Chery is expanding the Tiggo 9 range in Australia, adding a new front-wheel drive (2WD) Elite variant to bring down the entry price.
The Tiggo 9 is a large, seven-seat SUV that offers plenty of power and a smart ‘Super Hybrid’ plug-in hybrid powertrain. However, in this new Elite FWD variant, you have a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol paired with two electric motors, combining to produce 225kW and 450Nm. That’s down from the AWD version which produces 315kW.
That’s a lot of power for a front-wheel drive. In fact, it becomes one of the most powerful FWD vehicles on sale. Even so, the 19kWh battery provides a fully electric range of 90km on the NEDC cycle, which means daily commuting could be completely fuel-free for the owner.
Despite being the entry model, the Elite comes with plenty of kit as standard. Highlights include a 15.6-inch touch-screen multimedia system, a 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster, eight-speaker Sony sound system, sat-nav, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, power front seats, and a surround-view parking camera.
The Tiggo 9 Elite also comes with a 50W wireless phone charger, panoramic sunroof and sunshade, power tailgate, LED lighting, unique 19-inch alloy wheels, and a full suite of safety systems (interior images of the AWD model shown for reference – FWD interior shots not provided). Chery Australia COO Lucas Harris said:
“By introducing a front-wheel drive option to the Tiggo 9 lineup, we are making our flagship SUV accessible to an even broader audience. This variant delivers the same refined experience customers expect from Tiggo 9, now with enhanced value for everyday driving.”
The new variant goes on sale priced from just $52,990 (excluding on-road costs), down from the $59,990 price of the AWD model. It’s scheduled to arrive in showrooms from May.
