High mileage runner from Chery

The upmarket hatchback brand from Chinese automaker Chery, the Omoda has made it into the semi-finals of the South African Car of the Year competition amid much jubilation from the local arm of the company as one of the country’s youngest car companies.

However, the parent is certainly not resting on any laurels - the Jaecoo sub-brand is destined to officially launch locally early next year and the Chery range has been expanded on home shores with the pre-launch information on the Fengyun A8.

While this luxury PHEV version of the Arrizo 8 may not actually be destined for South Africa, its importance lies in the fact the company claims an operating range of more than 1 400 kilometres from the combined system resources.

The powertrain comes from Chery’s Kunpeng Electric Hybrid C-DM system consisting of a fifth-generation ACTECO 1.5T GDI hybrid engine and a permanent magnet synchronous motor, mated to a DHT150. The engine outputs 115 kW and 220 Nm while the motor outputs 150 kW and 310 Nm.

 In addition, its 18,3 kWh lithium battery pack provides a pure electric cruising range of 106 km (WLTC) and  it takes 19 minutes to replenish the battery from 30% to 80%.

Moving local, Shannon Gahagan, National brand and marketing manager of Omoda South Africa, says: “When we decided to introduce the Omoda brand to South Africa, we specifically picked the Omoda C5 to be our first model.

“This model is both a showcase of our technological development with its 115 kW 1,5-litre turbo-petrol engine and a perfect example of our futuristic design language that sees nothing as sacred and that looks at any new technology or design element through the lens of functionality and customer benefit."

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The C5 offers a comprehensive range of features, including diamond-cut alloy wheels, a dual-screen 10,25-inch cockpit with touch-screen infotainment and vehicle information and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Omoda then introduced a sporty Omoda C5 GT. Aside from the styling upgrades, such as aerodynamic side skirts, a front splitter and a rear wing, the Omoda C5 GT is fitted with the brand’s Kunpeng 1,6-litre turbo-charged petrol engine. 

The SA Guild of Mobility Journalists  Car of the Year competition is one of the most highly regarded of its kind in the world. Unlike many other COTY competitions, the South African version includes rigorous testing, both at low speeds over uneven surfaces and at the highest possible speeds, with sharp course corrections and dynamic handling of obstacles.

“We are competing in one of the most hotly contested segments – the Compact Family vehicle segmen and, while there are many contenders in this segment, we are confident that the Omoda C5 will offer unmatched value, dynamic capabilities and performance to impress the judges and make it into the list of COTY finalists,” says Gahagan.

Colin Windell

proudly CHANGECARS

Fengyun Image: DongCheDi, AutoHome

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Ideal for the long-haul

That Chery is on a roll is not a matter up for debate and its growing sales figures in South Africa suggest this is likely to continue, spurred on by the new product being added to the Tiggo range – one of these being the Tiggo 7 Pro Max.

Launched as an addition to the existing Tiggo 7 range, the three-variant Pro Max options – including the all-wheel drive flagship on test – came with their own identity fronted by a new grille, boasting an accentuated diamond pattern.

Crafted from a dark gloss black polycarbonate weave, it is embellished with chrome, diamond-shaped highlights, while the lower sill and side intakes are tweaked and the new ‘Angel Wings’ LED headlamps give it some hefty street cred.

The LED light-up sequence, both front and rear, is quite a show and, as the sensors detect the key in hand, its LED lights perform a welcoming symphony of light, evoking a sense of occasion every time the driver approaches the vehicle. 

And that is not all. . . opening the driver’s door unleashes a mild welcoming symphony concert as the various systems gather themselves together.

According to Chery, the Tiggo 7 Pro Max had more than 20 optimisations, spanning interior and exterior design, body and chassis structure, as well as materials.

Seat Comfort

The driver’s seat has a comfort access option and moves backwards when the power is turned off to allow easy access. Touching the ‘Start’ button initiates its move back to the last memory position and brings with it the interior light show in the form of ambient light courtesy of a stepless LED light ring, which stretches from end-to-end, offering a spectrum of 64 hues to create an immersive ambiance.

