REVIEW | Chery Tiggo Cross leaves one thing to be bitter about

Four years ago Chery invited us to the Gerotek test facilities in Tshwane to try out its new Tiggo 4 Pro.

It was a little before the official launch of the brand and its then-new portfolio. The executives wanted feedback from seasoned motoring critics.

As a regular reader, you know Gerotek is no walk in the park, serving as a genuine vehicular torture chamber.

We found it interesting that the brand’s custodians opted to put the compact crossover through a wading test. Not the kind of thing one would usually do with a vehicle that size.

The impressions around the junior Chery were largely positive, though it was rough around the edges in some aspects.

Fast-forward to 2025 and the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro has proven to be a top-selling model for the brand. The Chery brand in entirety appears to have quickly gained market acceptance, with consumers forgetting those earlier, ropey products the brand came to market with more than a decade ago.

While the Tiggo 4 Pro remains part of the line-up, a more sophisticated evolution of the same template joined the range last year. It was dubbed Tiggo Cross and we spent a week with the model.

The Cross is sold in two grades, Comfort and Elite. The former starts at R399,900 and the latter comes in at R449,900. It occupies a space in the line-up that intersects with the higher tier versions of the familiar Tiggo 4 Pro and entry level grades of the Tiggo 7 Pro.

In terms of dimensions, it sits in the middle. With a length of 4,351mm, the Tiggo Cross is 1mm longer than the Tiggo 4 Pro. The Tiggo 7 Pro is the longest of the three at 4,500mm. The height of the Tiggo Cross is identical to that of the Tiggo 4 Pro’s (1,662mm), but the Tiggo 7 stands taller at 1,705mm.

Boot space is 340l , the same as the Tiggo 4, but again, smaller than the 475l offered by the Tiggo 7.

The Cross is a handsome, sophisticated thing from a design standpoint, with a confident posture and elements that are not as chintzy or derivative as certain siblings. Professionals making their way up the ladder might be proud to be parking it outside their homes. It sits on attractive 18-inch wheels. The swanky single frame grille is flanked by LED headlamps in a furrowing gaze.

Opening the door and getting comfortable behind the wheel, one realises why the Tiggo Cross is priced higher than the Tiggo 4 Pro. It is a definite enhancement not only from the visual execution, but also in terms of materials and ambience, taking on a near premium feel.

We tested the Elite version, outfitted as standard with all expected niceties. That includes supple leatherette upholstery, a sunroof, heated front seats, dual zone climate control, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, adaptive cruise control and a 360º camera to name a few elements. It feels like the complete package. Even the central arm-rest compartment is cooled, keeping your driving snacks at optimal temperature.

My biggest gripe relates to the powertrain. You might have guessed, but it deploys the typical 1.5l turbocharged-petrol with four cylinders, which has become a staple in Chinese cars. The transmission is a dual clutch automatic with six forward ratios.

The pairing itself is perfectly fine, with sufficient punch (108kW/210Nm) and a slick-shifting nature on the go. But they could not have made it jerkier on take-off if they tried. There is a massive dead spot before the Chery jumps into life, often prompting a chirp from the front tyres.

In slow traffic and on inclines its propensity to roll backwards and lurch ahead is truly unnerving. Inexperienced drivers may be caught out.

Then we have the thirst factor. For such a compact displacement, the consumption figures achieved are not worth writing home about. Our car registered more than 11l/100km over 400km.

The jerkiness and unimpressive economy are two criticisms against what is otherwise an excellent compact crossover.