Article: Richard Wiley
For the most part, new car buyers have faced a barrage of rising prices which, along with all the recent supply uncertainties, have boosted used car sales and changed the look of the top sellers’ board in RSA and elsewhere.
What has become very clear is that price is rapidly becoming the key component in the decision-making process when it comes to which brand will grace a potential buyer’s driveway. The proof is in the charts that show huge gains made by Suzuki and by Chinese manufacturers whose contenders, just a couple of years ago, were viewed as cheap and not-so-cheerful devices.
“You get what you pay for” was the common cry but that credo is now beginning to look a little hollow as those Chinese makers up the ante with modern designs awash with the latest tech equipment and decent powertrains. Now the cry could well be “you get more than what you pay for” when comparisons are made with cars sourced from more traditional markets.
One such example is Chery which began production as recently as 1999, using a chassis derived from VW’s SEAT Toledo model. Roll on to 2022 and a compact SUV (it looks more mid-sized to me) carrying the odd name of Tiggo 7 Pro arrived on my driveway and caught my attention immediately.
I hate to sound condescending, but frankly, I did not expect to find a vehicle showing off such visually appealing paintwork and such tight and even panel gaps. And then there were the body colour door handles, the polished roof rails, the dual sunroof, the LED lamps, the folding body colour door mirrors, the auto tailgate, the full surround rubber inlays, the full-width rear light strip, the rear spoiler, the big 225/60R18 tyres residing on smart diamond cut alloys and so on. Impressive.
But there was more to admire than a casual inspection might reveal. The polished embellishment surrounding the side windows is an example. The entire upper embellisher is attached immediately above the door closure line on the main bodywork, so it is a seamless one-piece unit with no alignment variations. Neat. And then there are the false sills. The doors overlap the sills and are equipped with hefty rubber seals along their lower edges to keep dirt at bay and occupants’ clothing clean when exiting after a drive on mucky surfaces.
Inside – accessible via keyless tech – the positive impressions continue thanks in no small part to the use of smart-looking materials and neat detail execution. The dashboard, for example, is simply executed and swathed in a stitched faux leather that adds to the inviting ambiance which is further enhanced by polished trim embellishers and by the use of high-quality off-white fabric for the roof lining. Unusually, the centre console is a two-layer affair and incorporates a wireless charging pad.
Unusually too at this price level, both front seats sport electric adjustment and the convenience factor is high thanks to the presence of plenty of oddments receptacles and a cooled receptacle to keep your chocolates in fine fettle. The rear seat is split 60:40 to give additional volume to the already reasonably spacious and well-finished 475L primary luggage area with a retractable cover under which sits a full-size spare.
Illuminated vanity mirrors are complemented by multi-colour ambient lighting, niceties such as park sensors, rearview camera, 360 all-round view monitor, rear traffic alert, blind spot detection, auto-folding rear view mirrors, a full array of airbags, privacy glass, electric windows all round, adaptive cruise control, dual-zone climate control, multiple USB ports, ISOFIX mountings and even more.
In truth, the interior execution is remarkably classy such that there’s a distinctly Audi-like feel about much of the detailing, and let me tell you that is a compliment. The fact that so much is included in the standard spec really does lead to questioning why other makers charge liberally for options that are already on board here. For example, the electric panoramic sunroof and LED lighting of the Chery will cost you around R28 000 extra on a VW Polo, but we haven’t finished with the Tiggo’s listings yet as the attractive soft-moulded dash also incorporates a floating 10,25-inch Bluetooth-enabled infotainment touchscreen that powers 6-speakers and incorporates intelligent voice control and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility.
Powering the Tiggo is a 1.5 litre turbo’d four credited with 108kW @ 5 500rpm and 210Nm which holds from 1 750 to 4 500rpm. That torque plateau ensures that progress rarely feels strained. Speed sensitive power steering takes out most of the effort and much of the feel when traversing twistier roads, but most drivers should be happy with the required muscle levels in the urban at speed when mechanical refinement is notably good. The adaptive cruise control system is a useful fitment for those who spend a lot of time on busier open roads.