The star of the dashboard is the 24,6-inch curved hyperboloid immersive screen that provides an ultra-high-definition display. This screen is the hub for information including climate controls and a wealth of entertainment options, including wired and wireless Apple CarPlay2, Offline Navigation as well as Android Auto.

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The one-piece, perforated leather sport front seats have electric adjustment and improved comfort with the heated and ventilated option.

These seats are extremely comfortable and undertaking a lengthy journey would not be a problem. They are not only comfy but provide the right levels of support over the bumps on our less-than-cared-for roads or when venturing a little off the beaten track.

Air Purification

The air-conditioning system is also upgraded and is equipped with N95-level (pm 2.5) air purification capabilities. For the Tiggo 7 Pro Max in Executive trim, the automatic quality control system (AQS) goes above and beyond by offering negative ion air purification.

Standard fare includes an automated rear luggage door that opens when the driver approaches, dual-zone ‘‘automatic climate control, ‘Hello Chery’ Intelligent Voice Commands, a panoramic sunroof and a state-of-the-art camera array that employs AI technology to provide a comprehensive view around the vehicle when needed. The wireless phone charging feature has been upgraded from 15 W to 50 W, ensuring rapid charging times for devices.

For car buyers, it is important to note Chery works on the what-you-see-is-what-you-get principle and there is not a long list of complex option packages made even worse when you are told “if you want that, you have to buy this as well” – something quite prevalent with the European automakers.

It comes with a long list of safety equipment and the driver safety/assistance is typical of Chinese brands with plenty of warning beeps and notices popping up on the screen. I was told quite often ‘you have been distracted for some time’ and, behind another car at an intersection ‘the front car has drived off’.

Some of these cannot be turned off but the initial annoyance factor diminishes over time and you quickly get used to the car communicating with you.

Safety Systems

Certainly, on the safety side, the systems work a treat and a gent laden with Christmas spirit who lurched out of the bushes into the road, lived to try again another day because the emergency braking initiated by the camera system operated faster than I could hit the brakes.

The Tiggo 7 Pro Max Executive has a level 2.5 Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) with 17 intelligent safety features, that include Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Rear Collision Warning (RCW), Driver Monitoring System (DMS) and, on the Executive 4WD model, Multi-Collision Brake (MCB) and Lane Change Assist (LCA).

It comes with eight crash bags, compared to the six in the standard Tiggo 7 Range.

The Max naming is not limited to fixtures and fittings and both power and torque are increased with the 1,6-litre TGDI turbo-petrol ATECO engine producing 145 kW and 290 Nm of torque, compared to the 108 kW and 210 Nm of the standard models.

It pairs this engine with a dual clutch seven-speed transmission.

Priced at R609 900, the Tiggo 7 Pro Max plays in the same arena as the Hyundai Grand Creta 2.0 Elite and Audi Q2 35TFSI and offers significantly more in terms of standard equipment as well as having more power and torque on tap.

My initial assessment of the standard Tiggo 7 Pro was it needed a bit more power and ran quite heavy on fuel consumption. The power issue is well and truly sorted with the Pro Max and, although it is now slightly heavier on consumption than the standard version – 7,8 l/100 km versus 6,8 l/100 km (from a 1,5-litre engine), it is acceptable for the performance.

With up to 1 672 litres of luggage space it swallows more than just a set of golf clubs and, with the various configurations is an ideal family traveller as well as easy commuter – despite the quite large dimensions but here too things are taken of with the hi-res reverse and 360 camera allow for easy parking and manoeuvring in tight spaces.

All-Wheel Drive

With ground clearance of 192 mm the Tiggo can take the scenic routes and the all-wheel drive is capable of negotiating some quite tricky muddy or sandy sections (but is NOT a full-blown 4x4) so I would not hesitate to take this on a lengthy road trip.

In every respect Chery has upped the game in the SUV market and is doing so at very competitive prices along with a 5-year / 60 000 km service plan and 1-million-kilometre / 10-year engine warranty. 

Colin Windell

proudly CHANGECARS

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Colin-on-Cars - New parts store for Chery

The Chery brand has taken off in South African and the local company has now opened a new parts warehouse in Parkhaven, Boksburg that will house stock worth around R70-million of 4 500 part lines.

