Newly facelifted Chery Tiggo 7 range priced with more features

Chery has given its ever-popular Tiggo 7 a second round of updates following the initial refresh two years ago which involved the introduction of the more powerful 1.6 T-GDI engine.

Range change

The biggest revision in the model’s lifecycle to date, the range has been cut from six to five, as both all-wheel-drive derivatives have been dropped, along with the Pro and Pro Max denominators.

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Also gone are the Distinction, Executive and Premium trim level names, leaving the conventional petrol line-up with three new grades, Prime, Prestige and Legacy.

Continuing unchanged is the newly introduced CSH plug-in hybrid with its Plus an Ultra trim structure.

New inside and out

Now simply called Tiggo 7, the aesthetic change to Wuhu’s mid-range SUV comprises a new diamond “studded” chrome grille, slightly revised LED headlights and reportedly the same taillight design as the Tiggo Cross.

Inside, the interior continues without change, but specification has been tweaked to include more features.

In the case of the Prime, this includes the pair of 12.3-inch displays, three type-C USB ports, the Hello Chery voice command system, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, six-speaker Sony sound system, four airbags, tyre pressure monitor, folding and electric mirrors, front and rear armrests and a reverse camera.

Upping the ante, the Prestige swaps out its sibling’s 18-inch wheels for 19-inch alloys, while also gaining imitation leather upholstered seats, the 540-degree surround-view camera system, ambient lighting, eight airbags and an electrically adjustable driver’s seat.

Included further are Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Collision Warning, Door Open Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

At the line-up’s sharp-end, the Legacy boasts an eight-speaker Sony sound system, an electric tailgate, heated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, Lane Keep Assist, Automatic Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Change Assist and Traffic Jam Assist.

Same engines

Despite the range shuffle, Chery has retained the same pair of drivetrains as in the Tiggo 7 Pro, but with the emphasis skewed towards the aforementioned 1.6 T-GDI.

The sole option for the Prestige and Legacy, the unit sends 145kW/290Nm to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

For its part, the Prime retains the combination of the 1.5 T-GDI, outputting 108kW/210Nm, and the six-speed dual-clutch ‘box.

At the line-up’s summit, the CSH, denoting Chery Super Hybrid, combines the latter unit with an 18.3-kWh battery pack powering a single electric motor for a combined output of 265kW/310Nm.

Mated to a single-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT), the Tiggo 7 CSH has an electric-only range of 90 km and a claimed combined of 1 200 km.

Price

Now available, the Tiggo 7 is once again covered by a five-year/150 000 km warranty, a five-year/60 000 km service plan and the 10-year/1 000 000 km engine warranty.

• Tiggo 7 1.5 T-GDI Prime DCT – R429 900
• Tiggo 7 1.6 T-GDI Prestige DCT – R499 900
• Tiggo 7 1.6 T-GDI Legacy DCT – R549 900
• Tiggo 7 CSH Plus – R619 900
• Tiggo 7 CSH Ultra – R679 900

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