If you don’t understand the automotive segments, don’t fret, it took me a while too. I have been reviewing cars and motorcycles for the better half of 20 years and sometimes I still get it wrong.
So just as a quick refresher, the A-segment generally refers to small cars such as the Perodua Axia. After that is the B-segment which are for sub-compact cars such as the Honda City and Toyota Vios.
Then there is the C-segment with more spacious interiors, better-equipped interiors and include cars like the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and the Mazda 3.
The D-segment are for larger sedans such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Past that is the E-segment for luxury sedans and of course it goes up to the F-segment.
But these days it is not as straightforward as it seems. You have the SUVs that are also defined by their segments and crossovers just muddy everything.
And then there are cars like the Chery Tiggo Cross, which sit in between segments because of its size and specifications. It is technically a B-segment SUV, but some argue that it could even nudge into the C-segment thanks to its features and generous size.
It’s not difficult to understand why some may say that because it really does have a list of features that more expensive cars struggle to match.
But let’s follow the rules and position it as a B-segment SUV, and it has its work cut out for it as the segment includes such heavyweights as the Perodua Ativa, Honda WR-V, Honda HR-V, and the new Proton X50.
We recently drove it to Terengganu and back.
The Chery Tiggo Cross is available in two variants – the Turbo and the Hybrid. And we drove both of them. We drove the Turbo to Tanjung Jara in Terengganu, and the Hybrid back to KL. The distance good enough to properly have a feel for what the Tiggo Cross has to offer.
For some context, the Tiggo Cross Turbo is powered by a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged aluminium engine producing 147PS and 210Nm of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The official fuel consumption figure for the Turbo is rated at 6.3-litres per 100km.
The Hybrid model on the other hand is powered by a 1.5-litre, naturally-aspirated engine that produces 102PS and 125Nm of torque. However, it also packs two electric motors, one drives the wheels and another works to provide power to the earlier motor. The latter draws juice from a 1.8kWh battery and when that runs low, the engine works as a generator to recharge the battery.
And if you’re wondering, yes, the engine can also provide power directly to the wheels, particularly at high speed.
So, with the electric motor working concurrently with the engine, power for the hybrid variant shoots up to 204PS and 310Nm of torque.
In terms of driving feel, the Turbo feels spirited, it feels happy to spend time at the other end of the rev band and can sustain some high speeds for prolonged periods without feeling like it is trying too hard.
Even though it may be down on power from the Hybrid variant, it is also 79 kilograms lighter than the Hybrid. Though the Hybrid feels eager from the get-go thanks to its instant electric power delivery, the Turbo feels quite spirited as well.
However, the Hybrid feels smoother and more effortless. That is of course partly due to the amount of power available on tap, but also because it truly is a smooth operator.
No matter if you’re just starting off from a traffic light or trying to pile on more speed on the highway, you will never feel starved for power. Just to manage your expectations though, acceleration is not exactly neck snapping, but you do feel a gentle shove into the faux leather seats.
The other two things that you notice in the Hybrid model is just how smooth it feels. That is because there is no gearbox in the traditional sense. Chery says the Tiggo Cross has an e-CVT gearbox, but in reality, that’s just a fancy acronym that means power is sent directly to the wheels through the aforementioned electric motor.
And the other thing about the Tiggo Cross Hybrid is just how economical it is. The official fuel consumption figures stand at 5.4-litres per 100km. During my drive back from Terengganu, I saw a fuel consumption figure of 3.1-litres per 100km, and this went up to 5.4-litres per 100km during the uphill climb after the Karak toll.
By the time I handed the car back to the team from Chery, the average fuel consumption was 3.6-litres per 100km.
Now let’s get a little nerdy and do the math and take on a “theoretical” approach to this. So, assuming that the Tiggo Cross Hybrid can sustain 3.6-litres per 100km which is difficult, but I proved that it is possible en route back from Terengganu.
With its 51-litre tank, the Chery Tiggo Cross Hybrid has a theoretical range of a stunning 1,417km.
That is of course a best-case scenario figure, but even if the Hybrid could do 1,200km per tank, that would still be an impressive figure.
What else does the car have to offer?
Keep in mind that this is a car that counts the Honda WR-V and the Perodua Ativa as direct rivals. The Honda is priced from RM89,900 and tops out at RM107,900 for the flagship variant.