“In 2022, Chery’s first full year of sales, the company welcomed 13 142 new customers to the brand. This is a new record for any new entrant in the South African market and it makes Chery the seventh most popular brand in the country. We hope to further improve on this ranking in 2023,” says Tony Liu, Executive Deputy General Manager of Chery South Africa.

“Our choice of the warehouse in Boksburg gives us easy access to all main arteries in and out of Gauteng. It will allow us to dispatch parts to every dealership every day and to receive parts and components for storage throughout the day and night,” says Liu.

The new warehouse not only represents a major increase in size but also in complexity. The new facility uses state-of-the-art electronic identification systems to easily find, pick and dispatch stock.

“We are aiming for an industry-leading fill rate of 98%, which will ensure that customers do not wait longer than normal to have their vehicles serviced or repaired,” says Floris du Toit Head of Aftersales Services at Chery South Africa.

Adequate

Du Toit notes the fill rate also applies to repair parts for vehicles damaged in an accident. Chery South Africa already holds more than adequate body panels and other vehicle replacement parts that can be ordered by any of its 117 nationally approved panel shops in South Africa.

Chery has steadily expanded its range of lifestyle and functional accessories, including electrically retractable side steps on the Tiggo 8, a range of tow bars for all vehicles and additional cargo and styling solutions for the Tiggo range.

These accessories will be stocked at the new warehouse and delivered, with a comprehensive warranty, to all dealers in the Chery network.

“We hope to instil the same level of confidence in our range of Chery accessories as we do in our products. As such, we encourage our customers to buy and fit their accessories directly from their nearest dealer to make sure that it remains within warranty,” says Liu.

These benefits will also apply to customers of Chery’s new fleet-sales division. 

“Chery has seen a significant increase in sales to large fleet operators. Many of these fleet companies have strict requirements for the amount of time that a vehicle is allowed to be booked in for services or repairs. Our new warehouse will ensure that we not only meet but exceed these strict requirements,” says Du Toit

Aside from offering significantly more warehouse space and easy access for delivery vehicles, the new warehouse also has space available for future expansion. Chery is also investigating smaller regional distribution centres that would further improve parts distribution by placing the high volume service parts closest to customers.

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Colin-on-Cars - Chery cracks top 10

Just eight months after relaunching the brand in South Africa, Chery has cracked the top 10 list of monthly sales, having moved 1 262 units in July.

Chery entered the new vehicle market in late November 2021 with the Tiggo 4 Pro range and followed with the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro in late February 2022 and the newest addition, the Tiggo 7 Pro, only landed on showroom floors in May 2022.

In July, the Tiggo 4 Pro range represented 689 units of the total 1 262 units sold. This ranks it in the top five best-selling SUVs in its segment. In total volume, it is followed by the Tiggo 7 Pro (372 units) and the flagship Tiggo 8 Pro (201 units). Both these luxury SUVs now rank first in their respective segments, based on sales.

“Chery’s sales performance is a tribute to our dealer network, which has been our greatest ambassador and which has been exemplary in its treatment of our Chery customers,” says Jay Jay Botes, National Sales Manager of Chery South Africa.

According to Botes, all of Chery’s sales were made through the dealer network and not as bulk sales to fleet or rental companies.

“We realise South Africans are under significant economic pressure and that they need the best possible value for money when buying a vehicle. That is why we have put so much effort into creating our 1-million-kilometre mechanical warranty and our best-in-class list of luxury and safety specifications in every Tiggo Pro,” says Botes.

Chery currently has 60 dealers and it will soon announce new dealers and expand to neighbouring countries in Africa.

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Colin-on-Cars - Seat time in the new Chery Tiggo 4 Pro

In describing things that are vastly different, there are many superlatives and expressions such as ‘poles apart’ or ‘as different as night and day’ to name but two – yet none really described the quantum leap made by Chery between the last Tiggo sold here and the new Tiggo 4 Pro I got to drive briefly ahead of its official launch next month.

