When it comes to car manufacturers, the truth sometimes has two faces.
One moment they are ready to swear that electricity is the right thing.
In another moment maybe not.
The example of these statements of flexibility is expressed by the importer Carso, which started marketing the Chinese Chery car in Israel a long time ago.
Much to the surprise and in complete contrast to the market trend, Chery begins its operations in Israel with gasoline-powered vehicles only.
On the one hand puzzling, on the other hand genius.
While the entire industry is complaining about supply problems, all the more so for electric vehicles that are in demand, the local importer is preparing to give a response to all the waiting, rejected and disappointed people with a warm Chinese hug mixed with gasoline.
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At the moment there are three models, all three are recreational vehicles, not really surprising.
We tested the Tigo 7 which sits between the smaller FX (which is priced a bit high in our opinion) and the Tigo 8 which offers a very affordable option for a 7 seater recreational vehicle.
The Tigo 7 is a five-seat crossover with dimensions that place it between categories.
A little smaller than a Sportage and a little bigger than a Saltos.
As mentioned, this model is marketed with a 1.6 L turbo 186 hp engine, mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and the drive is front-wheel drive, of course.
In terms of design, the look is large, impressive and also a bit generic.
Attempts to give it an independent appearance are expressed in different symbols in red (you can give up), in a massive grill (not everyone liked it) and in an attempt to be clever with the lines in the C-beam (here too the opinions of the team were divided).
Entering the passenger cabin reveals a pleasant and inviting show and the quality of the materials and assembly is mostly good.
The equipment list is quite generous and includes electric adjustment for the front seats, Android Auto multimedia and Apple CarPlay, smart key, climate control, rear parking sensors, smart 360 camera, full LED lighting, electric handbrake, sunroof, electric tailgate, wireless charging pad, Voice control for multimedia, electric folding of the side mirrors, split climate control, digital dashboard and you can stop here.
A long list that continues.
The more important safety equipment includes autonomous braking, lane departure control including maintaining the center of the lane, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring including rear crossing traffic, a reminder to check the rear seat, well, you get the idea.
All of this translates to the road in several ways.
But just before that we should note that the front seats are comfortable and the space is good.
The space in the back is also good, but the seat itself felt flatter and less enveloping.
The trunk is also large and offers a very wide loading opening even if the door is quite high.
Going on the road reveals a few things.
The engine feels very powerful, but its response is delayed.
This means that precisely where you still need precision with the right foot, such as traffic jams, or delicate parking maneuvers, it seems that the engine does not respond immediately to the pedal and then transmits too much power which translates into an indelicate jump.
The operation of the double-clutch robotic box is also unrefined at the beginning of the trip.
It also hits during leisurely journeys, when braking towards a stop, in combination with the low gears.
Beyond that, it is a powerful combination that produces good performance despite the high weight of this package.
Besides this, as mentioned, the performance is not eloquent at all and is also accompanied by noise under load.
The second thing that stands out is the comfort, especially on an average city road.
The Tigo had a hard time smoothing over the potholes and other bruises on the road and they definitely managed to penetrate the passenger compartment.
On the intercity road the suspensions manage to do their job better.
As far as behavior is concerned, the Tigo 7 showed maturity with predictable behavior that relies on the non-detachable stability control.
Beyond that, you can say that the Tigo feels big in every situation, the feeling is that you are sitting high, the suspensions make the car move, the steering is not really precise - not really tight, not really precise.
The fuel consumption on the test days was 9.9 km/l.
Another section where the Tigo 7 doesn't really fail but also doesn't really shine, includes the advanced driving systems.
We have already gotten used to the fact that in Chinese vehicles, these do not work in the same coherent way as in European vehicles for example.
In the case of the Tigo 7, it was characterized by various warnings during completely normal driving, threats of a collision that did not exist and were not created, and emergency braking with completely relaxed braking.
A big compliment goes towards the surround camera that just makes life easier and safer.
Chery's offer with Tigo 7 doesn't have that many competitors.
It is big, strong, equipped and offered at a very accessible price.
In addition, it should not suffer from the inventory problems that characterize the rest of the market, if the statements of the Chinese manufacturer are to be believed.
On the other hand, as a vehicle that lands here at the end of 2022, it does not leave a feeling of a cohesive and complete product.
Engine
4 cyl., turbo, 1,598 cc
power
186 hp at 5,500 rpm
torque
28 kgm from 2,000 rpm
weight
1,888 kg
0-100 km/h
8.3 seconds
maximum speed
200 km/h
price
NIS 156,000
were we wrong
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