2023 Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Urban new car review

Buyers priced out of mainstream brands now have another family SUV to choose from. This is what you need to know before adding it to your shopping list.

The flood of cut-price Chinese vehicles continues with the Tiggo 7 Pro, a five-seat mid-sized SUV targeting big names such as the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5 and Nissan X-Trail.

VALUE

As with any newcomer, offering more for less is a key part of the appeal of the Tiggo 7.

It’s available in three flavours and we’ve tested the entry-level Urban here.

Priced from $39,990 drive-away, it’s in the meat of the medium SUV segment, but the list of equipment trounces many big players.

The Tiggo 7 Pro is the second vehicle from Chinese brand Chery.

There are 18-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, imitation leather trim, heated and powered front seats, wireless phone charging and dual curved 12.3-inch screens incorporating wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

There’s also some carbon-look trim, quality plastics and silver highlights to reinforce the up-market feel.

Impressively, it also comes with a full-size spare wheel, although one omission is digital radio tuning.

COMFORT

It’s clear Chery is trying to impress with attention to detail, although sometimes it’s misplaced. The 15 seconds of welcome music when you first sit inside is over the top.

You can select between three very different layouts for the screen, each of which changes the look markedly. In any mode, though, there’s the occasional frustration; adjust the air flow, for example, and the AC display temporarily takes over the screen.

We also had Apple CarPlay fail to activate sometimes, forcing a dive into the menus to reconnect it manually.

The Tiggo 7 Pro isn’t a cheap as some other new car brands.

The system wants to talk at you for some functions, including when changing drive modes. The warnings of not concentrating are also occasionally overeager.

But the front seats have fixed headrests for a sporty look and back it up with support in the right places.

A tall centre console up front houses a deep storage bin as well as an open area beneath its main floating section.

Those in the rear have great headroom and foot space, so even adults will have little to whinge about. There are air vents and a single USB-C for gadgets.

The tall boot does without a luggage cover but has a decent flat space along with 60/40 split-fold functionality.

The cabin has plenty of luxe and hi-tech features.

SAFETY

The Tiggo has eight airbags and a lengthy list of driver assist tech that includes blind-spot warning, speed-sign recognition, auto braking in forward and reverse, rear cross-traffic alert and a driver monitoring system. If you open a door when parked it will alert you to vehicles approaching from behind.

Despite ticking all the boxes, there are issues with how it works.

The lane-departure system can become confused over lane markings and often jerks the steering wheel. It’s disconcerting and on suburban roads requires additional focus.

The Tiggo 7 Pro lacks the polish of more established rivals.

DRIVING

Getting the Tiggo 7’s wheels turning requires some finesse, as the seven-speed transmission can be grabby when engaging. Convincing the stubby electronic gear shifter to land on the right spot can also be an exercise in frustration, requiring a distinct press of the button, a foot on the brake and a positive shift action.

The spongy suspension means it’s easy to trigger a chirp from the inside front wheel if you’re too enthusiastic taking off. The Atlas tyres also don’t inspire much confidence in the wet, either.

A 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo delivers 137kW/275Nm and does a decent job. But it takes a moment to wake up before delivering respectable thrust.

Fuel use is nothing special, either. The official claim is 9.3 litres per 100km of premium unleaded, but it’s easy to use more than that.

The engine is strong but the fuel economy is high.

ALTERNATIVES

GWM Haval H6, from $37,990 drive-away

Packed with gear for the money but sub-par driver assist systems and dynamics let down the willing engine.

Kia Sportage SX auto, from about $41,500 drive-away

Spacious body and solid list of standard gear backed up by great driving dynamics. The 2.0-litre engine is underwhelming.

MG HS Essence, from $38,990 drive-away

Lacks the bling of fresher rivals but makes up for it with sharp pricing. Modest 1.5-litre engine can be coarse.

VERDICT

Three stars

Presents well and mounts a solid value argument but the shine dulls out on the road.

QUICK GLANCE

Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Urban

PRICE From $39,990 drive-away

WARRANTY/SERVICE Seven years, 150,000km, $1400 for five years/75,000km

SAFETY Eight airbags, auto emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, rear auto braking, driver monitoring, exit warning, speed-sign recognition, child presence detection

ENGINE 1.6-litre 4-cylinder turbo, 137kW/275Nm

THIRST 9.3L/100km

BOOT 626 litres

Originally published as 2023 Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Urban new car review