CHERY TIGGO 4 HYBRID ULTIMATE

It’s cheap and it’s a hybrid, that’s what it is. In fact, Chery reckons the Tiggo 4 is
Australia’s cheapest hybrid SUV as well as Chery’s best-selling SUV.

It’s powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine together with the help of an
electric motor, that combine to offer budget-friendly fuel consumption of 5.4L/100km.

The Tiggo feels cheap . . . but let’s find out.

STYLING
Tiggo 4 Hybrid is available in two grades: Urban and top-of-the-range Ultimate.
Urban is priced from $29,990 driveaway, the Ultimate from $34,990 – both prices are
driveaway.

Metallic paint adds $500 to the price.

Be aware there’s a big $6000 difference between the regular Tiggo 4 Ultimate and
the Tiggo 4 Hybrid Ultimate.

Competitors include the Honda HR-V, Haval Jolion and MG ZS.

Although billed as Australia’s cheapest hybrid SUV, Urban offers quite a few
standard features, that range from dual 10.25-inch LCD instrument cluster and
multimedia touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus innovative “Hello
Chery” voice control system.

Standard equipment includes cloth trim and dual zone climate air conditioning, with
rear air vents, height adjustable driver’s seat, remote start and walk-away locking.

There are also 17-inch alloys, adaptive cruise control, speed limit information, LED
lights all-round, auto high beam, auto lights and wipers, and front and rear parking
sensors.

Ultimate ups the ante with artificial leather seats, heated front pews, power
adjustment for the driver’s seat, electric sunroof, colour-select ambient interior
lighting and a 360-degree surround view camera.

Tiggo 4 is covered by a 7-year unlimited kilometre warranty, 7-year capped price
servicing and up to 7 years of roadside assistance.

INFOTAINMENT
Infotainment consists of a 12.5-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, steering wheel mounted
controls, Hello Chery voice control, AM/FM and DAB+ digital radio, wired and
wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus four-speaker sound.

Another 12.5-inch screen supplies the instrument cluster, both incorporated into the
same sweeping display panel.

There’s no built-in satellite navigation in either variant, so for that you will have to use
your phone.

USB- A and C ports are located in the front, with another USB-A port in the back, as
well as a 12-volt outlet up front.

Ultimate adds six-speaker sound and a 15W wireless phone charger.

SAFETY
The Tiggo 4 scores a full five stars for crash safety from ANCAP.

A reversing camera, stability control and seven airbags are fitted including a centre
airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact
crashes is also standard.

Autonomous emergency braking (Car-to-Car, Vulnerable Road User, Junction &
Crossing, Backover and Head-On) as well as a lane support system with lane keep
assist (LKA), lane departure warning (LDW) and emergency lane keeping (ELK), and
an advanced speed assistance system (SAS) are standard.

Two ISOFix and three top-tether child seats anchor points are offered.

ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS
Under the bonnet is Chery’s new hybrid system, that operates in series and parallel
mode as required, combining a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine with an
electric motor, together with a 1.83 kWh battery.

The petrol engine produces 71kW of power and 120Nm of torque, while the electric
motor provides 150kW/310Nm.

Combined power and torque outputs are not supplied, but the petrol engine should
add something to the equation when both are operating together in parallel mode.

The graphic displayed in the driver information panel suggests this to be the case.

There are no gears or gear changed paddles, with drive to the front wheels through a
one-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT).

DRIVING
At 4330mm long, with a 2604mm wheelbase, the Tiggo 4 Hybrid seats five
occupants.

Front legroom is adequate, but there’s limited room to stretch your legs if you’re in
the back.

There is however a rear air outlet for rear seat passengers, but only one.

The touchscreen is relatively easy to operate, with plenty of options to play around
with and three different themes for the instrument cluster.

But try finding out how much fuel it averages for anything more than the last 50km —
no can do amigo.

A row of buttons provides easy access to oft-used features such as volume, driving
modes and the around-view camera which gets in the way sometimes.

The two centre cupholders will not accommodate sports drink bottles, nor will the
cupholders in the front doors.

A small centre console box is provided as well as a storage tray below the console.

Rather inconveniently the phone charger is to be found somewhere down there too.

But, and it’s a big BUT, a lot of space has been seconded to flashy Range Rover-
esque glass climate control panel and the gloss black trim that runs the length of the
centre — way too much.

With a largish 51-litre tank, fuel consumption, using standard 91 unleaded, is a
claimed 5.4L/100km.

