I test drove the Chery Tiggo Cross hybrid and petrol variants, here are my thoughts
Chery Malaysia had invited us to test drive both the Petrol and hybrid variants of its upcoming Tiggo Cross model and I have to say, I was very happy with the car. While, of course, there are many differences in terms of design, comfort and overall feel between the two variants, I can safely say most Malaysians will love both. Here is my impression of the car.
I personally prefer the fully petrol turbocharged unit over the hybrid myself but that is only because I hate regenerative braking as a system. The real highlight of this car is that all the safety systems that can be found in the Chery Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 Pro are also present on the Tiggo Cross making it a true value for money option.
Moreover, it is well known by now that the Chery Tiggo Cross was first previewed during the 2025 Malaysia Autoshow and as such, we still don’t know the exact prices of these models in Malaysia but it is expected to cost less than RM100,000 and if this is true, then the Tiggo Cross would be one of the most safety feature packed car in its price point in Malaysia.
The Chery Tiggo Cross is also confirmed to come in two variants, a hybrid with a 1.5-litre 4 cylinder unit paired to a hybrid battery and a fully petrol model powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine. The former makes a combined 201hp and 310Nm of torque while the latter makes 145hp and 210Nm of torque.
The turbo model is paired to a 6-speed DCT while the hybrid, using the brand’s Chery Super Hybrid (CSH) system is paired to a direct hybrid system (DHT) transmission. Okay, now that we have established all that, let’s get into my impressions and review of the two variants of the Chery Tiggo Cross which should be launching soon in Malaysia.
Exterior Design
To be honest, both variants of the Chery Tiggo Cross look identical. The only real differences are in the badging and of course, the turbo model has slightly larger wheels when compared to its hybrid counterpart. This is no surprise though as a hybrid battery means more weight and more space being taken up as well so the smaler tyres will help balance this out.
Aside from that, the design is pretty much standard Tiggo design language. Those who are familiar with the Chery Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 Pro should find the overall design of the Tiggo Cross very familiar. It is boxy without being overly square but with a few curves here and there to balance the sharpness of the design.
The overall design itself is modern but also timeless in a way. It’s not as “out there” as some other new SUVs in our market but it is definitely also not so safe in design that it is boring to look at. The large front grille and thin headlights also really make the whole design stand out and give this small SUV a large presence on the road.
Interior Design
The inside is where the design of these two variants actually differs a bit more. While the overall design and colour scheme is unchanged, the turbo variant has an actual parking brake switch as well as a button for Auto Hold braking. The hybrid Chery Tiggo Cross skips both and instead has auto hold brake engaged all the time.
Other than that, a very clever design offers rather wide space despite the car looking a bit smaller on the outside. Both variants also feature a flat bottom steering wheel and the turbo model comes with 3 drive modes, namely Eco, Normal and Sport while the hybrid only gets Eco and Sport. The difference in power delivery is night and day in these modes.
Convenience was clearly a huge priority as the arm rest is sturdy and folds out at a 90 degree angle, there is a rear air con vent for rear passengers to feel comfortable in our ridiculous heat and the front air con vents blew out strong, cold air too and the USB ports were all angled away from the driver to avoid cluttering with cables in the centre console.
The Chery Tiggo Cross also features a twin screen infotainment and digital driver display set up making the entire cabin feel a lot more premium and high tech. Now, obviously, this may not be everyone’s cup of tea as some people prefer a more analogue look, but the switches in the middle of the centre console and air con control switches make it a good balance.
Performance
Okay, so now let’s get into the driving part of this review. The car itself was very smooth, the suspension is soft but not bouncy and the Chery Tiggo Cross can actually even handle speed bumps without bouncing or jerking roughly at higher than normal speeds. However, I felt that the turbo model handles the bumps just a bit better than the hybrid.
Acceleration is smooth too until you get into sports mode and then the car just jolts forward as soon as your foot sinks slightly into the accelerator. However, in both variants, this acceleration and power is severely dampened in Eco mode and of course the regen braking in the hybrid variant makes driving even more jarring at first.
Of course, the ride itself is very comfortable as the leather seats are soft and the suspension is also very well calibrated so doing long drives in the Chery Tiggo Cross is a great experience. The rear seats may not be as comfortable for 3 full sized adults though but 2 is more than comfortable.
Practicality
So while the front seats are comfortable and the rear bench is definitely a great place to be in, space is definitely more than good enough. The boot is also quite spacious and even has a proper spare tyre under the false floor. Despite being a relatively small SUV, the Chery Tiggo Cross makes very good use of its space.
Speaking of which, the turning radius is also quite tight on this car but that should not come as a surprise to anyone as the Chery Tiggo Cross is not very big at all but it is not exactly small either and this is what makes the good turning radius and well managed space even more impressive. If the price is right, I think this car will practically sell itself in Malaysia.
