it exhausting. Sure, we all know most house owners couldn’t care much less.

You possibly can hear the tyres on highways and on coarser-chip roads, with a bit an excessive amount of noise coming into the cabin. The cruise management may also be a bit noisy in operation.

Over a loop comprising inner-city, suburban and freeway driving, we averaged 9.9L/100km. This dropped barely to 9.6L/100km over the course of a number of days with the automobile, however continues to be effectively over the official mixed cycle declare of seven.0L/100km.

By way of the driving force assists, the lane-keep help typically intervenes a bit abruptly, nevertheless it’s a far cry from the primary Cherys that got here right here upon its relaunch the place the driving force help techniques had severe points.

The driving force consideration monitoring system additionally didn’t blare incessantly, so Chery has made progress right here.

The automated cease/begin is mostly fairly clean in operation, solely awkwardly participating and disengaging as soon as.

By the way in which, the Tiggo 7 Professional makes me need to change into a BMW driver, as a result of the sound its indicators make is aggravating.

Chery is getting nearer to established manufacturers by way of the driving expertise, and its powertrain is extra fulfilling than some equally priced naturally aspirated rivals, however there’s nonetheless work to be finished with the steering and brakes.

For those who’re shopping for one, I’d additionally suggest eliminating these Atlas tyres as soon as they’ve reached their expiration date.

What do you get?

Each Tiggo 7 Professional comes normal with a panoramic sunroof, with ventilated entrance seats reserved for the top-spec Final.

It’s the alternative with the Tiggo 8 Professional Max, the place each mannequin has ventilated entrance seats however solely the top-spec mannequin has a panoramic sunroof.

Tiggo 7 Professional City highlights:

• Auto LED headlights
• Rain-sensing wipers
• 18-inch alloy wheels in Atlas tyres
• Full-size spare
• Tyre stress monitoring
• 3 drive modes – Eco, Sport, Regular
• Keyless entry and begin
• Distant begin
• Digital parking brake with auto maintain
• Synthetic leather-based upholstery
• Synthetic leather-wrapped steering wheel
• 4-way steering wheel adjustment
• Heated entrance seats (cushion, backrest)
• 6-way energy driver’s seat
• 4-way energy passenger seat
• Twin-zone local weather management
• Panoramic sunroof
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wi-fi Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
• Satellite tv for pc navigation
• ‘Hey Chery’ voice assistant
• 8-speaker Sony sound system
• Wi-fi cellphone charger
• Ambient lighting
• Entrance, rear USB retailers incl. USB-C
• 2 x 12V retailers – entrance, boot

Tiggo 7 Professional Elite provides:

• Energy-folding exterior mirrors
• Energy tailgate
• Illuminated sill plates
• Air high quality administration system
  • Damaging ion air freshener
• Cargo blind
• Optionally available black roof
• Encompass-view cameras

Tiggo 7 Final provides:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Cooper tyres
• 6 drive modes – Eco, Sport, Regular, Snow, Mud, Off-road
• Crimson brake calipers, entrance
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
• Energy driver’s seat incl. reminiscence
• Energy-folding exterior mirrors with reminiscence
• Ventilated entrance seats – cushion solely

Is the Chery Tiggo 7 Professional secure?

The Tiggo 7 Professional acquired a five-star ANCAP security score in December 2023 below the newest 2023-25 testing standards.

It acquired an grownup occupant safety score of 88 per cent, a baby occupant safety score of 87 per cent, a weak street consumer safety score of 72 per cent, and a security help score of 86 per cent.

Normal security gear consists of:

• Autonomous emergency braking
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Lane-keep help
• Emergency lane-keep help
• Rear cross-traffic help
• Site visitors signal recognition
• Site visitors Jam Help
• Adaptive cruise management
• Built-in Cruise Help
• 8 airbags
  • Entrance-centre and driver’s knee
  • Twin entrance, front-side and curtain ‘luggage
• Reversing digital camera
• Entrance and rear parking sensors
• Driver monitoring system
• Little one presence detection
• Secure exit warning
• Multi-collision braking

The Elite provides a surround-view digital camera.

How a lot does the Chery Tiggo 7 Professional price to run?

The Tiggo 7 Professional is backed by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee, with seven years of capped-price servicing and 7 years of roadside help.

The primary 5 providers are capped at $280 every, with the sixth costing $367.94 and the seventh $287.84. This servicing is cheaper than in lots of key rivals.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Chery Tiggo 7 Professional

Chery is sweet at growing SUVs that main on showroom enchantment.

The tall, boxy styling is inoffensive to the purpose of anonymity. However open the door and take a look at that cabin with its panoramic roof, ambient lighting, and ample soft-touch surfaces, and you’ll see how a possible purchaser could also be seduced at a Chery dealership.

The excellent news is there’s some substance right here – the powertrain is peppy, the cabin is roomy, and the options listing is lengthy.

Every Chery that has been launched to Australia following the model’s relaunch has been extra spectacular than the final.

The Tiggo 7 Professional feels way more resolved than the Omoda 5 – because it ought to, given it’s significantly dearer.

It’s not excellent. There are nonetheless some tech bugbears, and from the throttle to the sunshine steering, a bit extra refinement on how the automobile drives continues to be required.

However mums and dads will recognize how straightforward it’s to steer round a parking lot, and the way snug the trip is for essentially the most half.

Japanese and Korean rivals ought to pay attention to how a lot package Chery can put in for this value and the way good its interiors have change into.

That’s how Chery is ready to get consumers by way of the door, and get them to take a check drive. We suspect the model will likely be much more of a risk as soon as it nails down the dynamics facet of the equation.

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