Chery Tiggo 4 review: Rivals undercut, but does it deliver?
Chery's self-charging Tiggo 4 brings huge space and kit to fight Puma and Juke, but don't expect driving thrills, writes Jim McGill
We had long been told “the Chinese are coming” and that our new car landscape would change. What we didn’t expect was the rate at which the UK car-buying public would flock to the ever-growing number of Chinese manufacturers and dealerships popping up around the country. Today Chinese cars are commonplace on our roads, and leading the way is the Chery group of car brands, Omoda, Jaecoo and Chery itself.
Launched into the UK just over a year ago, Chery had the best-selling 7-seater in June with the Tiggo 8, reached a 2 per cent market share in July, and has opened more than 85 retailers with the ambition to reach 120 by the autumn.
The Chery brand to date has been dominated by its medium-to-large SUVs, the inspirationally-badged Tiggo 7, Tiggo 8 and Tiggo 9. All of them are packed to the gunwales with kit as standard, have bags of space and are excellent value for money. Now we have its newest, cheapest and smallest model, the Tiggo 4. Officially it’s named the Tiggo 4 CSH, that’s Chery Super Hybrid to you and me, but let’s just keep it short and sharp. Tiggo 4 will do just fine. Globally it’s Chery’s best seller, and in the UK it starts at just £19,995. Supermini money for an SUV? That has to be attractive. But is it money well spent? Only one way to find out.
Ok, tell me more about the Tiggo 4
Aimed fair and square at the lucrative small SUV sector’s leading model, the Ford Puma, the Tiggo 4 is also taking the fight to established models including the Renault Captur, Toyota Yaris Cross, Nissan Juke and Dacia Duster, so you can see the challenge the Chery faces. It’s a tough and demanding marketplace. But when it comes to price, worth highlighting right from the start the Tiggo 4 undercuts the Puma by around £7000. And in the current financial climate where more and more buyers are favouring value above everything else, that price difference is significant.
The Tiggo 4 is available in two trim levels, Aspire and Summit. The entry-level starts at £19,995 with the fully equipped Summit just £2000 more. There’s only one hybrid powertrain. That’s a 95bhp 1.5-litre petrol mated with an electric motor and 1.83kWh battery for a combined output of 198bhp and 222lb/ft of torque. That power is channelled through a CVT gearbox.
Unlike its much larger siblings, the Tiggo 4 is a self-charging hybrid rather than a plug-in hybrid, and it’s worth knowing this Chery Super Hybrid system is now into its fifth generation. So it’s well tested and proven tech.
Trim details
The entry-level Aspire comes with bags of goodies, especially for under £20k. A rear parking camera, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, LED headlights, a dual-screen digital display, fabric upholstery, a 4-way adjustable steering wheel and dual-zone air conditioning are all standard, as is a full suite of everyday convenience features such as heated wing mirrors and electric windows. And it also sits on 17in alloys.
Step up to the £21,995 Summit and you add more standard comfort and technology kit, including eco-leather upholstery, a 360-degree camera system, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat and privacy glass throughout, plus an upgraded 6-speaker audio system, an electrically-operated tailgate, automatic folding side mirrors and a 50W wireless charging pad.
And what’s the interior like?
On the face of it, more premium and posher than many of its rivals, including those from Ford, Nissan and Toyota. There’s nice soft-touch materials, artificial leather and metal grain finishes. The cabin is dominated by a wide dual 12.3-inch screen set-up, and beneath the vents there are plenty of physical buttons which are not only useful but operate with a reassuringly satisfying click. Below those is a touch panel to operate the climate controls. So thankfully most of the principal controls can be actioned without having to delve deep into the touchscreen.
That said, the touch-sensitive climate controls didn’t always respond to my inputs, and why does it require a minimum of three taps of the display to put the heated front seats on. Three. Really? Oh, and those heated seats are only on the Summit model.
The touchscreen responds quickly to inputs, but there’s no inbuilt satnav, which means you have to use Google Maps via your smartphone linked to either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, both of which, thankfully, are standard kit.
In addition to the central screen, there’s also a 12.3in digital instrument cluster for the driver which can be displayed in one of two dial configurations, plus show either fuel economy or tyre pressure.
As for interior space, there’s ample room in the Tiggo 4 for occupants, with plenty of head, leg and foot room both in the front and rear. Sitting behind my driving position was perfectly comfortable and while the wee SUV will easily accommodate four adults, the third middle seat should only be used in emergencies: it’s a tight squeeze for three across the back. Best to fold down the middle seat-back and use it as an armrest with cupholders. Two Isofix mounting points are also available in the rear.
Storage too is well taken care of with numerous spaces, including large door bins, to stash goodies away. There’s also more storage space under the centre console, a cubbyhole under the centre armrest and large cupholders.
