From the moment Chery set its wheels on the local market about two and a half years ago, it was clear that its aggressive strategy would revolve around pricing—price relative to size, price relative to features, and now, price relative to powertrain in the mid-size crossover category. After shaking up the sedan segment with the Arrizo 8 and the seven-seater category with the Tiggo 8 Pro, Chery is now making waves in the plug-in segment with the Tiggo 7 Pro at prices never seen before.
The Tiggo 7 Pro plug-in is based on the familiar Tiggo 7 Pro platform, with an overall length of 4.55 meters, a width of 1.86 meters, a height of 1.7 meters, and a wheelbase of 267 cm. These dimensions closely match hybrid competitors such as the Toyota Corolla Cross (4.46m, 1.82m, 1.62m, and 264 cm wheelbase) and are larger than those of the Hyundai Kona (4.35m, 1.82m, 1.57m, and 266 cm wheelbase). The trunk capacity stands at 484 liters but lacks a spare tire (403 liters in the Toyota and 466 liters in the Kona).
The key difference lies in the powertrain. The plug-in version employs the same hybrid system found in the Arrizo and Tiggo 8 Pro, combining a 1.5-liter turbo gasoline engine with an electric unit for a total output of 347 hp and 52.5 kgm of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels via a three-speed gearbox for the gasoline engine. Performance surpasses competitors but feels somewhat underwhelming given the impressive power figures—0 to 100 km/h in 8.4 seconds and a top speed of 180 km/h.
A major distinction is its 18.3 kWh battery, which supplies an electric range of 90 km. According to the manufacturer, the total range with a full fuel tank is approximately 1,100 km. Like other new-generation plug-in hybrids, this model has a minimum battery threshold at which the gasoline engine kicks in to assist with propulsion and recharging. Even after depleting the electric range, it still delivers a declared fuel efficiency of 16.6 km per liter, per the manufacturer. Charging power is 6.6 kW on a household outlet and 42.6 kW on a fast charger.
The model will be offered in two trim levels: Luxury and Noble. The Luxury trim serves as the entry-level version and includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a multimedia screen of the same size with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control with rear air vents, a wireless charging pad, vegan leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, and an electric sunroof. The Noble trim adds brown leather upholstery, memory settings, heated and ventilated front seats, a head-up display, and a power-operated tailgate.
Active safety features include autonomous emergency braking, lane departure correction, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, a child reminder system, and door opening warning when detecting approaching vehicles.
Prices for the Tiggo 7 Pro start at NIS 180,000 for the Luxury trim and NIS 187,000 for the Noble trim. Metallic paint adds NIS 2,000, concrete gray costs NIS 4,000, and two-tone paint is an additional NIS 3,000. As with all Chery models, the warranty covers 6 years or 150,000 km for the vehicle and 8 years or 150,000 km for the battery.
For comparison, prices for the Corolla Cross Hybrid range between NIS 180,000 and NIS 191,000, while the Hyundai Kona—which became the best-selling car in the country at the end of February—costs between NIS 176,000 and NIS 186,500. Its direct competitor, the JAC J7 Plug-in, starts at NIS 190,000, whereas the BYD Seal U Plug-in is larger and more expensive, starting at NIS 200,000.
