Chery Mbombela ready to help customers drive off into the sunset
Stucky Motors was founded in 1965 by Werner and Roland Stucky. Today, nearly five decades later, this family-owned and -managed business is still setting the pace with passion and dedication.
During the ’70s and ’80s, they converted Leyland and DAF bodies to Mercedes couches. Now, with second- and third-generation leadership, the group is still expanding. It now boasts six dealerships representing five vehicle brands.
Chery Mbombela is the latest expansion and dealer principal Johann Burke, himself a veteran of 27 years in the industry, said, “We are truly excited about this brand and opening a dealership in Mbombela. Business is tough. The competition in the compact urban SUV segment is fierce. Chery is acutely aware of this. This is one reason why they ensured that their products are modern and attractive in design and offer exceptional value. Its durability is beyond question. Finish and fit is equal to more expensive offerings in the current market, but our pricing is much more attractive, and best of all, we have stock. The Stucky Group’s aftersales service is legendary.”
It is no secret that the bakkie, SUV and compact urban SUV market segments are where most of the vehicle-buying activity takes place. The competition, given the current stock situation, makes for tough market conditions.
Chery is back in the country. Armed with a new vision, a completely revised and significantly improved product offering and already boasting 30 dealerships, it is set on not repeating the mistakes of the past.
I have just taken the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5-litre Turbo for a short drive and the surprise was on me. To say that I was impressed is an understatement.
Exterior
It is dynamic, stylish, energetic and in-your-face. The large grille with its below-the-bumper air dam and skidplate exudes a vibrant sportiness. This is enhanced by the design of the headlight and fog lamp clusters. The design lines on the bonnet adds a power element and links well with the shoulder line and wheel arches.
The rear end is cheeky, squarish and teasing. The high ground clearance confirms its claim to SUV status and overall, the Tiggo presents one of the best-looking compact urban SUV products on the market.
Interior
The interior will surprise you. It is much larger than one would expect, based on the exterior of the car. Although the seats are not that wide, it is surprisingly comfortable.
The feel of steering presents confidence. This was confirmed the moment I pulled off to join the traffic. The car is planted and solid – I am thinking Subaru.
Entry models have a 3.5-inch TFT full-colour screen in place of a traditional analogue instrument panel, while higher specification models increase the size to a full seven-inch screen. This colour screen ensures visibility in all conditions and a high level of customisation with different information sources from both the vehicle and the driver’s mobile phone.
Taking centre stage in the cabin is the second large full-colour screen. This screen is a 10.25-inch capacitive touchscreen that incorporates most of the vehicle control and is equipped throughout the range, and offers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity and a DVD player.
All models also have air conditioning, electric windows all round and automatic headlamps, to name but a few luxury features. Luxury versions add even more specifications, including a powered sunroof, an intelligent voice command system and climate control. I did not use the voice command, however, as I prefer not be distracted by features when I test-drive a car.
I love the full-centre console, but will not elaborate on it now. One small gripe, though. The top edge finish is square and hard. For we tall guys, resting our left knee against it is not comfortable. Chery should perhaps consider replacing these sharp edges with a soft touch edging.
Performance
All the Tiggos are fitted with a 1.5-litre engine. Entry-level models are normally aspirated, boasting 85kW and 141Nm. Power is delivered to the front wheels through either a five-speed manual transmission or CVT.
My test drive was the 1.5-turbo delivering 108kW and 210Nm and fitted with the six-speed CVT. The engine offers an eco or sport mode engine setting.
Now, the Tiggo is not a performance car and does not claim to be one. But, even in eco mode, the engine is surprisingly responsive. This applies to both pulling off and when you force-feed the accelerator to pass slower traffic. Switch to sport mode and it gets even better.
When one consider this, in combination with its planted nature and quiet drive, the turbo version will provide more than enough excitement for most owners – whether they boast a spirited itch or not.
The Tiggo presents confidence during cornering also. I hill-climbed from Sabie up to the Lydenburg T-junction and was smiling all the way.
A CVT gearbox dictates a slightly different or adjusted driving style to curb engine noise. This one is exceptionally smooth and the engineers have done well to inhibit the often annoying noise that is so characteristic of CVT gearboxes.
Conclusion
The Tiggo boasts a list of safety and luxury features as long as my arm. The team at the Mbombela dealership can tell you all about this.
I conclude: if Chery can match (and I believe they intend to) the aftersales service levels of Suzuki, Toyota and others, the Tiggo will prove to be a cat among the pigeons.
Go drive it!
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