2020 Chery Tiggo 7 AT Review

Chinese automaker, Chery made its glorious comeback just last year, 2019. The brand primarily re-entered the market with four distinct crossovers which should cater to today’s Filipino buyers. The Tiggo 7 sits in between the subcompact Tiggo 5X and the midsized Tiggo 8. This compact crossover gives you a good balance in terms of practicality and a decent amount of features at an affordable price. While having the chance to thoroughly test this vehicle, we were able to gather some experiential data that should somewhat help you judge if this model is worth your hard-earned money. So without further ado, let’s proceed.

The Chery Tiggo 7 looks clean yet still quirky. Its overall appearance was sculpted with such a distinctive profile. Starting up front, this crossover gets a pair of trident xenon headlamps which doesn’t give any hint of design adaptation from other manufacturers. Apart from its unique form, the lighting system itself also comes with DRLs for that added bling. Its eyes are then invaded by a hexagonal grille that’s treated with some shiny black patterns. It is then indented by a chrome centerpiece, with the lower part of the grille along with its bumper having a more outward stance. Down below, you’ll find a pair of halogen fog lights along with some chrome application on its housings for that uniformed look. 

The unique applications continue on the side. Part of the quirks though would have to be the Tiggo 7’s character lines which somewhat converge with the turn signal indicators on the doors, therefore giving you an illusion of a shooting star. Like the front, it’s also treated with a generous amount of chrome and some plastic cladding which does form quite an unusual shape on the wheel arches. Lastly, it comes with a set of 18-inch alloy wheels which are then wrapped in 225/60 tires on 210 mm of ground clearance. 

More plastic cladding can be seen at the back of the Tiggo 7 accompanied by a silver garnish material. The LED lighting system at the back is complemented by a split setup, with the brake lights and turn signal integrated on the main unit, while the reverse lights are then placed on the bumper along with the rear fog lights.

It is worth noting that the Tiggo 7 only comes in one variant, therefore, we wouldn’t have to elaborate on some contrasting factors. Now, on the inside, this compact crossover never fails to please its passengers when it comes to comfort. The seats are then upholstered with PVC, notably, it does feel like real leather and more importantly, it’s soft and offers good butt and back support for passengers. 

Space is generous, the back seats can accommodate up to three people, the headroom is good despite the large sunroof and legroom is cavernous as well. As for its cargo, the Tiggo 7 has 400 liters of space which can be maximized through its adjustable load floor that could either be sunk or raised for that flat loading capability. Amenities at the back include a removable cargo cover and a map light. 

You also get a reasonable number of cupholders throughout the cabin, and like most modern cars nowadays, the Tiggo 7 also gets rear air vents. One great addition would have to be the panoramic sunroof which finely lights up the cabin.

Materials applied on the Tiggo 7’s interior were quite on par with the competition at the model’s price point. Soft touchpoints were minimally applied on this crossover, however, the materials used lean towards durability rather than being premium.

Thankfully, the suspension setup of the Tiggo 7 does net satisfying absorption qualities when going through unexpected bumps and occasional potholes, this is quite expected already as it does have a unibody layout. Moreover, the cabin is well-insulated, with intrusions such as wind noise and engine noise concealed properly. 

It comes with a decent amount of amenities. Upon entering, the Tiggo 7 is then started via a push start button, which comes alongside with smart keyless entry. The gauges are treated with a centerpiece digital unit for that futuristic feel. There are also some standard USB ports that could be both utilized as charging and for connectivity purposes. 

Now its heart can be found at the center of the dash where it houses the 9-inch infotainment system. The said screen is then paired with 6-speakers, sadly, just like the rest of its stablemates, no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto for this one, however, it does get a Mirror Link feature that allows you to pair your device with the system. Along with that, there are some steering wheel-mounted controls for the infotainment and cruise control. It also gets some other features such as a reverse camera and parking sensors all around. 

Now there’s one thing that kind of bothers us a bit. You see, the layout of the climate control is quite tricky, that’s because the buttons for the drive modes and infotainment system are integrated alongside it. It’s quite a confusing setup though, but that’s quite a minor issue. The important thing is, it does its job and functions well when needed so.

Standard safety and security features of the Chery Tiggo 7 include driver and front passenger airbags, ABS with EBD Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), Hill Descent Control. It’s standard fare for the crossover at the price point it occupies and is decent enough to keep you safe if the need should arise. 

Under the hood is a small yet mighty 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder paired with a Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) that pushes out a healthy 145 horses and 210 Nm of torque. It does have sufficient power to traverse urban roads and even open highways. Now, the first thing you’ll notice is how light and easy the steering is, giving you a decent amount of feedback. 

While the engine does entail good numbers, the dual-clutch transmission may feel a bit lazy shift at times, with it being lost at the wrong gears. Another thing, sometimes there’s a bit of delay when you step on the gas pedal, now, with a forceful application of throttle, the car might jolt a bit. Yeah, that’s kind of bothersome, but once you're at a constant speed it does feel smooth and agile as it should. Now talking of its drive modes, Eco is more suitable on city roads, though surprisingly power is still sufficient. Switch into Sport and there’s better throttle response, as you’ll get to speed up with more immediacy.

Overall, the Tiggo 7 is indeed a suitable cruiser on both the city and highway, therefore giving you that stash of grit in a rather affordable package.

Now, we actually did some real-world testing on this one, and fuel economy numbers turning out to be just fine. During rush hour Friday, numbers went down to 6 km/L but once you get up to speed the figure shall rise by 8 km/L. We also did some mixed city and highway driving, which returns 12 km/L, and lastly, pure highway drive made us reach by up to 13 km/L. 

In all honesty, we expected more, but we could chock it up to the given circumstances and traffic during our testing period. 

The compact crossover segment may be flooded with several options, but the Chery Tiggo 7 stays true to its identity, not only in terms of aesthetics, but also through carrying the brand’s strategy of delivering practicality, comfort, and a decent amount of features at an affordable price tag. Based on the test, we’ve rendered good fuel economy figures, plus, overall equipment should satisfy and further complement the riding experience of its passengers.

Though there may be room for improvements, the Tiggo 7 serves as a well-packaged option for those who are seeking an affordable and decently equipped compact crossover, with its price only equating at P1,195,000, it’s a good effort from Chery, actually. It’s a car that could go the distance with you, plus, owners will surely feel secured all thanks to Chery’s 1-million kilometer warranty. 

Also, do watch our Behind the Wheel episode for the Chery Tiggo 7.