- Latest PHEV tech shared with Jaecoo J7
- 'Super Hybrid' with 90km-plus range
- Larger Tiggo 8 to launch at the same time
Chery's Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid medium-SUV will be New Zealand's cheapest new plug-in hybrid when it's launched in July: $42,990. Or at least it will share the sash with two models that achieve the same price on technicalities: the MG HS PHEV is not the latest model and essentially on runout, while the smaller Jeep Renegade 4xe is currently "on sale", according to Jeep NZ.
That $43k is for the Tiggo 7 Urban, while the more luxurious Ultimate is $46,990. Both will join the much smaller (and even cheaper) Tiggo 4 in Kiwi showrooms.
Under the bonnet of both is a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine making 105kW/215Nm, with a 150kW/310Nm single electric motor. The 18.3kWh plug-in battery is good for 93km (NEDC) and can power the Tiggo 7 at up to 120km/h, as long as it’s at 30% charge or more.
It’s DC fast-charge compatible, at up to 40kW. Chery claims a 30-80% boost is possible in 20 minutes.
The powertrain is essentially the same as that just launched in the Jaecoo J7 SHS; Jaecoo and Omoda are both sub-brands of Chery, although they will be kept quite separate for NZ.
The Tiggo Urban will feature 18-inch wheels, reversing camera, acoustic-glass windscreen, 6-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and LED lights.
The Ultimate adds panoramic roof, ambient lighting, heated/ventilated front seats with memory, upgraded Sony sound system and a 360-degree camera.
One up: there’s also a Tiggo 8
Launching at the same time will be the Tiggo 8, a large 7-seat SUV with exactly the same Super Hybrid powertrain. It’s similar-looking to the Tiggo 7, but 220mm longer (4720mm).
It’ll be available in a single Ultimate model for $51,990, with 19in wheels, 10-speaker sound system, 6-way powered driver’s seat with massage function and a larger infotainment screen than the Tiggo 7: up from 12.3in to 15.6in.
