Road Test: Chery Tiggo 2015

Road Test Chery Tiggo South Africa 2015

There’s no way to sugarcoat it; the engine is the Chery Tiggo 1.6TXE does not live up to the DVVT promise, or for that matter the claimed 15 per cent improvement in power.  It manages to exhibit insipid 1980s turbo response even when there are no turbos to blame. In fact I’m not sure all the turbos in the world would be of help right now.

I knew all this not within ten minutes, but ten metres. Stamping the clutch and accelerator simultaneously to summon enough energy in the crank, followed by more slipping of the clutch. Almost there, more throttle, more clutch…don’t you dare die on me…. Grassy mound in the parking conquered!

On the road the Chery Tiggo performs slightly better, but not by much. Inclines still require frequent shifts from fifth to fourth, sometimes third, and that only creates more noise than power. And yet on paper the Chery Tiggo has among the most powerful 1.6-litre petrol engines you can buy – you see this a lot with Chinese-built engines but don’t be fooled.

I don’t know the last time I’ve driven a car more ‘flat-out’ than the Chery Tiggo. Accelerator buried into the carpets at all times is the only way of making forward progress, even on level roads. Gears need to be hammered until redline -change too early and the engine slumps back into the flattest power curve leading up to the advertised DVVT cam timing.

At this point you’d also expect me to say the gearbox is rubbish but it’s actually the only mechanical linkage which feels errr…connected. Far too sporty for an SUV but the only tool that riles some response from the engine. Brakes are sufficient for the little speeds managed by the Chery Tiggo and come equipped with ABS.

As part of Chery’s development for South African conditions, a trio of them summited Sani Pass. Although this looping dirt road is no longer the treacherous 4×4 route it once was (and occasionally still is in snowy conditions), in the Chery Tiggo it must have been as daunting as ever in the oxygen-lean altitude of 2874m. I can’t imagine the results were good.

With a better engine, the Chery Tiggo shows glimpses of fighting spirit. Styling is up to date and gives some credence to Chery hiring some ‘well-known’ European designers. Hints of Suzuki Vitara and old generation RAV4 combine into a well-proportioned city SUV. There’s colour coding throughout, roof rails, 17-inch alloy rims, spare wheel, daytime running lights and fogs front and rear. Grey leather is standard throughout, along with steering controls, Bluetooth, USB and rear park assist.

Then you spot the panel gaps, the weirdly shaped aircon controls, the trip computer that is little more than an odometer, and the thin greasy film that coats most surfaces. Door pockets are thin and scrape off a layer of skin everytime you stick your hands in and there’s a storage bin that swallows cellphones.  At least the headroom and legroom is good and there are dual airbags.

The Chery Tiggo is the best car wearing the badge but with the Renault Duster costing the same but doing everything with greater quality it’s hard to recommend the Tiggo other than as an SUV with good room and attractive exterior design.Chery  Tiggo is priced at R229 000 and has a 3-year/75 000km service plan and factory-backed 5-year/120 000km warranty.

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