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Chery is entering the compact SUV segment – arguably one of the country’s most hotly contested segments – with a winning combination of style, luxury, and performance. The company Wednesday launched the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro with a choice of two petrol engines, three transmissions and three different specification levels. A Special Edition tops the range and adds even more luxury to the standard Urban, Comfort and Elite models.
“There has been a lot of anticipation for the official entry of Chery Automotive to South Africa. We believe that the Tiggo 4 Pro is the perfect foil with which to enter this market, thanks to its highly competitive price positioning, it‘s high specification level and its head-turning design,” says Tony Liu, Executive Deputy General Manager of Chery South Africa.
Chery South Africa is also giving South African motorists a million reasons to choose its modern and stylish SUVs as the newly-launched Tiggo 4 Pro comes with an astonishing 10-year or 1-million-kilometre engine warranty. This beats not only the best industry warranties by 40% but the distance covered is better by a factor of five.
The warranty has two elements. A standard 5-year / 150 000 km factory warranty applies to all new Tiggo 4 Pro models sold. This warranty remains with the vehicle.
The second, a free extension for another 5 years and a massive 850 000 km focussed on the engine, is added automatically at the end of the first warranty, provided that the vehicle is still owned by the original owner.
As is the standard practice throughout the industry, the warranty requires the service and repair of the vehicle by Chery Dealerships, within Chery standards and using original Chery parts and components.
Added to this incredible warranty, Chery recently announced its agreement with the Automobile Association of South Africa to provide roadside assistance and support for five years unlimited kilometres. This means that Chery owners can expect roadside support – with services ranging from help with flat tyres or batteries to safe overnight vehicle storage in case of an accident.
“In the past decade, Chery has completely reinvented itself as a global design, engineering and manufacturing powerhouse.
“Modern Chery vehicles not only represent the best on offer in terms of technology and performance, but they do so while meeting CNCAP five-star safety standards and with in-house developed engine and drivetrain technology,” says Tony Liu, Executive Deputy General Manager of Chery South Africa.
At the same time, explains Liu, Chery has partnered with industry leaders like Aisin, Getrag, Bosch and Schaeffler to perfect its internal combustion, hybrid and all-electric powertrains. All this forms part of Chery’s 457 plan, which will see Chery focus on four new energy product platforms, five universal subsystems and seven core technologies, including all types of propulsion.
“We have invested heavily in our own capabilities and now employ over 5 500 people in our Research and Development department that now develops everything from traditional petrol engines to all-electric powertrains, hydrogen systems and even aeronautical engines.
“It is with this in mind that we are supremely confident in offering this decade-long, 1-million-kilometre engine warranty,” says Liu.
To start with, Chery has partnered with 30 dealers across South Africa. It will soon expand its partnership to more dealers with the aim of offering complete coverage of all the major towns and cities and having Chery technical specialists close to all owners for services and warranty support.
“We hope the 1-million-kilometre engine warranty will set the benchmark and that our service and parts support through our dealer network will seal the deal. There is now no reason at all not to test drive a Chery Tiggo 4 Pro,” says Liu.
Designed to turn heads
There will be no mistaking the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro for any other compact SUV on local roads.
The new model is the flag bearer of Chery’s new design language and proudly carries the Chery logo and large hexagonal grille with unique diamond pattern.
The grille is designed with a multitude of diamond-shaped holes, which narrow towards the logo at the top of the grille to create a three-dimensional effect. Each individual diamond is fitted with chrome brightwork to give the Tiggo 4 Pro a distinct upmarket look and road presence.
The grille is flanked by automatic headlamps – standard across the range – and LED daytime running lights. The lights – halogen on normally aspirated models and LED on turbo models – are contained in clear housings with a bright background dubbed the Chery Crystal Diamond lens design.
A muscular bonnet with strong creases and a lower mounted bumper with additional air intakes and a faux strike plate design round off the top and bottom of the front design.
On the flanks, the Tiggo 4 Pro has deeply sculpted creases above a moulded side skirt, with equally sculpted creases over the front fender and flowing from the rear door handles over the rear fender. These design elements and the standard integrated roof rails combine to create a dynamic and sporty design.
It is worth noting that all models have electrically adjustable side mirrors with integrated LED turn signals, while Elite models’ mirrors can also electrically fold inwards in tight spaces.
At the rear, the LED rear lights are housed in sculpted housings that are hollowed out in the middle for a three-dimensional visual effect and to house the brake and main lights and dual rear fog lamps. A chrome strip and large Chery logo connect the rear lights that are fitted above a faux strike plate and dual chromed exhaust outlets.
A high-level LED brake light bar, roof mounted antenna fin and spoiler round off the rear design.
The Chery Tiggo Pro 4 will be fitted with alloy wheels across the range. The Urban and Comfort models are shod with 215/65 rubber on 16-inch alloy wheels, while the Elite and Elite Special Edition (SE) models have 17-inch machined alloy wheels with a dark chrome finish and 215/60 tyres.
