No, this isn’t a Range Rover Evoque – it’s the latest Chery SUV to wear the Tiggo 7 badge.
As reported by CarNewsChina, a Chinese government filing by Chery has shown off the new Tiggo 7 Sport, a rebadged version of the Jaecoo J7 and a slightly larger offering compared to the Tiggo 7 Pro sold in Australia.
Sharing most of its bodywork with the J7 and China-exclusive Chery Explore 06, the Tiggo 7 features a new face, though it appears to have been heavily influenced by the Range Rover Evoque, especially when compared to its big-grilled twins.
The shape of the headlights, grille, and air intakes, as well as the detailing of the front bumper, resemble that of the Evoque. Both SUVs also feature a steeply rising belt line.
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Given Chery and JLR (formerly Jaguar Land Rover) have a joint venture in China which builds models such as the Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque locally, the brand’s decision to have such a close design is puzzling.
In China, the Tiggo 7 Sport will be offered with a choice of petrol or plug-in hybrid drivetrains.
The turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine reportedly produces 145kW of power and 290Nm of torque – up on the 137kW/275Nm outputs of the Omoda 5 GT and Tiggo 7 Pro in Australia – with drive sent to either the front or all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variants are instead powered by a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (developing 115kW on its own) and a dedicated hybrid system.
Though it hasn’t been detailed in the Chinese government documents, Chery’s Tiggo 7 Pro e+ and Tiggo 8 Pro e+ PHEVs both produce 240kW and 545Nm, mating their identically sized engines to a Direct Hybrid Transmission (DHT) with dual electric motors and a motor controller.
CarNewsChina reports petrol versions measure 4538-4545mm long, 1898mm wide, 1670mm tall and run on a 2672mm wheelbase, while the PHEV is 4505-4545mm between the bumpers and as little as 1865mm wide in some variants.
For context, the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro sold in Australia is 4513mm long, 1862mm wide, 1696mm tall with a wheelbase of 2670mm.
Chinese-market examples of the Tiggo 7 Sport will reportedly be available with wheels ranging from 17 to 19 inches in size with varying designs based on what grade is ordered.
While we may not see the Tiggo 7 Sport in Australian showrooms, the Jaecoo J7 is due here before the end of the year, though only with a turbocharged petrol engine, not as a PHEV.
Chery has confirmed it’s looking to bring PHEVs here, and signalled it’s a “fair assumption” the Tiggo 7 Pro PHEV will arrive in Australia by mid-2025.
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