Chery Tiggo Cross 1.5 CSH HEV Elite DHT

Chery's hybrid Tiggo Cross enters the new-energy segment with lots of promise, but does it live up to it?

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Introduced to South Africa in 2024, the Tiggo Cross is bookended by the Tiggo 4 Pro, Chery's bestselling model locally, and Tiggo 7.

While it is worth noting that the Tiggo Cross has replaced the Tiggo 4 Pro as the company's most pocket-friendly crossover/SUV in other markets, the latter soldiers on in the Wuhu automaker's SA lineup.

The decision to offer the Tiggo Cross alongside the Tiggo 4 Pro in our market has provided this established Chinese brand the opportunity to not only expand its local model portfolio but, as a result, allow it to compete in the wider compact-crossover segment — against the likes of Toyota's ever-popular Corolla Cross and the Kia Seltos — with a more modern product.

In the July 2025 issue's SUV Shootout, we evaluated the Tiggo Cross against a dozen of its segment rivals in a compact-SUV shootout. However, while the flagship Elite test unit cut a handsome figure with its European-inspired exterior styling, and included a raft of convenience and safety equipment as standard — all of which lent it good perceived value — it felt somewhat unresolved. The Tiggo Cross' plusses were overshadowed by its subpar NVH suppression, lifeless steering setup and, most notably, poor throttle calibration that impeded everyday usability and increased fuel consumption.