Say what you will about Chinese automakers – we certainly have. But one factor that is hard to dispute is their drive to outpace legacy brands when it comes to taking progressive technologies to the mainstream.
The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) arena is a prime example. Famed Japanese and German brands have been cautious in their local roll-out of PHEV powertrains, and marques like Chery are seizing the gap.
At the price point of the new Tiggo 7 CSH (Chery Super Hybrid), it is hard to think of similar alternatives from long-standing, familiar players. Basically, there are none. Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Honda, Volkswagen and Toyota: none of them offer a PHEV entry at Chery’s pricing range of between R619,900 and R679,900.
Its only rivals are Chinese products such as the recently launched Geely E5 EM-i Aspire (from R599,999); BYD Sealion 6 Comfort (R639,900); Omoda C7 SHS PHEV (R689,900); and Jaecoo J7 SHS PHEV (also R689,900).
We know – five years ago if you had seen such titles, you would have thought you were reading Klingon. So quickly has the motoring landscape changed. The consumer can only benefit from this competition and diversity on the market, but as always, do your due diligence and make sure you put your bum in the seat before buying.
So what did we learn after a week with our butts planted behind the tiller of the Chery?
My big issue pertains to the driving dynamics of the vehicle. Not since the days when high-performance front-wheel hatchbacks were commonplace has this scribe encountered such a propensity for wheelspin.
This was amplified by damp roads, fair enough, but even on dry asphalt it takes little to provoke the rubber of the front-driven Chery, which sees a significant amount of torque going to the nose.
Interestingly enough, a few days later another Chinese PHEV arrived for testing – it had all-wheel drive, offering a far more composed, grippy character.
Initial torque-steer aside, the main ingredient of the Tiggo 7 CSH – its frugal hybrid powertrain – seemed to work very well indeed. This is the kind of vehicle that will see you falling out of favour with your local petrol attendants.
It uses an 18.3kWh battery to power the electric motor, and on the internal combustion side, a familiar 1.5l turbocharged petrol is deployed. Combined system output is a substantial 265kW/530Nm. No mystery then as to why those front wheels often scrabble for purchase. The greater output comes from the electric motor, accounting for 150kW/310Nm in isolation.
You can drive the Chery in all-electric mode for a claimed distance of 90km. Driven in hybrid mode, the vehicle’s electric motor, engine and energy recuperating mechanisms tag-team for an incredible 1,200km quoted range. It feels like sorcery – this used to be the kind of range once only offered by frugal diesels. That 90km zero-emissions range in itself will be suitable enough for most consumers’ daily commutes from home to work, in-between and back again.
In the real world, average fuel consumption in the Chery is not far off the advertised 4.9l/100km, settling around the 5l/100km mark. Claimed electricity consumption is 16.3kWh/100km. Charge it as you would any contemporary electric car, via AC or DC outlets. A reminder that there are more than 400 public charging facilities across the country operated by GridCars.
Beyond the progressive powertrain, it boasts all the size-related convenience expected from family-orientated cars in the category. It has a big boot (626l) which opens up to a cavernous 1,672l with the rear seats folded. No real gripes from a standard features perspective, because even the standard, cheaper car packs highlights like a 12.3-inch digital interface, keyless entry, leatherette upholstery and dual-zone climate control.
The high-tier Ultra throws in niceties like heated seats, a panoramic roof, an eight-speaker Sony audio system and the full suite of driver assistance functions enabling semi-autonomous driving. The “Hey Chery” in-car assistant seemed to respond only when it felt like it. Maybe the car heard my utterances about the lively tendencies of the front axle and opted to clam up.
Either way, the Tiggo 7 CSH is a package that will spark interest among those who are tired of standard petrol and diesels – one that could help push the PHEV breed and their associated benefits into the mainstream.