Design, style, fixtures, fittings, comfort, noise levels, performance have all risen to new heights. True, that is just making the comparison between the old version and the new. The acid test will come when it is compared directly against its competition such as the Haval Jolion and Ford EcoSport among them.

This, however, is not the time for such comparisons as the drive experience was fairly limited – just a taster.

The Tiggo 4 Pro will be the first model to launch in South Africa, with deliveries to customers scheduled for late November, shortly after the opening of the first 30 dealerships.

Says Tony Liu, Executive Deputy General Manager, Chery South Africa: “The Tiggo 4 Pro will be one of the most advanced SUVs in the compact urban SUV class when it is launched to the public in November.

“At the same time, it will be one of the most competitively priced models in its class. It is only fitting that it will be launched first in South Africa, which incidentally is the first country on the globe to launch the right-hand drive version.”

Price will naturally be a major player in this new equation but that will be announced only at the official launch in November.

The Tiggo 4 Pro is the first ambassador of the modern Chery design language. It includes a large grille with integrated LED headlamps and LED daytime running lights. If nit-picking, this grille is, perhaps, a little too similar to the Hyundai style.

Depending on the specification level, the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro will be shod with 16-inch or 17-inch machined alloy wheels. I drove only the Tiggo 4 Pro and the entire external package sitting on those wheels presents a very neat looking vehicle, proportionately accurate and rather neat looking.

The Tiggo 4 Pro is powered by a 1,5-litre petrol engine and a choice of two manual and a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Entry-level models will be fitted with the normally aspirated variant of this four-cylinder engine, sporting intelligent variable valve timing. This engine is rated to deliver 85 kW and 141 Nm of torque. Power is delivered to the front wheels through a five-speed manual transmission or CVT.

The flagship version of the Tiggo 4 is equipped with Chery’s TCI turbo-charged engine. This turbo-petrol engine delivers 108 kW and 210 Nm of torque to the front wheels through either a six-speed manual transmission or CVT.

The Tiggo 4 Pro offers a choice of Eco or Sport driving modes, the latter injecting a suitable measure of urgency into the vehicle. For a CVT gearbox, the Tiggo version works a lot better than many on the market, helped by the fact the engine is turbo-charged so the hunt for the right ratio is swift and not the long-winded whine often associated with these gearboxes.

There is a touch of turbo-lag but nothing too serious or that would impact a driver in the normal use of the car in and around town and on the annual holiday trip.

In terms of handling, as expected there is a bit of front-end push into tight corners but even on the standard fit Chinese tyres, it behaved with impeccable manners. Kitted with tyres more specific to our roads (especially urban dirt roads) this would improve even more.

While aimed at the compact SUV category, the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro has a 2 610 mm wheelbase and an overall length of 4 318 mm, placing it much higher against larger SUVs and crossover vehicles.

“The Tiggo 4 Pro is also one of the first models to ride on our new six-dimensional beam platform, which we call the 6D Longitudinal Beam Structure. More than two thirds of the vehicle’s frame and structure is built with high- and ultra-high strength steel, and the 6-dimensional design gives it unmatched tortional rigidity and crash safety,” says Liu.

All models of the Tiggo 4 Pro will be equipped with passive and dynamic safety systems, including two or six airbags (depending on the model), vehicle stability control on all models, hill hold control and, on higher specification models, hill descent control and cruise control.

As one of the newest models in the Chery global family, the Tiggo 4 Pro will introduce dual-screen luxury as a standard feature in the compact SUV class.

Entry models have a 3,5-inch TFT full colour screen in place of a traditional analogue instrument panel, while higher specification models increase the size to a full 7-inch screen.

Taking centre stage in the cabin is the second large full colour screen. This screen is a 10,25-inch capacitive touch screen that incorporates most of the vehicle control and is equipped – throughout the range – with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity and a DVD player.

All models also have air-conditioning, power windows all round and automatic headlamps, to name but a few luxury features. Luxury versions add even more specifications, including a powered sunroof, an intelligent voice command system and climate control.

However, on the Tiggo 4 Pro the one truly cute feature is the voice control that even allows you to command the system to open or close your window.

I look forward to some extended seat time in the newcomer.

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