Chinese company Chery, which started making cars in 1999 and began exporting them outside the People's Republic two years later, has announced the arrival of the Tiggo 7 Pro in Australia. The model is a compact crossover and is set to arrive in the Pacific country in the fourth quarter of the year.
Deemed as a well-equipped vehicle, the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro will be offered in three specifications called the Urban, Elite, and Ultimate AWD. Pricing starts at AU$39,990 (US$25,795) drive-away, AU$41,990 (US$27,085), and AU$45,990 (US$29,665), respectively.
The rivaling Hyundai Tucson starts at AU$39,206 (US$25,289), and for the Nissan Qashqai, customers will have to pay at least AU$37,760 (US$24,356).
The Chinese automaker says the base variant of the crossover is offered with 18-inch alloys, LED lights, faux leather upholstery, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, and a pair of 12.3-inch screens for the digital dials and infotainment system. It also gets a wireless charging pad, a panoramic sunroof, sat-nav, Sony audio with eight speakers, voice controls, wireless smartphone integration, multi-color ambient lighting, and no fewer than 18 driver assistance gizmos.
Choosing the mid-spec variant of the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro means getting additional features, such as the electric tailgate, auto-folding side mirrors, cargo blind, light-up sill covers, air quality management system, negative ion air freshener, 360-degree cameras, and an optional black roof.
Photo: Chery
Last but not least, the range-topping model comes with all-wheel drive, as its name implies, and it rides on 19-inch wheels spinning around the red brake calipers. Auto-dimming rearview mirror, driver's seat with memory setting, ventilated front seats, and six driving modes (Eco, Sport, Normal, Snow, Mud, Off-Road) are also included.
Regardless of your selection, if you live Down Under and are interested in the Tiggo 7 Pro, that is, you will have to settle for a single powertrain. All versions of the Chinese company's compact crossover pack the same turbocharged 1.6-liter gasoline unit, which produces 137 kW (186 ps/184 hp) at 5,500 rpm and 275 Nm (203 lb-ft) of torque at 2,000 rpm.
The engine is connected to a dual-clutch seven-speed transmission, channeling the thrust to the front-wheel drive in the lesser two grades or the all-wheel drive in the top-of-the-line variant. The Tiggo 7 Pro is said to return 7 l/100 km (33.6 mpg US) on average and to emit 163 g/km of CO2.
Chery has started accepting pre-orders for the Tiggo 7 Pro today (September 20), stating that the first 500 customers who place an order will receive free servicing for three years/30,000 km (18,641 miles). The crossover is 4,513 mm (177.7 in) long, 1,862 mm (73.3 in) wide, and 1,696 mm (66.8 in) tall, having a 2,670 mm (105.1 in) long wheelbase. It has 626 liters (22.1 cu-ft) of luggage space behind the second row, or 1,672 liters (59 cu-ft) with the rear seats folded down.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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