To say I was pleasantly surprised by the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Executive is something of an understatement. Indeed, I am obliged to rate it as one of the MAJOR surprises of my motoring year, an assessment based on the quality of the overall presentation along with the astonishingly complete specification. In the meantime, take it as read that this Chery at under R500 000 in RSA is a value leader and a source of much pleasure for anyone with an eye for quality of assembly and terrific detail finishing standards.
PRICING: From R472 900 as at November 2022
WARRANTY: 5yr/150 000km* SERVICE: 5yr/60 000km
*Special extensions on the engine apply to the first owner
En nou sit ek hier, in die Kamdeboo, in ‘n Chery by die in-ry. Dis sy skuld. Ek kyk met ander oë nie net na die Chery nie, maar na die motormark in sy geheel. Soos wat ons deur die platteland ry en by klein dorpies soos Pearston aandoen, neem ons kerke af. Pragtige statige geboue. Elke dorpie het een. En ‘n Hotel met ‘n kroeg. En deesdae nog iets. Elke dorpie het ‘n Chinese winkel. Skielik, toe ons weer sien, toe sien jy hulle oral. En dit werk, want hulle verkoop dieselfde produkte, maar teen ‘n baie goedkoper prys. En hoekom dan nou meer betaal as jy dieselfde vir goedkoper kan kry. Dieselfde, nie ‘n minderwaardige produk nie.Dit was reeds met die intrapslag wat ek agtergekom het hoekom my kolega Richard so beïndruk was met sy toets-Chery. Die kajuit van die Chery Tiggo pro 8 wat ek toetsbestuur is luuks. Mens het half die verwagting dat, omdat dit Chinees is en omdat dit goedkoper is, dit goedkoop moet wees. Maar hier betree jy ‘n kajuit met leer sitplekke wat elektries verstel en verskillende persone se verstellings kan onthou. Ook die stuur verstel in vier ritings, so jou gemaklike sit sal jy kry. Die uitleg is skoon en netjies met nie minder nie as drie skerms, maar daar is tog knoppies, diskreet geplaas sodat die kajuit nie so besig moet raak nie, want as jy telkens aan die skerms raak sit hulle later vol vingermerke. Dit het ek nou al in ‘n Mercedes gesien. Elke denkbare luukse is daar, net soos in die Duitse motors, van klimaatbeheer tot die panoramiese sondak. Die klankstelsel is Sony. Gepraat van die sondak, as jy nie die skerms wil vuil vat nie, maar ook nie lus is vir knoppies druk nie, dan praat jy maar. “Hallo Chery. Please open the sunroof.” En woeps – oop skuif die sondak. Dit het ek ook al gesien – in ‘n Twee en ‘n Half miljoen Rand Duitse motor.
Die 1,6L turbo-petrol lewer 145kW en 290nm wringkrag, so toe ek twee lorries tergelyke tyd moes verbysteek op die N10 daar naby Nanaga padstal, toe sit ek net voet neer en 7-spoed dubbel-koppelaar ratkas doen die res. Geruisloos skuif ons verby. En die 8,5L/100km gemiddelde verbruik oor ‘n 1000km was ook glad nie sleg nie, veral in ag genome dat hierdie ‘n 7-sitplek sportnuts is.Die ding is, hierdie Sportnuts kos R496 900-00 en dis een van Chery se duurste voertuie. En hy het alles. Al die spesifikasie. EN dis ingesluit by die prys. Geen boksies om te merk nie. Hy is goed gebou, met kwaliteit materiale. Hierdie voertuig praat vierkantig saam met enige ander voertuig in sy segment. Hy is nie goedkoper omdat hy goedkoper gebou is nie. Die kwaliteit vergelyk goed en is in gevalle selfs beter as die kompetisie.