The Perodua on the other hand ranges from RM72,600 and maxes out at RM73,600.
The Chery on the other hand is priced at RM88,800 for the Turbo and RM99,800 for the Hybrid.
You may think that the price difference may not seem all that different between the trio, and I will agree. But the one thing that will surely sway your opinion in favour of the Chery is the interior of the car.
As comparison to the Ativa and the WR-V, the Tiggo Cross feels premium with soft touch surfaces, solid instead of hollow door panels, dual-zone air-conditioning, wireless charge pads, and even a 540-degree camera.
In terms of spaciousness, the Tiggo Cross feels bigger and the dimension sheets verify that.
The Chery has a 2,610mm wheelbase, is 4,318mm long, 1,830mm wide and 1,670mm tall.
In comparison, the Ativa has an 85mm shorter wheelbase, is 253mm shorter, 120mm narrower and 35mm lower.
The Honda on the other hand has a 125mm shorter wheelbase, length that is shorter by 258mm, it is also 50mm narrower and 62mm lower.
If you are curious about the other segment rivals, the Proton X50 and the Honda HR-V, well, the Tiggo Cross is both wider and taller than both and shares identical wheelbase length to the Honda HR-V. But the Proton X50 has a 10mm shorter wheelbase.
It may not seem like it, but the Chery Tiggo Cross is a big car. Just like Shakira’s hips, the spec sheets don’t lie either.
What about the interior?
It’s a generous blend of modernity, function and quality. In typical Chery style, you get twin digital screens at the front, but both are in fact one giant screen, Mercedes-Benz style. Both the infotainment and instrument cluster measure in at 10.25-inch each.
As for trimming, you get faux leather upholstery as mentioned earlier, but I particularly like that you still get hard buttons for the necessities like audio volume controls, air-conditioning controls, and such.
Despite the presence of dual-zone air-conditioning, I also like that both driver and passenger get their own fan blower switches. This does not mean that each can have their A/C set at different speed, it’s just that each has their own button. Convenient, for sure. But just to clarify, both front passengers can have their own temperature, just not at different fan speed.
If there is one thing that I don’t like about the interior, it would be the gloss black panel for the air-conditioning display. This is a matter of personal preference of course, but gloss-bland tends to make dust stick out. And that annoys me.
There are some differences between the interiors of the Turbo and Hybrid though. Though the overall layout is the same, the Turbo has its steering buttons finished in matte where else the Hybrid gets gloss buttons.
The Turbo also has physical buttons to engage and disengage the electronic parking brake, and the auto hold assist function. Curiously, the Hybrid does not have this.
What about safety?
There’s a difference between the two variants here, so I will start with the Turbo. You get six airbags, the usual array of passive safety systems such as electronic stability control, emergency brake assist, traction control and brake assist system, among others.
As for advanced driver assistance systems, there’s lane departure warning, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, and even adaptive cruise control. It is not as extensive as what you get in the Hybrid, but it is good enough.
As for the Hybrid, it comes with seven airbags, identical passive safety systems to the Turbo and a nearly complete Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. This includes blind spot monitoring, rear collision warning, rear cross traffic alert and braking, among many others.
But what stands out is the door opening warning system. This is where the car alerts rear passengers if there is an obstacle coming towards the car, indicating if it is safe to open the door or not. There is a tiny car icon that lights up when it is not safe, and the only other car in the segment to have this system is the Proton X50. Impressive!
Conclusion
There is no denying that the Chery Tiggo Cross is an impressive small SUV, especially at its price tag. It offers a good step up for those looking to switch to something more premium from the likes of a Perodua and for those who want something different than the usual array of Protons and Hondas.
It is also brilliant for those looking for something small and efficient to go about their daily business. In fact, there is almost no faulting it.
Specifications (Turbo):
Engine: 1.5-litre, turbocharged, inline-four,
Power: 147PS
Torque: 210Nm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch
Price (as tested): RM88,800
We like: Good design, well-built interior
We don’t like: Gloss black panels
Specifications (Hybrid):
Engine: 1.5-litre, naturally-aspirated, inline-four with dual electric motors
Power: 204PS
Torque: 310Nm
Transmission: e-CVT
Price (as tested): RM99,800
We like: Refinement, power delivery, well-built interior
We don’t like: No physical button for electronic parking brake and auto hold
