Chery Tiggo 7 (2025) Review

Introduction

Another day, another Chinese brand... are there any more still to join?

While most probably won’t be familiar with the latest entrant, if you really know your cars, this is one of only a couple of Chinese names you’re likely to have heard of. Chery is a big brand in China, selling over 2.5 million vehicles worldwide last year –six times more than Jaguar, Land Rover– and, as a result, can lay claim to being one of the world’s largest manufacturers. 

It has already launched a few cars in the UK under its sub-brands, Omoda and Jaecoo, which it owns outright. But this is Chery’s first UK-offered vehicle with its own badging on it – a mid-size SUV called the Tiggo 7, which is arriving on forecourts alongside its larger seven-seater sibling, the Tiggo 8.

There are also two more following on soon: the smaller Tiggo 4 and the flagship Tiggo 9.

It’s lucky ‘7’ we’re interested in today, though.

Although it may be new to the UK, the Tiggo 7 has been around for nearly a decade, having been unveiled for the first time in 2016. A new version was launched four years later, which received a facelift in 2023 and a further tweak in 2025, giving Chery the confidence to launch the car in the European markets, including here in Britain. Immediate success for Chinese brands in the UK has had mixed results, with a couple instantly rivalling established big names, and most being in-betweeners.

One thing that’s instantly noticeable about Chery, though, is that its focus is on value for money.

So, will this be ‘cheap Chery’, or ‘terrific Tiggo’?

At a Glance

There’s nothing to worry about if you’re concerned that Chinese styling won’t fit in. The Tiggo 7 looks distinctly European, with a large Audi-esque mesh grille which dominates the front end, alongside large black cut-outs which widen its mouth even more at the sides. The thin headlights also look rather Audi-ish, and the entire front looks squared off, sharp and menacing. 

Around the sides, there’s less aggressive flair, but some neatly placed creases and a large side skirt add definition and character. At the rear, there’s a horizontal light bar spanning the width of the boot, reaching around the sides of the car. There are two large, vertical slits, one on each side, hinting at aerodynamic credentials, along with plenty of cladding, a nice roof spoiler and a rounded lower edge to the back windscreen.

Overall, it’s pleasant to look at. There’s nothing ground-breaking about it, and there’s little to make it stand out, but the 7 certainly won’t stick out like a sore thumb either.

Key Features

The Tiggo 7 is available in two trim levels.

Aspire comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, a 12.3-inch dual infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB radio, voice control, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument display; however, you don't get native SatNav. You also get a rear-view camera and three driving modes, dual-zone climate control, LED headlights and taillights, and six-way power adjustment for the driver’s seat.

Then there’s Summit, which upgrades to 19-inch alloy wheels and adds four-way power adjustment for a front passenger seat, a powered tailgate, an eight-speaker Sony audio system, and a 540-degree panoramic camera view. This top-of-the-range version also comes with illuminated entry sills, door mirrors that illuminate the ground, vented and heated front seats, a wireless phone charger, as well as a panoramic sunroof.

Power comes in the form of a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 147PS, connected to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission – the same as you get in a Jaecoo 7.

There is also a version called the Super Hybrid, which comes with a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine connected to an electric motor, delivering a total of 204PS. It is a plug-in hybrid, but the engine can also act as a generator, charging up the battery when it gets low.

Range & Batteries

The Super Hybrid version comes with an 18.4kWh battery. That is good enough for a claimed range of 56 miles – and Chery says that, added to a full tank of fuel, the car can manage 745 miles.

Performance & Drive

The Tiggo 7's performance is reasonable, with a 0-62mph time of 9.4 seconds, which can be reduced to 8.5 seconds with the Super Hybrid version.

Both versions surge off the line, as if delivering their power in one big dollop. However, while that sounds good, it’s nowhere near as refined an experience as in other cars with near-instant acceleration, which manage to deliver power smoothly. However, the Super Hybrid is arguably the more composed of the two. Neither the 1.5- nor the 1.6-litre engines sound particularly impressive and can screech a bit at higher revs. At lower speeds, though, both perform admirably well, with the Super Hybrid offering all-electric driving, which is handy for tackling the rush hour’s stop-start traffic.

The Super Hybrid’s engine starts up as and when required, and it’s barely noticeable, with a seamless transition. At higher speeds, its additional grunt is apparent, as the non-hybrid can feel out of puff. In contrast, the electric motor gives the Super Hybrid an extra helping hand to extract more performance, offering more versatility when overtaking. It is aided by the responsive automatic gearbox, which is always ready with change-downs to help you on your way.

While helpful, the gearbox is oversensitive, if anything, and can sometimes change gears when you’re not expecting it. The Super Hybrid is the clear winner, particularly if you’ll be driving a lot in heavier traffic or on faster dual-carriageways and motorways. Another bit of good news is that Chery hasn’t been slow or arrogant when responding to customer feedback.

