The new Chery Tiggo Cross is a big hit in South Africa – Here are the numbers

The new Chery Tiggo Cross is off to a good start in South Africa, having sold a total of 205 units in November 2024.

That’s not bad for a brand-new name that’s only been in showrooms for a single month, and given the success of the other models in Chery’s stable, it’s likely that the Cross will go on to be a major hit in our market.

The missing link

The Cross is the fourth vehicle to join Chery’s growing list of cars in South Africa, along with the Tiggo 4 Pro, Tiggo 7 Pro, and the Tiggo 8 Pro.

While its name does not follow the convention established by its peers, the Cross essentially fills the role of a Tiggo 5 Pro, as it is positioned between the 4 and 7 in terms of price and specs.

This is an important niche for the brand, as the Cross starts at R399,900, putting it in the same price bracket as South Africa’s best-selling SUV – the Toyota Corolla Cross.

The Tiggo 7 Pro admittedly has the same starting price as the Tiggo Cross, but the standard Tiggo 7 has not been particularly popular since the introduction of the more powerful Max units, which start at R499,900.

Depending on how well the Tiggo Cross performs in South Africa, it wouldn’t be surprising if Chery decides to discontinue the base Tiggo 7 Pro to focus on the Max, while expanding on the Cross line-up to better cover the R400,000 – R500,000 bracket.

What it offers

For all intents and purposes, the Cross is a range-topping version of the Tiggo 4, as the two cars are almost identically sized and use the same engine.

The powertrain in question is a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol block, which produces 108kW and 210Nm.

This is paired with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, resulting in an average fuel consumption of 6.5l/100km.

As for its equipment, the crossover is offered in two trim levels  – Comfort and Elite.

The base Comfort includes 17-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing wipers, auto-folding side mirrors, roof rails, keyless entry and start, a multifunction steering wheel, artificial leather upholstery, four USB ports, dual-zone climate control, six speakers, two 10.25-inch screens for the driver and infotainment functions, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support.

This is in addition to assistance and safety gear such as cruise control, tyre-pressure monitoring, traffic sign recognition, front and rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, and six airbags.

The Elite then adds to this with larger 18-inch alloys, a sunroof, an electronically adjustable driver’s seat, and an expanded driver assistance list with lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and a 360-degree camera.