REVIEW I Why the Chery Tiggo Cross HEV is the smart choice for hybrid SUV enthusiasts

South Africans haven’t exactly embraced Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) with the enthusiasm that proponents predicted when manufacturers were spending billions of dollars on research and development and telling us that it was the only way forward before the world imploded.

The reality is that almost all manufacturers have dialled down their expectations of when to put ICE engines out to pasture and, in the process, brought back some kind of normality to the world of motoring.

What we have seen, though, is that buyers are seeing hybrid cars as a real alternative. 

They provide decent consumption, there’s no range anxiety, and you don’t have to rely on second or third-party infrastructure to keep you mobile.

One such option we recently had on test was the Chery Tiggo Cross HEV that forms part of the Chery Tiggo Cross compact SUV range and competes against the likes of the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid and the Haval Jolion Pro Hybrid.

Exterior

There are two trim levels: Comfort and the one we had on test, Elite.

The front is dominated by an attractive, distinctive grille with vertical LED daytime running lights and slim LED headlights that Chery describes as “tiger-claw inspired”.

Roof rails, body coloured side mirrors and handles and red brake calipers on the Elite behind 17-inch alloys, give it a relatively sporty look. 

At the back, there’s a sleek light bar spanning the tailgate, complemented by a tailgate spoiler and chrome-tipped exhaust finishers.

Interior

Inside the Tiggo Cross HEV is an attractive combination of black leather upholstery on the heated front seats, soft touch surfaces and some hard black plastics that tend to scratch and show finger and hand prints. 

In our test model, the driver’s seat is six-way power-adjustable with a power-operated lumbar support.

There’s a pair of 10.25-inch screens for the infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an instrument cluster that is customisable. 

Drivetrain and consumption

The Tiggo Cross HEV is powered by a naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine producing 71kW and 118Nm. The hybrid bit is an electric motor coupled to a 1.83kWh battery pack that gives the car combined power outputs of 150kW and 310Nm sent to the front wheels via Chery’s Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT). 

Chery claims consumption figures of 5.4l/100km, but during a week of driving, which included the usual drive owners would typically do, we recorded an impressive 5.0l/100km, including a 3.8l/100km 35 kilometre stretch in slow peak hour highway driving. 

Its intelligent powertrain switches between four operating modes:  Pure Electric, Series Hybrid, Parallel Hybrid and Energy Recovery.

Driving

Driving the Tiggo Cross HEV requires a more measured approach than most cars.

While it’s relatively quick to take off, pushing it hard is not its forte, and it quickly moves out of its comfort zone. With gentle acceleration and inputs, it offers a pleasant ride and also maximises its hybrid drivetrain.

Many of its Chery siblings suffer from glitchy gearbox calibration, but thanks to the almost CVT-type DHT, the Cross HEV moves a lot smoother through the gears.  

I found that between 110-115km/h felt like the sweet spot of the car. It has a decent suspension and chassis combination, aided too by high-profile 17-inch tyres. It is let down, though, by terribly vague steering, and the only way to get a semblance of feedback is by going into the individual settings and activating Sport Mode for steering.  

Safety

The Tiggo Cross Hybrid doesn’t skimp on safety, regardless of whether you opt for the Comfort or Elite grade. Both versions have ABS, traction control, emergency brake assist, hill-start assist and six airbags.

The Elite gets an extra airbag, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot detection, a door-opening warning system, front-collision and lane-departure alerts, lane-change assist, rear cross-traffic monitoring, traffic-congestion assistance and automatic high-beam control. The Elite also upgrades the Comfort’s reverse camera to a full 360-degree view.

My biggest gripe on this front was the ridiculous parking brake/seat belt system. Unless you’re buckled up, the automatic parking brake doesn’t disengage.

Moving out of a carport or garage with manual doors or quickly moving it to a shade spot becomes a schlep.

I haven’t experienced it in any other car, and I hope I never have to again. 

Summary

The Chery Tiggo Cross HEV makes a very decent case for choosing the hybrid route with exceptional fuel consumption, a long list of standard features and modern technology.

Coming up against the more expensive Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid and the Haval Jolion HEV, the Tiggo Cross does punch slightly above its weight at R469,900, and if vague steering isn’t an issue, I would certainly recommend it. 

It comes with a five-year/150 000km warranty, a 10-year/unlimited mileage battery warranty (for the first owner), and a five-year/60 000km service plan.