- Price (base/test car): NIS 138/136 thousand.
- Competitors: Toyota Yaris Cross, JAC 5 Hybrid, BYD Atto 2 Plug-in, Nissan Juke Hybrid.
- We liked: Design, equipment, space, performance, and value for money.
- We didn’t like: Ergonomics, comfort, and handling.
- Score: 8/10.
Chinese cars now account for a third of new car sales in Israel. Their sales surged with the rise of electric cars, and with the decline in demand for them, shifted toward plug-in hybrids. But the real hit this year is actually the regular hybrids, the ones that charge themselves during deceleration and downhill driving and don’t require dealing with charging cables. First, MG launched three such models, and now the Chery–JAC group introduces its own, entering a market previously dominated by the Japanese and Koreans.
The Chery Tiggo 4 is the cheapest hybrid crossover in Israel, starting at NIS 136,000. Its gasoline version, although launched a year ago at a breakthrough price of NIS 121,000 (now from 123 thousand), did not become a hit, mainly due to a rather weak engine — a 1,500 cc unit with 95 hp — despite appealing dimensions and equipment. The much more expensive Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid sold nearly four times as many units this year, and even the Nissan Juke surpassed it.
The hybrid is a different story: The addition of an electric motor raises total output to 163 hp, the manufacturer claims a combined fuel consumption of 19 km/l, and the equipment level has been upgraded. Is this a new best-seller?
Design: The Tiggo 4 was first introduced in 2017, and we receive it after a facelift that includes a new, large and shiny front end that aligns well with the design language of the larger Tiggo 7 and 8. Together with flared fenders, the result is a handsome car with presence. At 4.32 meters long, 1.83 meters wide, 1.65 meters tall, and with a 2.61-meter wheelbase, it is larger than the Yaris Cross in every dimension, including an extra 15 cm in length, and closer in size to the Hyundai Kona Hybrid, which costs NIS 40,000 more.
Cabin: The same 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and 12.3-inch multimedia screen return, with one new feature: A separate climate-control panel on the center console. In theory this is excellent — a solution that avoids the typical Chinese tendency to send us navigating through menus and taking our eyes off the road. In practice, it is positioned a bit low, and the buttons are touch-sensitive, so you’ll still need to glance down.
Still, this is one of the most impressive and spacious cabins in its class, certainly at this price. The seat remained comfortable even after hours, there is front-seat heating, a smart key, 360-degree cameras — in short, equipment that wouldn’t embarrass a much more expensive car.
Despite the effort with the screen, ergonomics are not great: The interface is cumbersome and includes translation errors, including a fuel-consumption display on the instrument panel that claims to show “the next 50 kilometers” when in fact it shows the last 50 km and is not predicting the future. It’s unfortunate that there is no option to reset and view consumption over user-selected distances. The side pillars are bulky, and the steering wheel adjusts only slightly for reach.
In the rear seat there is an air-conditioning vent, still not guaranteed in crossovers of this size, and space is reasonable. But the seat is a bit low, the windows are small, and the rear cabin feels somewhat dim.
The trunk has an official volume of 310 liters, but it feels larger. A bulge on the right side hides the 12-volt battery that was relocated from the engine bay, and there is no spare wheel — the importer promises to offer one soon.
Equipment: The Comfort trim (NIS 136,000) comes with a 12.3-inch screen and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, front and rear USB ports, dual-zone climate control with a rear vent, 17-inch alloy wheels, a rearview camera, rear parking sensors, and remote engine start.
The Luxury trim (NIS 138,000) adds a power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, ambient lighting, 360-degree cameras, synthetic leather upholstery, and front parking sensors.
Safety: The Tiggo 4 has not yet been tested by the European crash-test authority, but last year it received a top score of 5 out of 5 stars in the similar Australian test. It includes autonomous emergency braking forward and reverse, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, blind-spot monitoring, automatic high beams, and door-opening alerts for approaching traffic. Not bad at all for the price.
Performance: The electric motor joins the front wheels directly. Performance is good, the ride is quiet, and in Sport mode it becomes genuinely quick. But if you push it too hard and drain the small battery with a series of accelerations or fast cruising on Highway 6, you’ll suddenly be left only with the weak gasoline engine. When this happens on an incline after several overtakes, it’s unpleasant. In addition, even during calm driving, the gasoline engine occasionally kicks in to charge the battery in a less refined manner than expected, slightly breaking the electric-driving feel.
Fuel consumption: We achieved 16 km/l in the test route, about 20% less than the manufacturer’s figure. This isn’t bad, but with the Yaris Cross we truly reached 19 km/l. In fact, the Tiggo 4 Hybrid’s fuel consumption is only slightly better than efficient turbo-gasoline crossovers of similar size, such as the Škoda Kamiq and Seat Arona.
Comfort and handling: With Chinese Sailun tires, the Tiggo 4 Hybrid leans too much in corners. In the city it doesn’t handle potholes and bumps well, though outside the city things improve.
Bottom line: The Tiggo 4 Hybrid impresses in design, equipment, practicality, and the overall feel of a tall crossover at the price of a supermini — and on top of that, it’s a hybrid. Hybrid competitors of its size cost about NIS 20,000 more. Performance is generally good, fuel consumption is reasonable, and the road manners still need improvement, along with the ergonomics. It’s not perfect, but at this price it offers solid value.
Chery Tiggo 4 Pro Luxury Hybrid | Specifications
Engine: Hybrid, 1.5-liter gasoline 95 hp + 204 hp electric motor, combined output 163 hp, 26.5 kgm torque.
Transmission: Direct-drive, front-wheel drive.
Performance (manufacturer):
- 0–100 km/h (seconds): 8.9
- Top speed (km/h): 150
- Combined fuel consumption (km/l, manufacturer): 19
- Combined fuel consumption (km/l, test): 16
Dimensions:
- Length (m): 4.32
- Width (m): 1.83
- Height (m): 1.65
- Wheelbase (m): 2.61
- Curb weight (kg): 1,550
Safety:
- European crash test score: Not tested. Received 5 out of 5 stars in the Australian crash test.
- Active safety: Autonomous emergency braking forward and reverse, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, blind-spot monitoring, automatic high beams, and door-opening alert for unsafe conditions.
Warranty:
- 6 years or 150,000 km (relatively long), 8 years or 150,000 km for the engine and hybrid battery.