Chery Tiggo 9 makes public debut at Auto Shanghai 2023 – large flagship SUV with 2.0T, 8AT, 5 or 7 seats

Chery Tiggo 9 makes public debut at Auto Shanghai 2023 – large flagship SUV with 2.0T, 8AT, 5 or 7 seats

The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro that will be launching soon in Malaysia is a sizeable SUV; upon first sight, it’s immediately apparent that the Chery is a larger car than a Honda CR-V or Mazda CX-5. Having also seen the Proton X90, the Tiggo 8 – also a three-row vehicle – looks more substantial too, both in bulk and premiumness.

But the giant you see here is in another league. Say hello to the Tiggo 9, Chery’s new flagship SUV. It’s a handsome big guy, with a large and imposing grille and clean lines throughout, made even cleaner with pop-out door handles. Two-tone body, a horizontal strip above the license plate, 20-inch turbine wheels – all standard stuff, but finished tastefully. I found an interesting quirk: a round Chery stamp on the rearmost pillars, only on the driver’s side.

It almost looks American, and the feeling I get (not saying that they both look alike, just the feel) is similar to the latest Kia Carnival, a suave MPV. It’s almost American in size too. At 4,820 mm long and 1,930 mm wide, the Tiggo 9 is 98 mm longer and 70 mm wider than Tiggo 8 Pro, while its 2,820 mm wheelbase is 110 mm longer.

Chery Tiggo 9 makes public debut at Auto Shanghai 2023 – large flagship SUV with 2.0T, 8AT, 5 or 7 seats

Inside, it’s fittingly classy in looks and materials, although some Mercedes-Benz owners and fans might yell ‘Copy!’ Anyhow, the dash has the now de rigueur horizontal layout, two wide screens (12.3-inch) sharing a frame, and a high centre console with a see through cubby.

Chery’s angled double phone charging slots, as seen in the Omoda 5, is present. The centre console is kept very clean as gear selection is via a steering stalk, MB-style. Chery uses Sony for audio and there’s a 14-speaker sound system here.

What I find really refreshing is Chery’s use of lighter tones and surprising interior colour combos, as opposed to the dull and dark default. It really adds to the luxury feel. Chinese brands are quite creative and bold in this aspect – who’d have thought that blue leather and yellow stitching would look OK in a car?

There are five and seven-seat options for the Tiggo 9, and the car you see here is the three-row version, with 50:50 flat folding third row seats.

Under the hood is a 2.0L turbo-four engine with 261 hp and 400 Nm of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission with steering paddles puts down the power to all four corners. Chery claims combined fuel consumption of 7.7 litres per 100 km. A 2.0T plug-in hybrid version is in the works, and that PHEV will do 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds and have a combined range of 1,300 km in the local cycle.

If you’re expecting us to conclude by saying that the Tiggo 9 is Malaysia-bound, just like the Chery posts before this, sorry, it is not coming to our market. The Tiggo 8 Pro is already quite a stretch for the Chinese brand given our bias and preference, so let’s see how that one does first. Anyway, what do you think of the Tiggo 9’s looks and package?

GALLERY: Chery Tiggo 9 at Auto Shanghai 2023

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • kckfen on Apr 26, 2023 at 4:44 pm

    This look more in the size of Proton X90….. but look far more premium.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 2
  • Rehan on Apr 26, 2023 at 5:36 pm

    Nice. Too bad it’s not coming to Malaysia

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  • Phuddi sung lee on Apr 26, 2023 at 5:39 pm

    Oh it’s Volvo xc90(front and frnt side look),oh it’s Porsche cayenne,no it’s Toyota harrier (back look )so v confused bez china brand give middle finger to designers who really designed car and exists for over or about to have decade years to established,china brand just simply cut copy paste .impress world and make money and buy old established car manufacturers like Volvo

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 13
  • These good looking china-made cars are so tempting but I’m really concern how it is going to be in the long run. Reliability is the only thing holding me up from buying one.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 5
    • Tkmari on Apr 26, 2023 at 8:27 pm

      Chery is the only car company in the world perhaps, to give one million km warranty or ten years… Why worry. Chery has confidence to their products.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 2
  • Syaiful Nizam Hassan on Apr 26, 2023 at 6:51 pm

    I’ll select Chery Tiggo 9 instead Proton X90.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 23 Thumb down 1
  • Mercedes: give back my aircond design !

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 7
  • Dr Aftab on Apr 28, 2023 at 10:20 am

    It’s very nice but in Pakistan it I’ll be expensive no one will buy it because more Taxes in Pakistan

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • Tom Lu on Apr 30, 2023 at 12:29 pm

      Don’t think many people would be able to buy it in Pakistan. The economic condition is at its worst & your govt is at best jokers. With pakistani currency falling everyday it will be hard sell. And Chery won’t be looking at very fragile market. Plus Foreign reserves are all time low!! Don’t think such luxury could be afforded by almost dead pakistan economy.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • hazri on Apr 28, 2023 at 3:21 pm

    if cant afford a cayenne, can get a chery.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • MusangKing on Jul 20, 2023 at 11:31 pm

    If its available in Malaysia. No doubt Ill buy 1

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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