The updated petrol-powered Chery Tiggo 7 has been approved for sale in Australia, and it’s packing less power than the outgoing version of the mid-size SUV.
Following the launch this year of plug-in hybrid Urban and Ultimate ‘Super Hybrid’ variants, the petrol-only Tiggo 7 range is now getting some attention.
Images in government approval documents show refreshed styling that aligns it with the Super Hybrid variants, but the documents also reveal a less powerful engine.
“We’re not in the position to confirm this model for now,” said a spokesperson for Chery Australia when asked when the updated Tiggo 7 will be released here.
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Above: Government approval document images
Given its appearance in government certification documents, however, it could arrive by the end of this year, following the facelifted Tiggo 7’s recent launch in South Africa.
Like in that market, it’s also almost certain to drop the ‘Pro’ suffix in Australia. Chery Australia has already made this change with the Tiggo 4 small SUV, which was formerly known as the Tiggo 4 Pro.
But Chery’s mid-size SUV is also set to move closer to its smaller stablemates in the performance stakes, too.
Local approval documents show it will swap its turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine – which produces 137kW of power and 275Nm of torque – for a turbo-petrol 1.5-litre producing just 108kW.
MORE: South African-market Tiggo 7
These approval documents don’t show torque figures. However, Chery’s smaller Tiggo 4 and C5 SUVs are powered by a turbo-petrol 1.5-litre engine with outputs of 108kW and 210Nm, as is the South African-market Tiggo 7.
It’s also being downgraded from a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission to a six-speed dual-clutch auto, like in the C5.
It’s unclear how fuel consumption will be affected. The Tiggo 7 Pro currently consumes a claimed 7.0L/100km, with the C5 using 6.9L/100km.
The facelifted Tiggo 7 in South Africa is also offered with a 145kW/290Nm turbo-petrol 1.6-litre engine mated with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto, but this powertrain doesn’t appear in local approval documents.
The updated Tiggo 7 has an unchanged interior, but the exterior now features a revised front fascia, including a new grille, while down back there are slimmer tail-lights.
Like the outgoing Tiggo 7 Pro SE, the updated Tiggo 7 is front-wheel drive-only.
The Tiggo 7 Pro was launched here late in 2023 with a choice of front- or all-wheel drive, but the latter option was axed when the mid-size SUV was rebranded as the Tiggo 7 Pro SE earlier this year, when its base price was slashed by $7000 to $29,990 drive-away.
That made it Australia’s most affordable mid-size SUV, though at 4513mm long overall it’s actually shorter than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross ‘small’ SUV and features an identical 2670mm wheelbase.
Above: Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid
Positioned above the Tiggo 7 in the Chery range is the Tiggo 8 Pro, which is marketed as a ‘large SUV’ but which is sized similarly to the mid-size Mitsubishi Outlander.
It’s unclear how the revised Tiggo 7 will be positioned.
Chery currently offers four different petrol-powered SUVs in Australia.
The small Tiggo 4 and C5 open at $23,990 drive-away and $29,990 drive-away respectively, with the outgoing Tiggo 7 Pro SE also opening at $29,990 drive-away.
Above: Tiggo 7 Pro SE
Above these sit the Tiggo 8 Pro Max from $38,990 drive-away, while hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric versions of these SUVs are also offered in Australia.
The Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid, for example, is available in two variants priced at $39,990 and $43,990 drive-away, respectively.
To the end of July, Chery has delivered 2572 Tiggo 7 Pros this year, which is over 1000 more than the Tiggo 8 range but about 500 fewer than the C5/E5 lineup.
The Tiggo 7 Pro is outselling the Honda ZR-V – another SUV on the cusp of the small and medium SUV segments in terms of size, of which 2248 examples have been delivered this year. The Chery is also besting the MG HS (2358) and Renault Koleos (588).