Despite being good cars, Chery’s Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 SUVs have yet to take the UK by storm.
Undeterred, Chery has launched an even bigger model. The Chery Tiggo 9 will be the halo model for the well-established Chinese brand, and it’ll look to steal sales from the likes of the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Santa Fe.
The Tiggo 9 will come to the UK with one engine – a plug-in hybrid that’s reportedly capable of almost 100 miles of electric range between charges.
Chery Tiggo 9 engine, range and charging
Chery’s ‘Super Hybrid’ system includes a 1.5-litre petrol engine, powerful electric motors and a whopping 34.5kWh battery. For context, that’s almost the same size as the battery in the purely electric Nissan Leaf.
With a full battery, you can expect up to 91 miles of electric range – which makes it the longest-range plug-in hybrid car on sale. A full battery and a full tank of petrol will get you around 650 miles of total range.
You can fast-charge the battery at 71kW, which enables a 30-80% top-up in 18 minutes. The Tiggo 9 is also one of the only PHEVs to offer Vehicle-to-Load functionality, meaning you can charge other devices from the battery, such as laptops and camping accessories.
The total power output stands at 428hp, meaning this sensible seven-seater can sprint from 0-62mph in just 5.4 seconds. Plus, there are six driving modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, Snow, Sand and Off-Road.
Interior and technology
Only one trim level is coming to the UK – the top-rung Summit model. The list of standard kit is exhaustive, with an electric bootlid, front seats that are heated, cooled and massaging, a heated steering wheel, super-fast wireless phone charging (with cooling so your phone doesn’t overheat) and a head-up display.
The 15.6-inch touchscreen is the main point of contact within the car, so it’s good that it uses a Snapdragon chip for quick responses. Or, you can use the voice assistant to save your fingers having to do any work.
Dimensions and practicality
| Chery Tiggo 9 dimensions | |
| Length | 4,810mm |
| Height | 1,741mm |
| Width (exc mirrors) | 1,925mm |
| Boot space (5 seats/2 seats) | 819/2,021 litres |
The Tiggo 9 is a seven seater as standard, and comes with an electrically sliding and reclining second row. This should give good access to the third row of seats, and should enable a compromise in legroom between the second and third rows – so adults may be able to fit in the rearmost seats for short journeys.
Price and on-sale date
Available to pre-order now, the Tiggo 9 costs £43,105 – with four of the five available paint colours likely to cost extra. Customer deliveries are scheduled to begin in December.
However, the Chery Tiggo 8 – also a seven-seater, also a plug-in hybrid – starts from £33,545, so it’ll be interesting to see whether the Tiggo 9 feels like it’s worth the extra.
Search for sublime seven seaters
Read our guide to the best seven-seat cars to buy, or browse our enticing range of used seven-seat cars for sale at Motorpoint.