Ground clearance varies between 170 mm and 180 mm, depending on the choice of wheel and tyre.
Proprietary petrol performance
Before climbing into the luxury cabin of the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, it is worth noting that customers will have the option of two in-house designed 1.5 litre, four-cylinder petrol engines.
The Urban and Comfort specification grades offer the normally aspirated 1.5 litre engine, with 83 kW at 6 150 rpm and 138 Nm of torque at 4 000 rpm. In the case of the Urban grade, the power is delivered to the front wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. The Comfort model is fitted with Chery’s smooth, continuously variable transmission with paddle shifts for manual override mode.
Customers who opt to step up to the Elite and Elite SE model grade have the choice of either a manual transmission with six speeds or the CVT transmission. These models also replace the normally aspirated four-cylinder for a powerful 1.5 turbo-petrol engine.
The Chery 1.5T delivers 108 kW at 5 500 rpm and a maximum torque of 210 in a wide engine speed band between 1 750 rpm and 4 000 rpm.
CVT models fitted with the turbo-petrol engine also have a special Driving Mode selection between Standard, Economical (Eco) and Sport and accompanying steering adjustment modes between Eco and Sport.
Adding to the Tiggo 4’s pedigree are ABS and Electronic Brake Force equipped disk brakes all round with an electronic parking brake, as well as a full complement of electronic vehicle safety systems. These include Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), Traction Control (TCS), Roll Stability Control (RCS), Hill Descent Control (HDC) and Hill Assist. All these features are standard across the range.
Digital luxury abounds
While the design and performance of the Tiggo 4 Pro will hold its own in a very crowded SUV market, the interior luxury is what will make it truly stand out.
All Tiggo 4 Pro models have a digital instrument cluster with multi-information readout. On the normally aspirated models, this screen is 3.5” wide with high-definition colours.
The turbo models swop this digital cluster for one double its size. The 7” version not only increases the information real estate, but it offers more display and customisation options, including displaying more information from the mobile phone.
What doesn’t differ between any of the Tiggo 4 Pro models is the beautiful, fast and touch-responsive 10.25” central infotainment system. This system is equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two USB ports in the front and one in the rear, a DVD player and Bluetooth hands-free connectivity. This system also displays the image from the reverse camera on all but the entry-level Urban model.
In the normally aspirated Urban and Comfort models, the infotainment system is linked to four speakers, while the Elite versions add two more speakers for a more immersive sound experience.
Elite versions also have intelligent voice control built in, with a special semantic processing system that understands many different accents and pronunciations.
Urban and Comfort models are further fitted with a high-output air conditioning system, while the Elite models exchange this for a dual-zone climate control system and standard sunroof. All models have rear air conditioning ducts and are fitted with a sensitive clean-air filter system.
Lastly, the Elite models have full leather upholstery with an electrically adjustable driver’s seat.
A truly Special Edition
While all models, and especially the Elite models, have a very high level of standard equipment and luxuries, the Elite SE makes no compromises.
Stylistically, the SE model adds red detailing on the exterior design. Coupled with both the standard and metallic colours, this red detailing above the front and rear skid plates on the side skirts and the brake callipers ensure that the Tiggo 4 Pro SE stands out from even its siblings.
Inside the cabin, Chery has repeated the red detailing in the contrasting stitching, the door handles and the lower section of the dashboard. Discreet, adjustable, and multi-colour LED lighting inside the cabin is also added as standard to this model.
Rounding off the SE package are puddle lights in the side mirrors and special threshold welcome lights for the driver and front passenger.
Safety and security built in
All Chery models offer a high level of passive and dynamic safety.
All models have all the electronic safety equipment mentioned earlier, including TRC and ESP.
All models also offer keyless access and a Start / Stop button. The Tiggo 4 Pro will lock and unlock automatically as you approach or leave the vehicle, and doors will lock automatically as you drive away.
All models also have a child lock system, a vehicle immobiliser and alarm system and at least two airbags. Elite models are further equipped with front side and curtain airbags for a total of six. These models also have a tyre pressure monitoring system for additional dynamic safety.
Unmatched peace of mind
To add additional peace of mind to customers who opt for one of the modern and stylish Tiggo 4 Pro models, Chery has announced an unmatched 10-year / 1-million-kilometre engine warranty (see separate release).
All Chery Tiggo 4 Pro models are also sold with a 5 year / 60 000 km service plan as standard.
Customers who are keen to view and test the new Chery Tiggo 4 Pro model are invited to visit any of the 30 brand-new Chery dealerships across South Africa.
Model range
Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5 Urban (5MT)
Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5 Comfort (CVT 9SPD)
Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5 Elite (6MT)
Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5 Elite (CVT 9 SPD)
Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5 Elite SE (CVT 9SPD)
