Rolling into Australian showrooms for 2025, the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro SE brings sharp looks, a tech-laden cabin, and an unbeatable sub-$30k drive-away price that’s bound to raise eyebrows.
This isn’t Chery’s first attempt at winning over value-hungry SUV buyers, and it is still a brand earning its stripes locally. So, have any corners been cut to achieve such a low starting price? And if so, do they outweigh the positives? Here are our top 5 pros and five cons for your consideration, after spending a week with this SE+ example.
2025 Chery Tiggo 7 Pro SE+: Pros
1. Incredible value
The Tiggo 7 Pro SE is priced from just $29,990 and $33,990 for the SE+ (drive-away). And for that money, you get a big feature list that would make a $60k Euro SUV blush. You’re looking at dual 12.3-inch displays, a power adjustable driver seat, an eight-speaker Sony sound system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, side door exit warning, blind-spot detection, driver monitoring, a full-sized spare wheel, and more.
This isn’t some stripped-out base model designed to lure you into the showroom only for you to realise you need to spend thousands more to get basic gear. And in an era of eye-watering price hikes across the automotive landscape, that kind of value is hard to argue with. Base variants of rivals like the Mazda CX-5 Touring and Hyundai Tucson ask for $7k and $9k more and give you less.
If you really want the lot, it is just a $4000 jump to the SE+, which gives you a powered tailgate, two-tone colours, a panoramic roof, a surround-view monitor, power-folding mirrors, heated front seats, an air quality management system, wireless charger, and ambient interior lighting.
2. Neat exterior design
Looks always drive first impressions. And the Tiggo 7 Pro SE looks sharp, stylish, and surprisingly premium for its price. Up front is a gaping grille with diamond-matrix patterning flanked by slim LED headlights, while the rear light bar spans the width of the vehicle, giving it a modern, Euro-inspired presence.
The 18-inch alloys on the SE variant are particularly handsome, and the contrasting glossy black areas add a splash of sportiness. There’s nothing anonymous about the Tiggo 7 – it stands out in traffic. From certain angles, you’d be forgiven for mistaking it for something from Peugeot or even Audi’s crossover lineup.
3. Spacious interior
Open the door and you’re greeted with one of the biggest interiors this side of $40k. There’s some soft-touch panelling, brushed metal look surfaces, and a small arrangement of buttons to give that minimalist look. Sizeable cupholders and spaces scattered throughout ensure all your items have a home.
The seats feel comfortable and supportive, with plenty of legroom in the front and rear. A flat floor also makes for a better middle-seat experience. Further back, a decent amount of luggage volume is offered, with 626 litres at your disposal. That’s larger than the CX-5 2WD (438L/1349L) and Tucson 2WD (539L/1860L). It increases to 1676L if you fold the rear seats down.
4. Quiet and refined engine
Under the bonnet is a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder putting out 137kW and 275Nm. It’s matched to a seven-speed dual-clutch auto. On paper, those outputs put it closer to the likes of the Kia Sportage 1.6T, which is their more premium engine.
In real-world driving, the Tiggo 7 Pro feels capable and quiet, although the dual-clutch auto is perhaps not the best transmission type for this style of vehicle as it isn’t as smooth as a conventional auto. Fuel economy is rated at 7.0L/100km. Our test result came in at 7.4L/100km, which is about average for its size and power output.
5. Warranty and running costs
To help boost confidence in its product, Chery Australia offers an above average seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with seven years of roadside assistance across its range. While not quite as generous as MG, Mitsubishi and now Nissan’s 10-year deal, it’s still among the better offers in the mainstream SUV world.
Servicing is required less frequently than some, like Toyota and Honda, at 15,000km or 12 months. And it is offered at a competitive capped-price. There is a free 1000km service, then the first five services are $289. The sixth service is $386, and the seventh is $320.
2025 Chery Tiggo 7 Pro SE+: Cons
1. No four-wheel drive option
The Tiggo 7 Pro is front-wheel drive only for 2025, and Chery recently introduced the new Tiggo 7 (non-Pro) which is also FWD only. That is where a lot of money is saved – AWD/4WD usually adds a few grand. So, is it really an SUV? It will be a deal-breaker for some, especially those living in rural areas or planning to use their SUV for more than just school runs and Woolies trips.
There’s also no hill descent control or terrain-select modes. So, while it looks ready for adventure, its real-world ability is more suburban than a snow-capped summit. If light off-roading or snow is in the your sights, you’ll need to look elsewhere for something with AWD traction – Subaru Forester, Hyundai Tucson, and Toyota RAV4 are offered with AWD.
2. Soft and sloppy handling
A very soft ride for comfort comes at a cost. Cornering feels vague, and the body leans more than rivals like the Tucson and RAV4. It’s not terrible, but it can be unsettling. When you push it through a set of twists, it reminds you of its comfort-first priorities pretty quickly.
The steering feel is also light and comes with an artificial feel, resulting in minimal communication from the front wheels. If you like your SUVs to feel connected to the road, the Tiggo 7 Pro might leave you wanting more.
3. Poor resale value
Let’s be honest, Chery is still an emerging brand in Australia and that, with an initial low price and constant model updates, means resale value is not going to be high compared with more established rivals. While Japanese and Korean brands generally hold their value well, Chinese brands are still catching up.
For an example, a top-spec 2023 Toyota RAV4 Cruiser AWD was priced from $58,360 when new, and, according to Redbook, has a resale value average of $50,750. That means it held 87 per cent of its initial cost. A 2023 Chery Tiggo Pro 7 Ultimate AWD was priced from $45,990 when new, and the average resale value is now $24,575. That means it held only 53 per cent of its initial cost. That’s a huge difference.
So, while you’re saving up front, you are likely to cop a hit down the line if you plan to sell or trade in.
4. Relatively new/unknown brand in Australia
Chery only re-entered the Australian market in 2023 after a rocky first stint over a decade ago. While the product is leagues safer now, the dealer network is still growing, and parts availability could prove inconsistent in regional areas.
There’s also a question mark over long-term durability simply because there isn’t sufficient history yet. Will these new-generation Cherys still feel solid after five or ten years? Time will tell. For now, it’s a leap of faith – even with the long warranty.
5. Overbearing and inaccurate driver aids
While the Tiggo 7 Pro SE is packed with safety tech, not all of it works seamlessly in our experience. Adaptive cruise control tends to surge or brake too aggressively – especially in traffic. Lane-keeping assist often “ping-pongs” the car between white lines rather than keeping it centred, and the forward collision alert can get too enthusiastic at times.
Then there are the beeps. So many beeps. Cross markings without a turn signal? Beep. Get close to a kerb? Beep. Look at the touch-screen for a second too long? Beep. The system errs on the side of caution, but ends up being naggy and distracting. You can switch off some features, but doing so every drive can become a chore.
2025 Chery Tiggo 7 Pro SE: Specifications
Engine: 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder
Output: 137kW@5500rpm / 275Nm@2000-4000rpm
Gearbox: Seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Drive type: Front-wheel drive
Wheels: F & R: 18×7.0, 225/55
ANCAP: Five starsTare weight: 1479kg
Power-to-weight: 10.79:1 (kg:kW)
Official consumption: 7.0L/100km
Our consumption: 7.4L/100km
Fuel tank/Fuel type: 51L/95 RON
Power efficiency: 19.57kW:L/100km
Starting price: $29,990
