Chery has been revamping its local model range, and last year, it introduced the Tiggo 7 Pro Max, beefing up its lineup. Now, they’ve added two more versions, this time at a lower starting price, without changing anything under the hood. These new variants, labeled Premium, retain the 1.6 T-GDI engine and offer the option of all-wheel-drive, which was previously exclusive to the higher-level Distinction model.

The turbo-petrol engine pumps out 145kW/290Nm and is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, available in both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations.

The lineup still starts with the 1.5 T-GDI in the Distinction and Executive variants, delivering 108kW/210Nm to the front wheels via a CVT. While the Premium does lose out on some features compared to its pricier siblings, it still has an impressive array of tech, including an eight-speaker Sony sound system, dual 12.3-inch infotainment system and instrument cluster, LED headlights and fog lamps, and a 50-watt wireless smartphone charger.

Other standard features include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, heated, electric, and ventilated front seats, a 64-color ambient lighting system, and six driving modes (Eco, Normal, Sport, Snow, Mud, and Off-Road) for the all-wheel-drive version.

Although it seems to miss out on the 360-degree surround-view camera system and loses two airbags, the Tiggo 7 Pro Max Premium comes standard with Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Monitoring, a reverse camera with rear parking sensors, and Hill Start Assist.

The Tiggo 7 Pro Max Premium joins the existing range, bringing the total to seven models. All Tiggo 7 Pro variants come with a five-year/60,000 km service plan and Chery’s impressive 10-year/1,000,000 km engine warranty. Additionally, for a limited time, the standard warranty is extended by two years and 50,000 km to seven years/200,000 km.

Here’s the pricing breakdown for the Tiggo 7 Pro range:

• Tiggo 7 Pro Distinction CVT – R442,900
• Tiggo 7 Pro Executive CVT – R477,900
• Tiggo 7 Pro Max Premium DCT – R499,900
• Tiggo 7 Pro Max Premium DCT AWD – R569,900
• Tiggo 7 Pro Max Distinction DCT – R529,900
• Tiggo 7 Pro Max Executive DCT – R559,900
• Tiggo 7 Pro Max Executive DCT AWD – R609,900

Main image: Group1 Chery