Chery Tiggo 7 CSH SUmmit
By Bill McCarthy
The Chery Tiggo defies expectations. It sidesteps the usual “budget brand” caveats – understandable given Chery’s pedigree as China’s largest independent car exporter, now targeting Europe to deliver a driving experience that feels mature and well-sorted.
My week-long test was punishing: high-speed motorway cruising, challenging Peak District ascents, and a house relocation. The Tiggo absorbed every task with surprising composure. With an entry price hovering just below the £30,000 mark, it undercuts key segment rivals by a significant margin.
A stylish SUV with an elegant profile, there are some neat curves and bulges and neat light arrays, but if very much fits the standard SUV mould.
There is a petrol version or the plug-in version driven here, with two trim levels, Aspire and Summit and a starting price of just under £25k. The plug-in starts at just under £30k, class-leading at the time of writing.
What’s under the bonnet
The 1.5-litre turbo pairs with an electric motor driving the front wheels, delivering 201bhp and 365Nm of torque.
The big sell is efficiency. Chery claims 56 miles of electric range. That’ll cover most commutes, and with a claimed total range of 745 miles, you’ll forget how to use a petrol pump.
The 18.4kWh battery charges from 30–80% in about 20 minutes using a rapid charger – handy for a quick top-up during a supermarket shop. Like many plug-in hybrids, the claimed mpg can be astronomical, but that depends on charging regularly and using electric power. Otherwise, using both, around 50mpg seems nearer the mark.
On the road
It’s quick off the mark, and I threw it at the twisting and narrow local roads where it coped admirably. The power delivery is linear, the electric motor gives instant shove when you need it and the petrol engine kicks in under hard acceleration. It hits 62mph in 8.5 seconds. Hardly supercar territory, but adequate.
Then came the Peak District – both tight and sweeping bends, plus steep climbs. The Tiggo 7 clung on like a terrier, feeling well planted. The steering gives reasonable feedback if a little on the light side – but you always know what the front wheels are doing. Suspension is firm enough to feel controlled, soft enough not to rattle your fillings. Chery says it has engineered this car with British roads in mind.
What I really liked was the refinement. Engine and motor work in harmony with little noise, and road noise is kept well at bay even at motorway speeds.
Interior and equipment
Summit is top spec, so you get the lot withpanoramic sunroof, ventilated and massaging front seats, a Sony stereo, twin 12.3-inch screens – one controlling connectivity, infotainment and various apps, the other real time information – plus wireless charging.
However, the touchscreen is fiddly, with some settings buried under sub-menus and can be distracting,
Practicality and safety
The interior feels premium, with soft-touch plastics across the dashboard and doors, and supportive, electrically adjustable seats. Five adults fit without knee-knocking, and the boot is 565 litres with the seats up, expanding to 1,396 litres folded. Our ongoing house move benefited greatly – the boot swallowed boxes, bags, and even the tip run was painless. However the boot floor is a bit high, so loading heavy stuff is a back-ache waiting to happen.
Safety kit is comprehensive and autonomous braking, lane assist, a 360-degree camera, and Euro NCAP gave it four stars .
Warranty
There’s great peace of mind with seven years, 100,000 miles, and roadside assistance thrown in. Chery says, “Not that you should need it,” but we’ll see.
Verdict
At under thirty grand, the Tiggo 7 plug-in offers genuine electric range, generous kit, and a class-leading warranty. It’s not perfect, but for many buyers, that trade-off makes perfect sense.
Factfile
- Chery Tiggo 7 CSH Summit
- Price: £ 32,995 OTR
- Mechanical: 201 PS, 1.5-litre turbo petrol and electric motors, driving the front wheels via an auto transmission
- Max speed: 112 mph
- 0 to 62 mph: 8.5 sec
- Combined mpg: 256.8mpg (nominal)
- Electric range: 56 miles (WLTP)
- CO2 emissions: 28 g/km
- BiK rating: 8%
- Warranty: 7 years/unlimited miles (vehicle), 8 years/100,000 miles (battery)
On the road 