2013 Chery Tiggo

Chery Tiggo

Chery’s Tiggo range slots right into that sweet spot for South Africans who need more than a hatchback but aren’t about to drop R500k or more on a badge. You see them everywhere from Sandton to Durbanville, battling it out with the likes of Haval’s Jolion, the Omoda C5, and Suzuki’s Vitara for the attention of buyers who care about space, value, and running costs. Petrol is your only option unless you spring for the hybrid, and transmission choices are refreshingly broad for the segment: manual, CVT, and dual-clutch depending on which badge you pick. The classifieds tell their own story — 52 active units ranging from a dirt-cheap R89,995 for tired pre-facelifts to a much more realistic R289,000–R440,000 for the current Tiggo 4 Cross. That’s where most buyers will end up, and that's the point. Most shoppers will bump into the 1.5 LiT CVT first — 18 examples listed, all hovering between R289,800 and R329,900, making it the default choice for anyone after modern spec without breaking the bank. If you’re commuting up and down the N1 and fuel bills keep you up at night, the 1.5 HEV Comfort DHT hybrid (13 units, R379,800–R439,900) starts to make sense. On paper at least, these cars are practically new: average mileage sits at 6,823 km, so you’re likely getting a demo rather than a hand-me-down. Compared to the Jolion, the Tiggo claws back some ground with sharper pricing and an infotainment system that doesn’t make you want to hurl your phone — physical controls where you need them, and menus that don’t need a PhD to operate. For local buyers, that’s what the Tiggo should have been from the start.