Chery Rolls Out Tech-laden Tiggo 9 In Style
Prashirwin Naidu
Luxury isn’t what it used to be. Not long ago, owning a German-engineered car meant stepping into a world of unrivalled prestige and finesse. Today, the equation feels different.
Legacy brands demand a premium, yet too often, what you’re really paying for is the badge. Enter Chery, and a wave of Chinese manufacturers, shaking up the industry as we know it.
Chery has been steadily building momentum in South Africa, carving out space where the “big names” once reigned. Its latest offering, the Tiggo 9, doesn’t so much knock on the door as storm through it, a spaceship on wheels making its presence impossible to ignore.
The launch event unfolded under a bright, cloudless sky. Anticipation hung in the air and, when the Tiggo 9 finally rolled into view, it was clear: Chery wasn’t here to whisper. It came to make a statement.
The SUV’s proportions are generous, measuring just under five metres long , yet somehow, it avoids looking clunky. Instead, it carries itself with the kind of poise that suggests confidence.
A 3D diamond grille dominates the front, flanked by sharp LED headlamps and C-shaped daytime running lights. At the rear, a full-width light bar connects the taillights in a flourish of modern design.
Add in the panoramic glass sunroof and satin chrome rails, and you start to understand Chery’s ambitions.
Step inside, and the story continues. Even in the entry-level Pinnacle trim, you’re greeted with plush black artificial leather, a sleek multifunction steering wheel, and a fully digital driver’s display.
The 15.6-inch touchscreen takes centre stage, offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while ambient lighting sets the mood. Families will love the extra touches: air vents for the second row, dual cupholders for passengers front and back, and plenty of charging options, including fast Type-C ports.
Inside the Tiggo 9, luxury meets practicality, from plush leather and a 15.6” touchscreen to family-friendly comforts like rear air vents, cupholders, and fast charging ports.
Of course, all the luxury in the world means little if the drive disappoints. So, I slipped behind the wheel of the Vanguard CSH (Chery Super Hybrid) to see what this so-called spaceship could really do.
On paper, the numbers are staggering: a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine paired with an electric motor and a hefty 34.4kWh battery, delivering 455kW and 920Nm combined.
Those are figures you’d expect from a supercar, not a seven-seat family SUV. And yet, the Tiggo 9 delivered, surging forward with grace, quick, quiet, and utterly composed.
It floated like a butterfly, but when pressed, it stung with intent. My test figures sat at 6l/100km — not bad at all.
For those seeking something tamer, the Pinnacle hybrid pares things back. It keeps the same petrol engine but swaps in an 18.3kWh battery for 165kW and 390Nm, with an all-electric range of around 90km compared to the Vanguard’s 160km.
Chery says both hybrids can travel up to 1 400km on a single tank and charge, sipping as little as 1.4–1.5 litres per 100km. Even the emissions, just 33g/km, put some premium European rivals to shame. And if hybrids aren’t your thing, Chery hasn’t left you behind. A 2.0-litre turbo-petrol, paired with a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox, is also in the line-up.
Safety is another area where Chery flexes. The Tiggo 9 Pinnacle comes equipped with ten airbags, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assistance, and a 540-degree camera system.
The Vanguard builds on that with extras like a head-up display and automatic parking assist, yes, it’ll park itself if you’d rather not. And here’s the kicker: the pricing.
The Pinnacle hybrid will set you back R839 900, while the fully loaded Vanguard hybrid comes in at R989 900. For less than a million, you get all this tech, performance, and family practicality. Compare that to the Germans, and suddenly the idea of paying R1.8 million for a CLE300 feels absurd.
Chery sweetens the deal with a seven-year/200,000km warranty, a seven-year/90,000km service plan, and that headline-grabbing 10-year/one-million-kilometre engine warranty.
Hybrid models add an unlimited kilometre battery warranty for a decade. As the day wound down and the dust settled after the crash test demonstration, one thing was clear: Chery isn’t just playing catch-up anymore.
The Tiggo 9 doesn’t pretend to be an Audi or a Mercedes, it redefines what buyers can expect under R1 million. Call it bold or brash, but one thing’s sure: this is a game-changer. But time does reveal everything, and so let’s see how it fares, but for now, it seems promising.
