We like
Exceptional value for money; generous equipment levels; strong warranty and aftersales support; pragmatic interior and spacious cargo area, accessible low-end torque

Room for improvement
Uses more fuel than advertised; steering feel is rather numb; ADAS technologies border on nervous; some menu items buried too deep for easy access on the go

Overview

 

JUST when you thought the days of an affordable yet safe and well-featured car were behind us comes this – the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro.

 

Comparable in size to the Mitsubishi ASX and Subaru Crosstrek, the Chinese made Small segment SUV is offered in two variants, Urban and Ultimate, priced from $23,990 drive-away and $26,990 drive-away respectively.

 

Chery says the Tiggo 4 Pro is Australia’s best-value turbo-powered small SUV, and we reckon they’re not far wrong. This is a solidly built, generously equipped, and enjoyable to drive offering that has already taken its share of awards – and a considerable helping of sales – in the Australian market.

 

Power for the model comes from a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with outputs of 108kW at 5500rpm and 210Nm from 1750-4000rpm, 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.

 

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, the callipers of which were painted red on the variant on test.

 

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 (x2) and top-tether (x3) child seat anchors, child presence detection, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, and seven airbags.

 

The Ultimate grade adds a useful 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.

 

The Chery Tiggo 4 Pro features a five-star ANCAP safety rating across both model 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-topper 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

 

If you took the badging off the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and threw the keys to the average punter, we’d wager they wouldn’t guess the price. As we’ve noted above, the Chinese-made ‘Tiggo 4’ offers a lot for the money, shaming many of its rivals that offer very little for a whole lot more.

 

The build finish is extremely hard to fault, and while some question the design of the rear-end, we personally believe the upright, boxy sculpting is attractive, allowing more interior and cargo space than swoopier “coupe-SUV” competitors that are more form than function.

 

Interior space is surprisingly generous, the front seats are of a width that suits full grown adults, with legroom to match. We’d have liked the driver seat to adjust a little closer to the floor, but found the driving position otherwise very good, with enough steering column adjustment to make ourselves at home.

 

Rear seat space is likewise decent for a vehicle of this size, the comfort of the rear bench a step ahead of many competitors who seem to have given up beyond the B pillar. A singular rear seat air vent helps distribute climate-controlled air, while door pockets, a USB-A outlet, and cup holders ensure no-one rides in second class.

 

We appreciated the visuals and décor of the cabin, too. The large screens don’t stick out like the proverbial sore thumb, instead nestling neatly into a dashboard whose soft-touch upper melds neatly with the door cards and angled centre stack. A mobile phone holder sits ahead of a large central console bin, shortened gear selector, and classy climate control screen.

 

It was terrific to find a mix of hard and touch controls, though some menu settings (particularly those for shutting off the at-times overzealous ADAS technologies) are buried a little deep for safe access on the go. Disappointingly, the Tiggo 4 does not offer wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto connectivity, or native sat nav. But considering the price, we think it’s an issue we could happily excuse.

 

As a runabout with solid freeway road manners and a hushed passenger cabin, the Tiggo 4 is something of a refreshing change of pace. And while many in this segment can struggle with a complement of passengers in a 110km/h zone, the Tiggo 4 feels comfortable. It gets up to speed with little fuss and has plenty of low-end torque for climbing grades.

 

The continuously variable transmission never flares nor over-reacts, and in driving the vehicle is hard to pick as a CVT. Automatic drivers will be hard pressed to note the difference, such is the flowing character of this well-calibrated unit.

 

Of course, fuel economy – both on paper and in the real world – is well behind the claims of the Tiggo 4’s segment stalwarts. The listed 7.3 litres per 100km quickly turns to 8.4 in everyday use, which is hardly impressive when viewed against a long list of more efficient rivals. That said, the $10,000 or $15,000 saving you make in purchasing the Tiggo 4 Pro Ultimate against a European or Japanese rival could certainly buy a lot of fuel…

 

Dynamically, the Tiggo 4 is a little softer than many in the over-wheeled and tightly sprung competitor set, which is to say it’s comfortable, but a little ‘soft’. Bumps and lumps are soaked up effectively, giving the Tiggo 4 an edge at first. But in more challenging situations, the lack of body control and light steering can unsettle the vehicle’s intentions.

 

If we’re really picky, we’d also like to see a little more weight to the Tiggo 4’s brake pedal. The graduation of the pedal stroke is lost to a spongey sensation that, while well assisted, lacks the feedback that helps to makes smooth stops. It’s something we got used to over the course of a week with the car but is a challenge when stepping in and out from another vehicle.

 

With a little extra attention to suspension and ADAS tuning, we reckon the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro could be close to the perfect Small segment SUV.

 

It certainly looks the part, has a bucket-load of tech, is safe, and very well priced – all points that go a long way toward helping those who would otherwise opt for a second-hand car. Would we recommend a test drive? You betcha!