By Otsile Kadiege

Chery South Africa is expanding its local lineup with the introduction of the Tiggo 7 CSH, a new plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) derivative of the popular Tiggo 7 SUV. The PHEV Tiggo 7 is offered in two trim levels – Plus and Ultra – both priced competitively.

Performance and plug-in hybrid technology
Powering the Tiggo 7 CSH is a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine paired with an electric motor, producing a combined output of 265 kW and 310 Nm of torque. This power is available across a broad rev band, from 1,750 to 4,000 rpm. Power is sent to the front wheels via Chery’s smooth and efficient Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT).

The Tiggo 7 CSH is capable of travelling up to 93 km on electric power alone, thanks to its 18.3 kWh battery pack. Chery claims a combined range of up to 1,200 km—enough to drive from Cape Town to Bloemfontein on a single tank—with a combined fuel consumption figure of just 4.9L/100 km.

Charging is convenient: a full recharge takes 45 minutes to 1 hour using a DC fast charger, or 4 to 8 hours with an AC charger.

Exterior design
The Tiggo 7 CSH retains the bold and modern design of its standard counterpart, enhanced by premium finishes and distinctive styling elements. Both the Plus and Ultra trims come standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, ventilated front disc brakes, and rear disc brakes.

LED lighting features prominently, with automatic LED headlights, LED taillights, LED daytime running lights, and rear fog lamps standard on both trims. The Ultra variant adds front fog lamps, a panoramic sunroof, and a power-operated tailgate.

Available paint options include:

Bloodstone Red & New Carbon Black (two-tone)

NASDAQ SilverCarbon Black

Khaki White

Khaki White & New Carbon Black (two-tone)

Phantom Grey

New Tech Grey

New Vanilla White

Interior and features
Inside, the Tiggo 7 CSH impresses with a high level of standard equipment. The Plus variant features:

1) Leather upholstery

2) Six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat

3) Leather-trimmed steering wheel

4) Dual-zone climate control

5) Keyless entry and push-button start

6) The Ultra builds on this with:

7) Driver’s seat memory, heating, and ventilation

8) Four-way power-adjustable front passenger seat with heating and ventilation

9) Automatic anti-dazzle rear-view mirror (vs. manual in Plus)

10) Negative ion air purification system

11) Technology highlights in both models include:

12) Dual 12.3-inch displays

13) Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

14) USB-A and USB-C ports (front and rear)

15) 50W wireless charging pad

16) Six-speaker audio system (Plus)

17) Eight-speaker Sony sound system (Ultra)

Luggage capacity is rated at 626 litres, expandable to 1,672 litres with the 60:40 split rear seats folded down.

Safety
Both Tiggo 7 CSH models come well-equipped with passive and active safety features, including:

Dual front, front side, side curtain, front inter-seat, and driver’s knee airbags

1) Rear Cross-Traffic Alert

2) Rear Collision Warning

3) Reverse Cross-Traffic Brake

4) Driver Monitoring System

5) Multi-Collision Brake

The Ultra variant adds advanced driver assistance systems such as:

1) Adaptive Cruise Control

2) Forward Collision Warning

3) Automatic Emergency Braking

4) Lane Departure Warning

5) Emergency Lane Keeping

6) Lane Departure Prevention

7) Intelligent High Beam Control

8) Traffic Congestion Assist

9) Integrated Cruise Assist

10) Lane Change Assist

Pricing and warranty
1) Tiggo 7 CSH Plus – R619,900 (Introductory launch price: R599,900 for the first 3 months)

2) Tiggo 7 CSH Ultra – R679,900

The Tiggo 7 CSH is backed by:

A 5-year/150,000 km vehicle warranty

A 10-year/unlimited km battery warranty (for the first owner only)

A 5-year/60,000 km service plan