Here’s a closer look at the Chery Tiggo Cross, which is an interesting proposition for those shopping in the sub-RM100k end of the SUV market. Two of three Proton X50 facelift variants are in the mix, as are the Perodua Ativa and Honda WR-V. B-segment sedans from Japanese brands and Proton are alternatives.
All are compact cars but big hitters in terms of sales numbers, but even so, this Chery has elements that set it apart. Launched in July, the Tiggo Cross is CKD locally assembled in two variants – Turbo and Hybrid. The Turbo goes for RM88,800 while the RM99,800 Hybrid is the most affordable hybrid model in the Malaysian market. Before this, the Honda City e:HEV RS was the cheapest hybrid at RM111,900. The base Nissan Kicks e-Power VL goes for RM113,800.
The CSH hybrid system here combines a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-pot engine (96 PS/120 Nm) with a Direct Hybrid Transmission (DHT) with two integrated electric motors, rated together at 204 PS/310 Nm. There’s a 1.8-kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery under the boot floor to juice the motors.
The CSH is a series-parallel hybrid system with five states, including EV (running on electricity only), Tandem (engine acts as a generator while the electric motor drives the wheels), Parallel (both the engine and electric motor working together), Direct Engine (engine directly drives the wheels at speeds above 80 km/h) and Energy Recovery (regenerative braking and coasting to charge the battery).
The hybrid battery reduces boot space by 30 litres to 350 litres, although both variants share the same 51-litre fuel tank. Claimed fuel consumption (undisclosed standard) is 5.4 litres per 100 km for the Hybrid, which at 1,565 kg is 97 kg heavier than its pure-ICE sister. Chery claims that the Tiggo Cross Hybrid can reach 1,000 km per tank thanks to electrification.
The Turbo’s heart is a 1.5-litre turbo-four making 147 PS and 210 Nm of torque. Drive goes to the front wheels via a six-speed dual-clutch transmission for a 0-100 km/h time of 10.3 seconds in Sport mode (Hybrid does it in 8.9s). By the way, while we get a Turbo-DCT combo, the Tiggo Cross is sold as a 1.5L NA-CVT in Indonesia, while it’s Turbo-CVT in Australia. On paper, we’re getting the best powertrain package.
The Tiggo Cross is viewed by many as an Ativa/WR-V sort of car, but its dimensions isn’t far off from the Proton X50, which is considered as true B-segment SUV. At 4,318 mm long and 1,830 mm wide, the Cross is 62 mm shorter than the X50 but 35 mm wider. The Chery’s 2,610 mm wheelbase is 10 mm longer too, and even the reduced boot space of the Hybrid is larger than the X50. So this is a B-segment SUV, just positioned below the Chery O5 a.k.a. Omoda 5 facelift.
The Tiggo Cross looks inoffensive and decent today, but it wasn’t always like that. The model’s roots trace back to the Tiggo 5x that first surfaced in China in 2017. Renamed to Tiggo 4 for export markets, it got a facelift and a ‘Pro’ moniker in 2019 – this was the car that Chery Malaysia previewed in its first ever event in 2022.
This latest facelift was revealed in 2024, and it wears a contemporary front fascia with sharper features, along with full width rear LED lights, looking like a junior Jaecoo J7 in the process. There’s no more metal rear pillars in this facelift, which has side and rear glass panels visually connected.
Like the exterior, the dashboard ticks all the contemporary boxes. This latest facelift includes a full-width vent strip and conjoined screens. Chery also redesigned the AC controls, which touch panel flows seamlessly into the piano black new centre console. The gear lever is now a stubby thing, flanked by physical AC switches for both driver and passenger (fan speed and temp, dual-zone). Speaking of switches, the row of piano key buttons remain.
It’s a good blend of modern style with physical controls, something Proton moved away from with the X50 facelift. Here, you almost never need to ‘enter’ the central touchscreen once everything is set.
Standard equipment for both variants includes LED headlamps, vertical LED daytime running lights, LED taillights, red brake calipers, roof rails, rear spoiler, faux leather upholstery, ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control with rear vent (there’s only one), 15W wireless charging pad, keyless entry/push start and a powered driver’s seat. Those two screens are each 10.25-inch wide, and the Chery has wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a ‘540-degree’ camera and six speakers.
The Turbo rides on 18-inch wheels (Giti tyres), and has six airbags plus an ADAS suite that includes lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, auto high beam, lane departure prevention, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking.
The Hybrid, which comes with 17-inch wheels (Sailun tyres), gets an additional airbag to make it seven in total, and its ADAS suite adds on door opening warning, rear collision warning, rear cross traffic braking, lane change assist, emergency lane keeping, multi-collision brake and traffic jam assist.
Visually, the Hybrid’s nicer steering wheel has the ‘CHERY’ script logo and its buttons have a gloss black finish. No physical electronic parking brake and auto hold buttons here, so there’s an odd little cubby behind the gear lever. This can be a slot for the key fob, which is also different – a slim unit for the Turbo and a bulky, glossy soap bar for the Hybrid. The Turbo also gets a cluster of controls below the driver’s AC vent, while it’s clean on the Hybrid. Finally, the electrified car has a Hybrid badge on its tailgate.
There’s even a difference in colour options. Blood Stone Red is exclusive to the Turbo and Moonlight Silver is a Hybrid-only option – the two examples you see here are in their respective special colours. The shared options are Carbon Black, Phantom Grey and Khaki White.
The Tiggo Cross comes with a seven-year, 150,000-km factory warranty, with the Hybrid gaining an additional eight-year, 160,000-km warranty for its battery, motors and hybrid control unit. Chery Malaysia is offering seven years of free towing service. An early bird package throw in two years of free service for the first 2,000 customers until September 30.
So, what do you think of the Chery Tiggo Cross as a standalone entry, and vis-à-vis the Proton X50 facelift? The Honda WR-V is off the pace when it comes to modernity, equipment and value, while the Perodua Ativa isn’t really in the same bracket, in both size and price terms. One thing unique about the Tiggo Cross is its hybrid option, which might be a boon if you don’t qualify for subsidised RON 95 and petrol becomes a more precious commodity… next month?
GALLERY: Chery Tiggo Cross
GALLERY: Chery Tiggo Cross Hybrid
GALLERY: Chery Tiggo Cross Turbo
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