This 1,400km Chery is coming to South Africa – Dates and details
Chery is expanding its South African line-up with a new flagship model come 2025 in the form of the Tiggo 9.
The Tiggo 9 has been confirmed for our market for quite some time, though if you want one, you’ll have to hold out just a little bit longer.
Chery revealed to TopAuto that the SUV is planned for a local debut late in quarter two or early quarter three of 2025.
“A more definitive date of launch will be announced in the 1st quarter of 2025,” it said.
The Tiggo 9 will initially only be available as a petrol model, with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) option to be added later down the line.
The PHEV may be of particular significance to local consumers. Hybrids are rapidly gaining traction in South Africa’s SUV sphere and this one has an ace up its sleeve, that being a substantial driving range of over 1,400km.
Given that it will be produced by Chery, which among many things is known for its affordability, it’s likely that the Tiggo 9 will also be one of the most attainable PHEVs on the market.
At present, the cheapest PHEV you can get within our borders is the BMW X1 xDrive 30e at R1,050,000.
Considering the newcomer will be the flagship of the Chery family, it’s also safe to assume that it will be priced above the current Tiggo 8 Pro, which starts at R609,900.
This gives us a rather dependable indication of the price bracket the Chinese manufacturer is eyeing for its new Tiggo 9.
What to expect
The Tiggo 9 was officially unveiled to the world for the first time in September 2024 with a high-end design and both five and seven-seater cabin layouts, CarNewsChina reports.
Its makers confirmed that the SUV measures 4,820mm long, 1,930mm wide, and 1,699mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,820mm – putting it on par with well-established entries like the Kia Sorento.
The standard petrol model is equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-litre block that is capable of churning out 192kW and 400Nm, which is equal to that of the recently launched Omoda C9, the architectural twin to the Tiggo 9.
The Chery is shipped with either a seven or eight-speed automatic gearbox in its home market, though we suspect that like the Omoda, it will only be available with the latter option once it touches down on local roads.
Meanwhile, the Tiggo 9 PHEV gets a 1.5-litre petrol mill with a peak output of 115kW and 220Nm, paired with a front-mounted 165kW e-motor and a three-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission.
Powering the e-motor is a 19.43kWh ternary lithium battery pack which supplies a maximum driving range of 82km on electricity alone, and when both power sources are combined, the Tiggo 9 PHEV claims to exceed over 1,400km on a single top-up.
The PHEV is furthermore expected to come in all-wheel drive and feature continuous damping suspension, similar to the top-spec Omoda C9.
The highlight of the Chery’s interior is a sizeable 24.6-inch dual-screen setup for the driver info and media functions.
Additional standard amenities comprise electric seats with massaging abilities for the driver, adjustable rear-seat backrests, leather upholstery, 256-colour ambient lighting, and environmental noise cancelation.
As can be expected, an assortment of advanced intervention systems is also included such as adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot detection, forward-collision warning, rear cross-traffic collision warning, rear-collision warning, and hill-start assist control.
The South African-specific specifications, line-up, and pricing of the new Chery Tiggo 9 “will be revealed closer to the time of launch” in mid-2025, the company said.
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