Chery Tiggo 7 Pro touches down in Mzansi with lots of bells and whistles

The new Chery Tiggo 7 Pro has arrived in SA. Slotting in between its Tiggo 4 Pro and Tiggo 8 Pro siblings, this stylish SUV is yet another high-value proposition from the Chinese marque that offers cash-strapped motorists maximum bang for their hard-earned buck. 

Easy on the eye, the Tiggo 7 Pro hits the asphalt wearing the firm's aggressive hexagonal radiator grille and a pair of ultra slim LED headlamps. Standard across all Tiggo 7 Pro derivatives, these units are complemented by striking LED daytime running lights mounted on either side of the front bumper. A sharply creased shoulder line dominates the profile view as do electric folding side mirrors and chunky 18-inch alloys that fill wheel arches shielded by protective black plastic cladding. Walk around to rear of the Tiggo 7 Pro and you'll find a set of LED taillight clusters, a roof spoiler, dual faux exhaust tailpipes and an edge-to-edge light bar that runs the entire breadth of the tailgate – a nice touch.

 From launch Chery is offering the Tiggo 7 Pro in a choice of two derivatives. And kicking things off is the entry-level Distinctive model that comes armed with a generous cache of standard niceties including a seven-inch digital instrument cluster, a large centrally mounted 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system as well as an eight-inch touchscreen dedicated to the operation of the car's climate control system. Other highlights take the form of customisable interior mood lighting, inductive charging, a cooled glovebox, a reverse camera, three USB ports (two up front and one at the back), an automatic tailgate, synthetic leather upholstery and an electrically adjustable driver's seat.

Chery has also spliced in a raft of active safety features designed to keep occupants safer on their travels. These include the likes of ABS brakes, emergency brake assistance, hill start assistance, hill descent control, rear traffic alert and blind spot detection. 

Plumb for the flagship Executive model and this already impressive specification level is upgraded with two additional airbags (six up from four in the Distinctive), a panoramic glass sunroof, electric adjustment for the front passenger seat plus an intelligent safety package that includes cutting-edge driver aids such as lane-departure warning, front collision warning, automatic emergency braking and a 360-degree around-view monitor.

In terms of interior space both Tiggo 7 Pro models offer 475 litres of boot space. Fold the 60:40 seat backs flat, however, and this instantly increases to a very useful 1,500 litres. 

At the time of writing the new Tiggo 7 Pro is available only with the firm's 1.5l four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine tuned to deliver 108kW and 210Nm of torque to the front wheels via a CVT transmission equipped with nine preprogrammed virtual gears. The latter effectively simulate the ratio steps of a conventional automatic gearbox.

Pricing? The Tiggo 7 Pro Distinctive comes in at R409,900 while the range-topping Distinctive model will set you back R444,900. Both include a five-year/60,000km service plan, five-year/unlimited kilometre roadside assistance programme, five-year/150,000km mechanical warranty and comprehensive 10-year/million-kilometre engine warranty.