Its sub-branded car, the Omoda 5, launched in Britain in summer 2024 and was let down by its driver assistance aids, which often felt like they were trying to wrestle the car out of your hands. They were very clever features, but terribly implemented. Chery has now gone away and worked hard on them, and while they are still all there, they are less sensitive and, unlike before, don’t seem to cause more problems than they solve. The Integrated Cruise Assist function, though, can still be overly excessive in terms of keeping you in the dead centre of a lane. This can be annoying on very small, more twisty roads, where straddling the white lines might be preferable when safe to do so. Thankfully, though, it can be turned off by holding a button on the wheel for a few seconds.

In terms of ride and handling, both versions are about what you’d expect, though while it's generally nice to waft along in, pockmarked road surfaces and potholes do unsettle both versions more than we’d like. The Tiggo 7 generates a reasonable amount of lean around faster corners, but not excessive amounts, while providing a decent balance between comfort and athleticism.

It isn’t keen to attack twistier roads, though – but then few SUVs are – and any hint of an engaging driving experience isn’t helped by the steering, which lacks any feel, particularly in the Super Hybrid, where it’s noticeably lighter. Still, it carries its bulkiness and weight well (the non-hybrid is around 1,500kg, and the Super Hybrid is around 300kg heavier) and is satisfactory, if not particularly memorable, to drive. The Super Hybrid comes with regenerative braking, which can be adjusted via the touchscreen, and it’s got noticeably more braking power than the non-hybrid.

Charging

The Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid’s battery charges up at a maximum rate of 40kW DC. That means a 30-80% top-up takes just 20 minutes. Charging up using a home wallbox is limited to 6.6kW, with a 0-100% top-up taking around three hours.

Running Costs and Emissions 

The petrol-only model returns just 32.7mpg, emitting 163g/km of CO2, which isn’t great at all.

The Super Hybrid, on the other hand, manages 256.8mpg, producing just 23g/km of CO2. However, expect around 47mpg with depleted batteries – achieving anywhere near the higher mpg figure depends on keeping them topped up. If you’re a company car driver, then the Super Hybrid is a no-brainer, with its 56-mile all-electric range helping it into the 9% Benefit In Kind tax bracket.

Road tax will cost £1,360 and £110 for the first year in the non-hybrid and Super Hybrid, respectively, and £195 for both in subsequent years, subject to tax rises.

As Chery is a new marque, it's impossible to gauge reliability at present, and a clear picture of where in the league tables it fits won't become known for several years yet. Nevertheless, peace of mind is offered in the form of a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty - but that won't be of interest to you if you're leasing it.

Interior & Technology

Inside, the Tiggo 7 looks very desirable, with a premium cabin that might not frighten Mercedes-Benz, but competes well against any direct foe. The steering wheel looks bold, with thick spokes and a double lower spoke covered in silver trim. There is also plenty of silver on the doors, along the dashboard and around the centre console and gear lever, which helps brighten up the cabin. 

The dual 12.3-inch screens take centre stage, though, sat next to each other in one single unit. The one on the left is the infotainment, featuring sharp, contemporary graphics displayed on a fairly responsive touchscreen packed full of features, though it did lag once or twice. If anything, the system is a little overcomplicated and takes time to adapt to, but it’s not bad and includes shortcut buttons to get to the right menu quicker. Some features are accessed by swiping from the sides, top and bottom of the screen, like you’d do to pull up or pull down a menu on your smartphone. The digital instruments sit next to the infotainment display, offering an equally crisp and clear screen with plenty of helpful information, though it’s not particularly customisable.

Dials and physical controls don't control the air conditioning – they're touch-sensitive buttons – but are contained within a separate panel beneath the infotainment screen. This makes things more convenient than burying them in the touchscreen. More touch-sensitive buttons can be found on the steering wheel, but Chery has put plenty of physical controls elsewhere, so you’re not having to do everything through the touchscreen.

The cabin shares some of its layout with another SUV from one of Chery’s sub-brands, the Omoda 5, so if you’ve looked at one, it may seem familiar.

The build quality seems of a high standard, and the fit and finish of the materials feel sophisticated and anything but bargain basement. A distinct lack of cheap, thin plastics and plenty of patterns and plush surfaces make for a nice cabin to sit in. Chery has clearly done its homework.

Practicality & Boot Space

Finding a suitable driving position is easy in the Tiggo 7, made even more convenient by the six-way electric seat adjustment. At the same time, those opting for the top trim will get four-way powered adjustment for the front seat passenger, too. You are positioned relatively high up, too, which provides a commanding view of the road ahead, helping forward visibility.