So as iemand met die statuur van Richard Wiley en elke ander motor joernalis in die land vir jou sê hier is ‘n motor om na te kyk, miskien is dit dan tog ‘n goeie idee om ten minste net een te gaan toetsbetuur volgende keer wat jy in die mark is vir ‘n nuwe motor. Op die heel minste maak jy dan ‘n ingeligte besluit. En miskien koop jy ‘n lekker motor teen 10 jaar terug se pryse.
Van die pad af en op die viertrek roete was beide voertuie in hul element. Die Jeep met sy groot wiele, agressiewe bande, fox-vering en 209kW enjin ignoreer basies die terrein en ry eenvoudig moeiteloos oor alles. Hierdie is ‘n speelding par excellence. Die dak en deure kan afhaal om die voertuig te omtower in die ideale somer-speelding. Daar is sluitbare stoorplekke onder die agtersitplek, so jy kan steeds waardevolle items in die voertuig bêre en agter die agtersitplek is selfs ‘n Bluetooth-luidspreker vir daai partytjie op die strand. Die klank van daai V6 is verslawend en die Jeep is ‘n plesier om van die pad af te bestuur. Die jimny aan die anderkant was so standard soos wat hy van sy ma af gekom het. Die bande was gewone padbande en boonop was dit die bestuurder se eerste keer in ‘n 4×4. Die Jimny het gesien wat die Jeep doen en eenvoudig gevolg. Nooit gesukkel nie en was nooit uit sy diepte nie. Selfs in standard vorm met ‘n onervare bestuurder het die Jimny sy bestuurder presies geneem waar die Jeep sy bestuurder geneem het, teen ‘n miljoen Rand laer aankoop prys en met die helfte van die brandstof. Dis mos nou die slim kopie.Dit gesê, die Jeep is nie ‘n eerste of enigste voertuig nie. Die koper van die voertuig koop dit waarskynlik as ‘n tweede of derde motor en spesifiek met die doel om te speel. ‘n Persoon wat by die R1,3milj kan spandeer op ‘n derde voertuig vir speel gaan nie omgee vir die prys of die petrol verbruik nie. En as speelding kom daar nie veel voertuie koeler as ‘n Jeep nie. As dit in jou vermoë is sal die Jeep jou nie teleur stel nie. En terloops, ons het verwag dat hy swaar op brandstof sou wees. Syfers van 16L/100km is genoem, maar ons het oor 550km (waarvan 150km viertrek was) ‘n gemiddelde verbruik van 11L/100km gehad. Nie lig nie, maar baie beter as verwag! Die Jimny se verbruik was 7,1L/100km.
Eerstens, die Defender sal ook maklik oral gaan waar die Jeep en Jimny was. Toegegee die nuwe Defender is, anders as die Defender van ouds, ‘n baie deftiger voertuig. Mens sal dalk huiwer om met die mooi voertuig in die regtig rowwe plekke in te ry uit vrees dat hy dalk sal krap. Dit beteken egter nie dat hy nie kan nie, ek sou net jammerder vir die voertuig wees. Die voordeel wat die Defender bo die ander twee geniet is sy padgedrag. Die Defender ry net so luuks en gerieflik op die teer as van die pad af. Daar is hy die ander twee voor. Verder is die Defender beskikbaar met ‘n diesel enjin – definitief iets wat ek sou verkies in die Jimny of Jeep. En laastens – terwyl die drie voertuie ewe trots voor Sederberg Oasis geparkeer kan staan, kan die Defender net so trots voor die 12 Apostels staan vir jou middel-middag tee, tussen ‘n luukse sedan en ‘n sportmotor. Die defitige stilering van die Defender maak hom pas in beide wêrelde. Die Defender is duur, hy kos basies net so veel soos die Jeep. Maar die Defender kan wel jou eerste / enigste / familie motor wees.Meer oor die Defender in ‘n toekomstige artikel.
