Will The Chery Tiggo 4 Pro Rustle The Establishment’s Feathers?

Chery is back and their Tiggo 4 Pro offers so much more than you’d expect.

Remember Chery? The Chinese brand that offered cheap and not so cheery cars until the local importer pulled the brand from SA. Well, they are back with both a brand new model and a brand new business model that sees them supported directly from the mother company.

The first model to arrive under this new dispensation is the Tiggo 4 Pro and in a nutshell, it's stunning! Yes, you read right, this new Chery is a far cry from the first models available in SA and looking at it, you can see hints of Ford Ecosport and Jeep Renegade but executed more stylishly.  The front of the car is more aggressive than anything the company has offered before, while the lower, albeit plastic “protector plate” below the front bumper gives the 4 Pro a more rugged demeanour. 

Down the side, the same dedication to design continues, and instead of creating a slab-sided box, Chery’s designers have accentuated the wheel arches, allowing the line to flow from the front to the back via a raised element on the lower part of the doors. My favourite part of the side view however is the raised line above the rear door handles which continues into the rear LED taillights. 

At the back, the car features a very convenient full-size upward opening tailgate and like every other inch on the outside, even the tailgate was not left untouched by the stylist's hands. Below the lower bumper, another "protector plate" has been added which includes chrome surrounds on either end for the exhausts.

 Rounding off the 4 Pro’s styling are the wheels and admittedly, the 16-inch option does not look as good as it could but with the graphite 17-inch wheels, as found on the Elite & Elite SE Models, there’s no doubting that this may just be one of the best looking cars in its class!

On the inside, Chery has crushed any preconceived notion you have based on their older models. The inside is a very nice place to be and features a curved dash with red highlights and integrated buttons for the phone and several other controls. Keeping the integrated theme, the controls for the climate control system are mounted completely flush into the centre console which also features several storage compartments and gear selector which is off-set to the driver's side.

Seating in the 4 Pro is also a much more stylish affair than any of the company’s previous models and the driver can enjoy a 6-way electrically adjustable seat with an ergonomic H-type seat design to reduce driving fatigue. The boost space in the 4 Pro is another plus point, offering 1100 litres of storage.

The inside however does not only play host to comfortable seats and good looking appointments but it also features tons of tech. On top of the dash you will find a 10.25-Inch Touch Display Screen which controls Apple CarPlay and Android AUTO, and comes complete with voice trigger activation, so you can make calls, play music and activate navigation using voice commands. The traditional gauge cluster has also been excluded and in its place is a digital 7-inch LCD Instrument Cluster.

Power in the 4 Pro comes courtesy of two engine options depending on which model you go for. The Urban and Comfort models are fitted with a 1.5 VVT engine that produces 83kW  and 138Nm of torque. The Elite model however is what want thanks to a turbocharged 1.5T CVT engine producing 108kW and 210Nm of torque. Both engine options drive the front wheels via a 6 or 5-speed manual, or CVT automatic depending on the model.

The looks and specifications of the 4 Pro certainly enhance its appeal but to ensure buyers feel confident in the brand, Chery offers a 1000 000km or 10-year engine warranty and a 5 years or 150 000km factory warranty with a service plan.

Despite a rough patch in the past, the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro’s good looks coupled with the company’s new local business strategy makes this a viable and desirable alternative to the more established brands on the market.  Pricing starts from R269,900.00 and reaches R359,900.00 for the CVT Elite SE, making the Tiggo 4 Pro the “Chery” on the small SUV cake.

Want to own a Chery Tiggo 4 Pro? Visit the ClickaCar Virtual Showroom where it’s waiting for you.