The driver’s seat has plenty of adjustability, but it’s a pity the steering column doesn’t extend far enough. The combination has the potential to compromise the perfect driving position.
Performance …
Chery says the Tiggo 4 will hit 62mph from standstill in 8.9secs and carry on to a max of 93mph.
… and economy?
Officially, Chery quotes 55mpg for the Tiggo 4. But on my drive, on a selection of road types and without trying to be light-footed, I averaged 59mpg.
What’s it like to drive?
Let’s get straight to the point. It’s not a memorably engaging or dynamic experience being behind the wheel of the Tiggo 4. It’s not the car for a keen driver. And that’s not to be seen as an out and out criticism of the car. It’s simply that the Tiggo 4 is another of those cars which just quietly goes about its business and delivers without really shining in any specific area. If you’re after a small SUV simply to get from A-to-B and back again without any fuss of qualms, then the Tiggo 4 will deliver admirably for you.
The steering is incredibly light, which naturally makes city driving and manoeuvring a delight. Parking is a dawdle. The downside to the steering is that lightness of touch does mean it becomes a tad vague and unsettling at speed, requiring near constant adjustments of the steering wheel. But if the vast majority of your time with the car is going to be in the city, then you’ll find that’s its favourite habitat.
Alternatively, there is a ‘Sport’ mode on the little Tiggo. Switch it on and the steering does gain a little extra weight and the throttle response is sharpened, but the overall vagueness does remain. Sport mode is also supplemented by an “Eco” mode, so the driver can choose either depending on the driving conditions.
Suspension is on the soft side, which should of course translate to a quiet, comfortable ride. And in part, this is accurate. On a good fast-flowing A-road or motorway, the cabin is indeed a quiet place to be, with only some tyre roar seeping into the interior. Unfortunately when it comes to town driving, the suspension and damping sometimes struggles to cope with the poor quality of the UK’s roads. Potholes and general indents in the surface provoke a resonate rumble in the cabin and the ride means you will definitely feel the vibrations. That said, and despite the fact there’s also quite a bit of body roll, the Tiggo 4 is far from uncomfortable.
It does though have a rather infuriating, over-sensitive lane-keeping assist system. In my time with the car it was forever, and unnecessarily prompting me to stay in my lane. It’s now 50 years since I passed my driving test first time, so I think I know how to stay in my lane, thank you very much.
The other annoyance? The driver attention monitoring system which would again prompt me to keep my eyes on the road even when I was simply glancing at the speedometer or checking my mirrors.
The inclusion of the “Hello Chery” intelligent voice control, standard across both trim, levels allows key vehicle functions to be operated naturally, plus you also get keyless entry.
Bootspace
While a bit of storage space is impacted by the battery’s placement under the floor, you can still stash 430-litres of stuff; that’s 26-litres less than the Puma. Fold the 60/40 split rear seats down and stowage increases to 1155-litres. The Summit spec gets a powered tailgate.
Does size matter?
When it comes to the Tiggo 4, most definitely. It’s one of the biggest cars in its sector with the tale of the tape resulting in 4320mm long, 1831mm wide and 1653mm tall. That makes it 134mm longer, 26mm wider and 117mm taller than the Puma.
Safety
In addition to the seven airbags, there’s a host of safety systems as standard, including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, blind spot detection, autonomous emergency braking, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure prevention and front collision warning.
Warranty
To celebrate its first year in the UK, Chery has just upgraded its already comprehensive seven-year/100,000-mile warranty. The air conditioning compressor, alternator, brake calipers, catalytic converter, infotainment unit, exhaust system, fuel injectors, fuel pump, oil pump, shock absorbers, starter motor, track rod ends, water pump, wheel bearings and electric window regulators are all now covered by that period/mileage. Previously they were covered just for three years/40,000 miles. Importantly, there’s also an 8-year/100,000-mile warranty on the battery.
Verdict
Like its Tiggo 7, 8 and 9 siblings, the Tiggo 4 delivers lots of space and plenty of standard kit for the money. It definitely has a lot going for it in terms of value for money, and there’s no denying that’s its biggest attraction.
Dynamically it’s not the most engaging to drive, but if you’re after a small SUV which will spend the vast bulk of its time in town environments, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t consider the Tiggo 4. You might actually find yourself positively surprised.
The facts
Chery Tiggo 4
Price: From £19,995 for the basic model
Engine: 1498cc four-cylinder inline petrol with electric motor
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission, front-wheel drive
Power / Torque: 198bhp / 222lb/ft
Top Speed / 0-62mph: 93mph / 8.9secs
Fuel consumption: 53mpg (WLTP)
CO2: 120g/km
Dimensions (L/W/H in mm): 4320 / 1831 / 1653
On sale: Now
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