With our usual journalists otherwise occupied, we sent this affordable Chery crossover into the busy life of our fearless lady writer…
What do you think of the Tiggo Cross design, both exterior and interior?
It’s a good looking car, and fits the current trend in crossover styling. Many people asked me about it as it has definite kerb appeal. The interior is also good, although its cup holders were extremely small (like French cars).
Was it spacious and practical?
It was roomy enough, I felt comfortable inside it. Aside from those small cup holders, I liked the door pockets and space for water bottles. We also found super rubberised phone storage in centre console – although this didn’t offer wireless charging from what I could see.
How did you like all the on-board technology?
Pretty standard offering, similar to what we’re seeing from most Chinese brands. I DID appreciate the lack of pinging and alerts so common with Chinese cars – this one was a lot less obtrusive. Easy to pair for Bluetooth/ CarPlay. The only issue I noticed was that it occasionally disconnected from CarPlay on its own while driving, which was frustrating. Great lights! I also loved the four speeds on the intermittent wipers – there was a wiper speed for every variation of Cape winter weather!
With just 83kW, 170Nm and a stepped CVT, what was the driving experience like?
My first run with the Tiggo Cross really put it through its paces, fully laden with four large adults and a child, plus a boot filled with goodies going up a steep hill. I found the car laboured and experienced what seemed like some slippage on the CVT gearbox. Subsequent drives were better. I did find the stepped CVT to be frustratingly jerky on the ‘changes’ and when driving highway speeds, the variations are somewhat disconcerting until you got used to them. It does feel underpowered at times as a result, but for a normal commute or family run-about it would be fine. Plus I think the emphasis was on fuel efficiency.
Quickly touch on the steering and ride comfort please?
I loved the ride comfort and its handling was decent. The turning circle was OK, and overall the car felt reasonably responsive. The only place I struggled was driving into the teeth of a Cape North-Wester along the N2 – the little motor struggled and the car didn’t handle well with the slight cross wind at speed. Also, wind noise was an issue! I think taking a Tiggo Cross long-distance driving could be quite tiring.
Chery claims 7.3L/100km from the 51L tank, do you think that’s plausible?
Not really, unless you hyper-mile it and only live and commute on flat and straight roads. I averaged 8.1L/100km with mixed driving on city streets and highways. Having said that, I dream about getting around 8L/100km as I normally drive a significantly thirstier vehicle, so I really did appreciate the fuel efficiency even if it was higher than claimed.
Considering its price of just R309,900 – and a comparable VW T-Cross costing R100,000 more – do you think this excellent value should sway people to the brand?
Yes, almost without fail, people commented on and were impressed by its appearance and price tag. For the average person, this offers exceptional value for money, and with so many South Africans not really worrying about the driveability of vehicle and only wanting good looks, decent fuel economy and reliability or great service plan at an exceptional price, this makes the Chery Tiggo Cross a huge contender for wallet share and I can understand why we see so many on the roads already.
It also has a decent service plan and big warranty, five years or 150,000km for the car plus 1 million km engine warranty for first owner.
Would you buy one?
No – it’s not my style at all. However, I wouldn’t be averse to driving one again.
What are your final thoughts and tips for potential buyers?
My top tip for prospective buyers – do a few test runs before you commit. Make sure you’re happy with the gearbox and really put it through your everyday commute and chores before you buy. If you can live with the few quirks I mentioned, you’ll be getting a lot of car for a great price! Whether it has great longevity to add to the mix, only time is going to tell.
