Tiggo 9 launches with a big bang

CHERY: BOLD SPECS RAISE EYEBROWS, EXPECTATIONS

- Jaco van der Merwe

Almost a year after making its first public showing, the Chery Tiggo 9 was finally introduced to the local market. With quite a bang too.

As part of its media launch and dealer conference at Nasrec, the Chinese carmaker staged a rare crash test to demonstrate the safety of the Tiggo 9. Two remote-controlled Tiggo 9s, each travelling at 50km/h, drove into each other head-on to mimic a real-life crash.

The test was not measured in any scientific way, with feedback from crash test dummies. But it nonetheless showed the front airbags effectively deployed and minimal structural damage, making access to any potential occupants easy.

The Chery Tiggo 9 slots in above the Tiggo 8 as the Chinese manufacturer's local flagship SUV. It is initially only available as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV).

The PHEV is offered in a choice of two derivatives, the front-wheel drive Pinnacle and all-wheel drive Vanguard guise. Both feature a three-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT).

A 2.0-litre turbo petrol model, which produces 187kW of power and 390Nm of torque, will be introduced before the end of the year.