Chinese motoring giant Chery has launched its large flagship Tiggo 9 SUV in the UK, with the first customer orders to arrive before the end of the year.
Sitting above the Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8, this upmarket seven-seat family hauler is the third Chery model to arrive on British roads since the Chinese manufacturer’s introduction to British buyers this Summer.
Following the sales success of sister brands Omoda and Jaecoo – the Jaecoo 7 in particular now regularly appearing in the monthly best-seller charts – parent marque Chery is now rolling out its models in rather rapid succession as it attempts to become an established brand in the UK, with pricing that undercuts its European and Asian rivals.
Closely related to the upcoming Jaecoo 8 SUV, the Tiggo 9 is limited to one powertrain choice and trim at launch. It is an all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid, or ‘Super Hybrid’ model, powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine and two electric motors, which combine to provide a total power output of 428hp.
Chery adds that the large SUV can complete a 0-62mph sprint in 5.4 seconds, making it one of the quickest models off the line in the large SUV class, and that the car can muster up to a reported 91 miles of electric-only driving, which is the longest electric range of any hybrid currently on sale.
Charging at DC speeds of up to 71kW, a 30% to 80% battery top up takes around 18 minutes. The car also has a vehicle-to-load (V2L) port, allowing the owner to charge external electric devices like laptops, kettles and even other cars using the SUV’s battery.
Buyers can only opt for the high-spec ‘Summit’ trim grade, which includes a large 16-inch central touchscreen and ten-inch digital instrument cluster display on the dashboard, a premium 14-speaker Sony sound system, heated and ventilated seats in the front and back, dual-zone climate control, ambient lighting and a wireless smartphone charging pad. The car sits on 20-inch alloy wheels.
UK pricing begins at just over £43k, making the Tiggo 9 around £4k cheaper than the entry-level Kia Sorento plug-in hybrid which comes with less equipment.
