Have you lost your Chery? Buy a new Tiggo 4 and that’s a distinct possibility; this new hybrid crossover blends anonymously into the background. It’s also near-identical to Chery’s existing Tiggo 7, Tiggo 8 and Tiggo 9 SUVs, albeit on a smaller scale.
Still, not everyone wants to stand out or make a statement – particularly one as polarising as the new Nissan Juke – and the Tiggo 4 is as mild and easily palatable as chicken chow mein. It’s exactly the kind of Chinese car, in other words, that is winning over British buyers at a remarkable rate.
Indeed, as I write this, the Jaecoo 7 – another SUV from the Chery stable – is topping the UK sales chart, having shifted more than 10,000 examples in March 2026 alone. Chery itself is making rapid progress, too. From a standing start seven months ago, its cars accounted for 1.2 percent of the market in March.
Chery majors on value
Broadly speaking, the secret of Jaecoo and Chery’s success is simple: value for money. The Tiggo is priced from just £19,995, or £229 a month on a two-year finance plan at 6.9 percent APR.
That list price undercuts the cheapest Ford Puma – Britain’s previous automotive chart-topper – by more than £7,000. Even ‘budget brand’ Dacia’s entry-level Duster hybrid will set you back £25,095. On value, at least, the Europeans just can’t compete.
What do you get for your money, then? Well, the Tiggo 4 is a ‘full’ or ‘self-charging’ hybrid, which means it can’t be plugged in. Instead, its 1.83kWh battery and electric motor harvest energy that would otherwise be lost when braking to make the 1.5-litre petrol engine more efficient.
The official numbers are 53.2mpg and 120g/km, so you can expect very affordable running costs. On my test route, driving on a variety of urban and rural roads, I managed an indicated 64.2mpg. Who says motoring journalists are lead-footed?
Outputs of 204hp and 229lb ft of torque are competitive as well. The Tiggo 4 can dispatch 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds and reach a maximum of 93mph. It’s no ball of fire, but there’s enough get-up-and-go to keep pace with modern traffic.
Do you Aspire to reach the Summit?
Chery offers a choice of two trim levels: Aspire (£19,995) and Summit (£21,995). Standard equipment on the entry-level car includes 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, a reversing camera and a four-speaker audio system.
Find the extra £2,000 for Summit specification and you gain 360-degree parking cameras, synthetic ‘eco’ leather upholstery, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, wireless phone charging, a heated steering wheel and two additional stereo speakers.
A further key element to Chery’s value proposition is a seven year, 100,000-mile warranty, matching the very best in the business. If you’re unsure about buying from a brand without much track-record in the UK (albeit one that was established in 1997 and already sells vehicles in 90 countries worldwide), this will provide some reassurance.
Inside the Chery Tiggo 4
From its bluff front end to its upright tailgate, the Tiggo 4 is a traditional SUV shape, and that pays dividends when it comes to interior space. Headroom is plentiful and two adults (or three children) can sit comfortably in the back.
A 430-litre boot is also usefully large for a compact car, expanding to 1,155 litres with the rear seats folded flat. For comparison, the practical Ford Puma holds 456 litres if you include the 80-litre ‘Megabox’ beneath its boot floor, while a Volkswagen Golf hatchback – notionally a car from the class above – can accommodate 381 litres.
There are also two roomy cupholders and pockets for stowage around the cabin. Unusually in 2026, you can’t specify a powered tailgate, but does that matter? I’d suggest not.
Not solely using screens
One gripe we’ve had with many Chinese cars (although Tesla very much started the trend) is their over-reliance on touchscreens. You know the setup by now: a featureless dashboard topped by a giant central screen and almost no physical controls. It probably looks slick in the showroom, but when you’re diving into multiple sub-menus to perform even quite basic functions, the user experience can be infuriating.
Thankfully, Chery has partially bucked this trend with a row of toggle switches above the centre console, plus a panel of haptic controls for the heating and ventilation. There are still screens, of course – dual 12.3-inch displays for driving data and infotainment – but you needn’t resort to them to adjust the door mirrors or switch on the fog lights (hello, Volvo EX30).
Chery’s media system is OK, with a handy ‘swipe down’ menu of shortcuts, although all cars come with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality – so doubtless you’ll end up connecting your phone and using those, more familiar operating systems instead.
Functional and forgettable
If the Tiggo 4 is inoffensive to look at, the same goes for how it drives. Its steering is light and utterly devoid of feedback, while a continuously variable automatic transmission means you simply tug the lever into ‘Drive’ and get underway. I’ve had more meaningful interactions with my tumble dryer.
At low speeds and around town, the car is often electric-only, improving refinement and eking out more miles per gallon. On faster roads when the four-cylinder engine gets involved, it can get notably noisier, assailing your ears with the CVT drone many hybrid drivers know well.
The Tiggo 4 defaults to Eco mode on start-up. Switching to Sport sharpens the throttle response and steering, but makes no difference to the damping, which does its best to discourage ‘enthusiastic’ progress.
Still, be honest, you didn’t expect dynamic nuances or driving fun. That being the case, my only significant minus mark is for the choppy ride. I drove alone and without any luggage, so a Tiggo 4 laden with kids and family detritus might feel more settled. But this certainly isn’t the most comfortable crossover for Britain’s increasingly dreadful roads.
Verdict: Chery Tiggo 4
Would I buy a Tiggo 4? No, but this newcomer isn’t aimed at car nerds and people who enjoy driving. Most folk just want affordable, reliable transport, and the smallest Chery makes a strong case.
Think about it this way: perhaps instead of a new Ford Puma, you could have a Tiggo 4 and a couple of fantastic family holidays? Or pay a chunk off your mortgage? Viewed through such a lens, the Chery’s shortcomings are easier to forgive. Money talks, as the success of the flawed Jaecoo 7 clearly proves.
The Tiggo 4 is a better car than the Jaecoo, and it will doubtless be popular. Enough to unseat the Ford from its second place in the UK sales chart? Don’t bet against it.
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