The seven-seat SUV with a 91-mile EV range… and a catch

I’ve spent proper time behind the wheel of the Chery Tiggo 9, including long motorway slogs and day-to-day family duties, and it left me with mixed feelings. On paper, this thing looks like an absolute slam dunk – it’s a big seven-seat SUV with a massive plug-in hybrid range, and a standard equipment list that could make a limo blush. In reality, it’s a bit more complicated.

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Chery positions the Tiggo 9 as its flagship, so it’s bigger and more expensive than the Tiggo 7 or 8. It’s a large, upright SUV that looks sensible rather than flashy, which is no bad thing for a family car. It’s also closely related to the Omoda 9, but the Tiggo goes all-in on practicality with seven seats instead of five. That immediately makes it more appealing if you’ve got kids, dogs, grandparents or all three.

The headline act is the plug-in hybrid system, confidently branded “Super Hybrid”, and to be fair – it earns the name. With up to 91 miles of electric range, you could do most daily driving without using a drop of petrol, and it even supports fast charging. Around town it feels properly electric, smooth, quiet and effortless. On the motorway, running it in Smart mode keeps some battery in reserve, so it doesn’t turn into a thirsty petrol SUV once the charge is gone. I averaged over 50mpg on a long run. As a powertrain, it’s excellent.

The trouble is that the rest of the driving experience doesn’t quite keep up. The Tiggo 9 is comfy and relaxed at speed, making it a great long-distance cruiser, but around town it can feel a bit unwieldy. The steering is very light and the suspension is soft, which means it can feel floaty and slightly wayward on rough roads. Take it onto a twisty B-road and it quickly reminds you that keen driving was not on the brief. There’s loads of power, but not much confidence or feedback to enjoy it.

Inside, space is a strong point. The first and second rows are genuinely roomy, with loads of head and legroom, and the third row is fine for kids or shorter trips. Fold those rear seats down and the boot is massive, turning it into a seriously practical five-seater. As a people carrier in SUV clothing, it does the job very well.

Equipment levels are borderline ridiculous. Heated, ventilated and massaging seats in the front and second row, panoramic roof, adaptive cruise, 360-degree cameras and a Sony sound system all come as standard. There’s only one trim and the only option is paint, which makes ordering refreshingly simple.

The disappointment comes from the interior materials. While everything is well screwed together, some of the plastics feel cheaper than you’d expect at this price, and oddly not as nice as in Chery’s cheaper Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8. Add in a touchscreen-heavy setup that can be fiddly to use on the move, and the illusion of luxury slips a little.

That price is the sticking point. At over £40,000, the Tiggo 9 gets hit by the expensive car road tax supplement, which blunts its value advantage. It undercuts lots of seven-seat alternatives, but Chery’s own Tiggo 8 offers much of the same appeal for far less money. And that’s the big sticking point – if you want a well-equipped, plug-in hybrid SUV with seven seats, why wouldn’t you just go for the Tiggo 8?

If you like the luxury equipment, the EV range and the added size, the Tiggo 9 will make sense. Just be aware that while it’s clever and impressive, it doesn’t quite feel special enough to fully justify its flagship billing.

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