Chery Tiggo 9 review

There are some pretty scratchy-looking plastics if you go hunting for them, but to highlight those is to do it a disservice, because the overall impression is premium. The seats are squishier than you get on European cars, the screens are bright and crisp, the charging points and storage options plentiful and the carpets thick. It’s not a Bentley, or a BMW, but you’ll be warm/cool, entertained and comfortable before you know it. 

Any kit missing? 

Honestly, no. Beyond superfluous materials and finishes, (think extended carbonfibre trim, contrasting stitching, etc), every comfort and convenience is covered. The fact that it’s only being offered in one trim level - everything on it, no options list to faff about with, only a paint colour to pick - is a major plus point. In a world that drowns us in choice, the Chery Tiggo 9 is refreshingly straightforward. 

How about those back seats? 

Yes, this is a seven-seater, but those two back seats are extremely tight. Firstly you’ll need well-oiled hip joints to climb in past the tilted second row, and once back there… very short legs to fit. I’m 5ft 8in, set the driving seat to my preferred position, the second row to a comfortable distance behind that and tried to squeeze into the back… but couldn’t. These are strictly occasional pews for little 'uns. 

Easy to operate the screen? 

Like a Tesla, the lack of physical buttons means you do spend quite a bit of time fishing around in submenus to find how to adjust the mirrors, for example, or change the drive mode. My experience tells me you will grow familiar with where everything is and build muscle memory, but the fact remains it’s dangerous to be jabbing at a screen when you should be driving. The display itself is crisp, responsive and bright, and a head-up display means once the climate, nav and infotainment is set, you can keep your eyes on the road. 

Full-screen Apple CarPlay looks great and brings total familiarity to the interface, but you’ll still find yourself jumping in and out of it and rifling through the native system to change settings. This isn’t a complaint unique to the Tiggo 9, but unavoidably annoying. As are the ADAS systems that you’ll be scrambling to switch off as soon as you can find where they’re buried.