We like
Decent acceleration performance, outstanding value for money, quality fit and finish, spacious cabin, generous warranty

Room for improvement
Inert steering feel, some roll-on throttle lag, rough road handling an unknown, fuel economy hard to determine at this juncture

Overview

 

LAST month (August) Chinese importer Chery announced initial details of its forthcoming Tiggo 4 Pro small segment SUV ahead of its expected arrival in mid-October.

 

Initially, Chery said it would price the Tiggo 4 Pro from “under $24,000 drive-away”, saving further details until today, when it was revealed the two-variant line-up will begin from $23,990 drive-away and $26,990 drive-away respectively.

 

The price tag sees the model take onn Chinese-made rivals including the GWM Haval Jolion (from $26,990 drive-away) and MG ZS (from $22,990 drive-away), as well as the evergreen Mitsubishi ASX (from $24,490 plus on-road costs).

 

Chery says the Tiggo 4 Pro is Australia’s best-value turbo-powered small SUV, joining the Omoda 5, Tiggo 7 Pro and Tiggo 8 Pro in its local portfolio.

 

Power for the model comes from a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with outputs of 108kW and 210Nm, matching that of the Omoda 5. Transmission duties fall to a continuously variable unit driving the front wheels.

 

Chery says the Tiggo 4 Pro will consume 7.3 litres of standard 91RON unleaded petrol per 100 kilometres (when measured against the ADR Combined cycle), while emitting 166 grams per kilometre of CO2.

 

As noted previously, the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro measures 4351mm in length, 1831mm in width, 1662mm in height and with a wheelbase of 2610mm. The measurements gift the model with a cargo capacity of 380 litres with the rear seats in place, or up to 1225 litres all told.

 

The five-seat model tips the scale at 1388kg (tare), and offers a payload of up to 411kg, which means it will be nearing its limit with a full complement of passengers on board.

 

The Tiggo 4 Pro is suspended by a MacPherson strut front / torsion beam rear arrangement and halted by four-wheel disc brakes.

 

Base Urban grades run a 17-inch alloy wheel shod with 215/60 tyres, while the flagship Ultimate wears 18-inch alloys and 215/55 series rubber. Both grades offer a space saver (temporary) spare wheel, and both feature tyre pressure monitoring as part of an extensive standard safety suite.

 

Elsewhere, the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro features anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control, multi-collision braking, hill-start assist, seatbelt reminders, ISOFIX (2) and top-tether (3) child seat anchors, child presence detection, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, and seven airbags.

 

The Ultimate grade adds a 360-degree camera system.

 

ADAS technologies include adaptive cruise control, AEB, blind spot monitoring, door opening warning, driver monitoring, emergency lane keeping, lane change assist, lane departure warning, lane departure prevention, rear collision warning and braking, and rear cross-traffic warning across both grades.

 

For Tiggo 4 Pro Urban we find standard inclusions such as cloth upholstery, a six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat, 60:40 split-fold rear seats, dual-zone climate control with second-row ventilation outlets, front and rear USB charging ports, dusk-sensing LED headlights and DRLs, rain sensing wipers, powered and heated wing mirrors, acoustic front glass, and all-auto power windows.

 

The range-topping Tiggo 4 Pro Ultimate meanwhile adds artificial leather upholstery, a six-way power adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, follow-me-home headlight functionality, power folding wing mirrors, and a powered sunroof with sunshade.

 

Both Tiggo 4 Pro variants feature dual 10.25-inch instrumentation and infotainment screens, the latter hosting AM/FM and DAB+ (digital) radio reception, Bluetooth connectivity, wired Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto connectivity, and ‘Hello Chery’ voice commands.

 

The base offering features a four-speaker sound system while the range-topped adopts a Sony-sourced six-speaker audio package comprising four speakers, and two tweeters.

 

Irrespective of variant, the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro is available in five paint colours, with Martian Red the only no-cost option. Premium hues include Lunar White, Mercurial Grey, Star Silver, and Space Black.

 

Like other Chery passenger models, the Tiggo 4 Pro will be backed by a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with included capped price servicing program and roadside assistance bundle.

 

Driving Impressions

 

Chery tacked on a drive of the Tiggo 4 Pro as a supplement to its recent launch of its all-new Omoda E5 electric SUV in Canberra.

 

The pre-production model sampled was not necessarily representative of the final product headed to Australia but appeared better-finished and assembled than many of its ilk – and especially so considering its list price.

 

The sizing is city-friendly, but by no means cramped, with an interior that feels familiar in terms of accommodation to the Mitsubishi ASX, but with styling that’s far more modern.

 

But it’s the drive experience of the Tiggo 4 Pro that had us most intrigued. As brief as it was, the vehicle showed itself as a nifty performer on test, accelerating cleanly to the 80km/h limit imposed and holding pace comfortably.

 

The continuously variable transmission is smooth and reasonably responsive to throttle inputs, lagging only slightly when called to “kick down” up a steeper grade at the back of the test complex.

 

There is, however, plenty of power to support it, the Tiggo 4 Pro feeling willing to stretch its legs, boding well for highway driving in the real world.

 

At the speeds encountered, and with witches hats our only obstacle, the Tiggo 4 Pro handled capably with sufficient body control for an urban-dwelling SUV. The steering is light, and rather devoid of feel, but we think given its target market and price there are few who will complain.

 

Otherwise, the controls feel progressive to input with a decent braking action summoning effective stopping power. From experience, the standard-fit Giti tyres may not be the best wet-weather companion but proved capable enough in the dry conditions experience – and reasonably quiet.

 

We’ll be very keen to sample the Tiggo 4 Pro again in real-world conditions. Given the vehicle can be driven away for less than $24,000 gives it a lot of bargaining power against the rivals listed atop this test, especially if it manages to arrive in local showrooms with a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

 

Our drive may have been brief, but it certainly showed there’s a lot to like here. If you’re looking at shopping a compact SUV in the not-too-distant future, we reckon you might want to hold off until you get to sample this one.