It is also not bad out of the rear, aided by an all-glass panel that stretches all the way to the back of the car, where it meets the sides of the rear roof spoiler. However, the thick black border surrounding the rear windscreen takes up quite a lot of space. We have seen worse, though, and front and rear parking sensors help to mitigate any issues, not to mention Chery’s so-called 540-degree camera system, named because it can literally generate an image which makes the car invisible.

The clever camera tech is only offered on the higher Summit trim, though – but at least you still get a standard rear-view camera on the entry-level Aspire model. Interior storage isn’t bad, with a decent-sized cubby beneath the centre console, but the door bins and glove compartment are on the small side. You will also find a couple of cupholders and a wireless phone charger, which is also kept cool to avoid overheating issues.

 You will have no problems with headroom in either the front or back, despite the sloping roofline, which marginally cuts the ceiling height in the rear seats. Legroom isn’t a problem, either, with plenty in the front and a generous amount in the back, helped by the angle of the sports seats and the fact that there's no transmission tunnel running along the middle of the floor. Three adults in the back is doable, though the middle seat is slightly raised and not quite as comfortable as the outer two. 

The impressive space comes at the cost of boot capacity, though, which is only 565 litres in the non-hybrid version, and even smaller at 484 litres in the Super Hybrid. That is below average for this class, with most rivals offering above 500 litres even in plug-in hybrid versions. There is only a 60:40 split in the rear seats, too, which increases cargo room to 1,396 litres in the non-hybrid and 1,305 litres in the Super Hybrid. Both Hyundai and Kia offer rivals with a more versatile 40:20:40 split.

Safety

Chery wasted no time getting the Tiggo 7 safety tested by Euro NCAP experts, though it may be disappointed with its four-star rating. Of course, four-stars aren’t bad, but most manufacturers are now achieving five-star ratings, and Chery will no doubt have targeted the higher figure. 

It scored 80% for adult occupants, 77% for children and 78% for safety assists. The latter category includes a 14-point ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) which incorporates automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and prevention, blind-spot detection and a driver monitoring system.

It also encompasses rear cross traffic alert and traffic braking, traffic sign recognition, traffic jam assist, front collision warning, emergency lane keeping, integrated cruise assist, adaptive cruise control, and speed control function. As we said earlier, front and rear parking sensors are included on all variants, along with a rear-view camera on the lower trim, and the ‘540-degree’ surround-view camera on the upper model.

Options

There aren’t any optional extras offered on the Chery Tiggo 7. There are, though, a bunch of body colours if you’re happy to pay extra and don’t want the default ‘arctic’ white. If you do opt for the arctic white, though, you can have a black roof if you want. 

Dark ‘ocean’ blue, dark ‘storm’ grey, ‘lunar’ silver, medium ‘slate’ grey and ‘midnight’ black are also included. It is also available in bright ‘Chery’ red (we assume the pun is intended) – this also comes with a black roof, so it costs double what the other colours cost.

Rival Cars

There’s no shortage of competitors for your money – though most are significantly more expensive to lease than the Tiggo 7.

There are the Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Qashqai, and Skoda Karoq, to name four, along with the Ford Kuga and MG HS, plus the Volkswagen Tiguan. All are available as full (self-charging) hybrids or plug-in hybrids.

Dacia is the only brand that can undercut the Tiggo 7 – the Bigster and the Duster are two alternatives worth looking at.

Given that Chery owns Jaecoo and Omoda, the Jaecoo 7 and the Omoda 5 are also worth a look at, along with another new Chinese entrant, the BYD Seal U.

Verdict & Next Steps

Overall, the Chery Tiggo 7 is a decent debut from the Chinese giant as it makes its first strides in the United Kingdom. It is generously equipped, undercuts plenty of adversaries by a long way, offering a nice cabin and isn’t bad to drive. The poor fuel economy of the non-hybrid makes the Super Hybrid the winner, especially as it comes with noticeably better performance. However, the non-hybrid still performs admirably if you’re not ready to make the jump towards electrification.

Its engines aren't especially refined, and if you're the sort who likes an engaging driving experience, it's best to look elsewhere. It will suit those who need to regularly transport four or five adults, though boot space is poor compared to most rivals. The best thing, though, is the leasing price: even the top-of-the-range trim undercuts many entry-level foes significantly, although the likes of Dacia are cheaper still.

Overall, the Tiggo 7 puts up a good fight, in no small part thanks to that keen price tag.

Where to next?

View latest Chery Tiggo 7 deals- from just £233.81 per month inc VAT**.

Call us on 0118 3048 688 or hit the green 'Enquire' button for more details.

Looking for a great leasing deal? Check out our incredible range of Special Offers and Lease Deals. 

New SUV? Read our latest Reviews and find the right model for you.

Want to know more about leasing? Take a look at our comprehensive Leasing Guides.

Interested in everything motoring? Why not catch up on all the latest Car Leasing News.

**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Cherry Tiggo 7

**Correct as of 22/09/2025. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £2,104.29 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.