That’s 27 per cent less than the equivalent non-hybrid model.

There are two drive modes, Eco and Sport. In Eco mode the petrol engine remains
dormant most of the time.

In terms of the overall drive experience, the Tiggo presents two different
personalities, just like the proverbial Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. It goes okay, or so we
thought, until we encountered our first hill.

Even the ride quality is pretty good for an import, with adjustment for steering weight
and some tyre squeal and tendency to oversteer when pushed hard through corners.
But point it at a long, steep hill such as the big one heading up the M1 north out of
Sydney and it soon becomes apparent that things aren’t quite right.

As the petrol engine cuts in, things become very noisy, very quickly — and you’d be
forgiven for thinking the thing is going to blow up.

My wife thought so.

Although CVT and one-speed dedicated hybrid transmissions are mechanically and
fundamentally different, the seamless drive ratio transition is much the same — as
the engine revs rise to keep pace with demands from the throttle.

This is what produces the escalating cabin noise and zoom-like acceleration (or lack
thereof).
The majority of time, however, the Tiggo is a pussycat, operating on electric power
alone, and as such surprisingly quick and responsive off the line — thanks to the
instant torque from the electric motor.

It stays this way up to 80km/h or so, depending on system load, delivering a very
EV-like driving experience around town.

Hills however remain its weak point.

Then there’s the incessant warnings and interventions from the driver assistance
systems, especially the lane-centring function.

Even with everything we could find turned off, the steering wheel continued to tug
this way and that which soon becomes tiring.

And what about the requirement to clip your driver seatbelt before the car will move?

It’s a good idea from a safety point of view, but damned annoying in practical terms,
when you simply need to move the car aside to let someone out.

Or move to another bowser at the petrol station because the one you have pulled up
at is out of order — the scenarios continue to crop up.

The boot offers a reasonable amount of space, but an odd bump in the floor hides
the standard 12-volt battery.

Of note Urban gets a puncture repair kit while the higher priced Ultimate scores a
space saver spare.

We clocked up 450km in our week with the Tiggo 4 Hybrid. We can tell you our
average speed over this period was 50.2km/h which included motorways, suburban
routes and country roads.

Alas the Tiggo would not disclose the average fuel used over this same distance,
producing only a figure for the last 50km (not worth mentioning).

We did however have 390km of range remaining.

What about some transparency?

SUMMING UP
Yeah . . . Nah . . .

It might be cheap, but it needs some refinement. The raucous powertrain and
intrusive driver assistance systems spring to mind.

The non-hybrid Tiggo 4 is an award winner, but we can’t see this one receiving any
gongs until these problems are sorted out.

RATINGS:
Looks: 7
Performance: 6
Safety: 7.5
Thirst: 5
Practicality: 7.5
Comfort: 7
Tech: 7.5
Value: 7.5
Overall: 6.9

AT A GLANCE
MODEL LINE-UP
Tiggo 4 Urban, $23,990
Tiggo 4 Ultimate, $26,990
Tiggo 4 Hybrid Urban, $29,990
Tiggo 4 Hybrid Ultimate, $32,990
Note: These prices are driveaway and include government and dealer delivery
charges.

SPECIFICATIONS
Chery Tiggo 4 Hybrid Ultimate, 1.5-litre turbocharged four/single electric motor,
FWD, five-seat wagon

HYBRID POWERTRAIN
Petrol engine: 1.5-litre, four cylinders inline, turbocharged
Maximum power: 71 kW
Maximum torque: 120 kW
Electric motor: Permanent magnet synchronous motor
Maximum power: 150 kW
Maximum torque: 310 Nm
Combined power: N/A
Combined torque: N/A
Fuel type: Petrol 91 RON
Combined fuel cycle: (ADR 81/02) 5.4 L/100km
Battery: Lithium Ion 1.83 kWh
CO2 emissions 123 g/km

DRIVELINE:
One-speed dedicated hybrid transmission, front-wheel drive

DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT, AND CAPACITIES
Length: 4330 mm
Width: 1830 mm
Height: 1655 mm
Wheelbase: 2604 mm
Kerb weight: 1494 mm
Turning circle: 10.6 metres
Fuel tank: 51 litres

BRAKES
Front: Ventilated disc
Rear: Sold disc

STANDARD WARRANTY
Seven years/ unlimited kilometres (Eight-year unlimited kilometres on battery)