Divide and conquer: premium crossover from China on the roads of Siberia
The premium crossover Tiggo 9 has become the flagship of the Chera model lineup in our country. Meanwhile, its co-platform "clone" - Jaecoo J8 - has been on sale in Russia for more than half a year. However, despite the external similarity, the "nine" is noticeably different from the "eight". Izvestia correspondent made sure of it, having tested the debutant of the Russian market on the roads of Altai.
Similarities and differences
Until recently, the concern Cheeru in the premium segment was represented only by models of sub-brands Exeed and Jaecoo. With the appearance of the "nine" and the parent company also entered this niche for the first time. From afar, the Tiggo 9 can be confused with the J8 - a couple of trifles. After all, both cars are built on the same platform and have a common body architecture. However, upon closer examination, the differences become more obvious.Thanks to a different grille with the trademark "honeycomb", a different shape of bumpers and fog lights and chrome window trim, the Cheery Tiggo 9 looks more solid and respectable.
There are differences in the interior design. For example, instead of "nozzles" of ventilation deflectors, the Tiggo 9 has more usual rectangular air ducts. The instrument panel and multimedia display are separate, but not united by a single glass. And the central screen is noticeably larger (15.6 inches in diagonal). There are two cupholders on the center tunnel ( Jaecoo J8 does not have them). Also, according to feelings, the "nine" has denser seat padding, and the seats themselves have a more comfortable shape: obese drivers will not feel pinched in them.
However, themain difference lies in the very architecture of the interior. Cheery Tiggo 9 is offered exclusively in a seven-seat version with two additional third-row seats, while the "eight" is designed for five people. Access to the "galley" is provided by sliding seats of the second row. However, they could be quicker: in 30-degree Siberian frost you can freeze while slow electric motors will move the seats and fold their backs.
If there are seven people in the car, the rear passengers will have to negotiate with the "central" ones, asking them to move the sofa a little. Then everyone will get approximately the same amount of legroom. Otherwise, the third row passengers will have to sit with their knees bent.
As it is supposed to the model of premium class, the rear passenger on Cheery Tiggo 9 can move the front right armchair from his place and fold its backrest. But the absence of the possibility of rear passengers to choose their own temperature mode surprised. In the "nine" they can only regulate the intensity of blowing and the direction of air flows, while on other models of this level three-zone climate control is a familiar feature.
Family values
Tiggo 9 is inherent in many branded ergonomic features. The button "emergency", though moved from the ceiling to the central tunnel, but because of its tiny size it is quite difficult to get to it "on the automatic" - you have to look for it. The gear selector on a steering column is also a controversial decision: additional toggle switches on the left lever are in charge of windshield wipers, which also activate turn indicators. At the same time, the hands reach for the traditional "switch" of wipers....
Now it is impossible to say who of designers and engineers came up with the "bright" idea to hide the control of all car functions in the multimedia menu. But more and more automakers from China are actively implementing this solution on their cars. Cheery Tiggo 9 is not an exception. Everything that is not directly related to the car control is "sewn" in the depths of multimedia.
For example, even such a simple operation as adjustment of rearview mirrors is more like a quest. At first it is necessary to find the necessary section of the menu in the depths of the multimedia system and press the corresponding virtual button on the screen. Then with the help of touch panels located on the spokes of the steering wheel, adjust the mirrors: right - right, left - left. With a traditional joystick, this procedure is much clearer and takes much less time.
To add a couple of degrees of temperature while driving was not possible at all. Use of electronic "sliders" on the multimedia display constantly resulted in the fact that the climate control system tried either to organize a branch of the Sahara desert in the cabin, or the Arctic cold started to pull from the deflectors.
At the same time, there are four "physical" buttons on the central tunnel, which are responsible for switching on the heating of front and rear glass, activation of air conditioner and air recirculation mode. What prevented the engineers of the company to add to them also the keys of temperature regulation, remains a mystery behind seven seals. Especially since there are already examples of Chinese carmakers adapting a model for our market by transferring the control of the climate system and some other functions of the car from the "digital" to the "analog" scheme.
However, representatives of the Russian office of Cheer vowed to bring to the headquarters comments on the settings through the menu. And at the same time to think over the change of algorithm of the buttons that slide the front passenger seat.
Classics of the genre
Under the hood of the Cheery Tiggo 9 is a two-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with an output of 249 hp. - exactly the same as the J8. But if on the "eight" this power unit is combined with a seven-speed "robot" with two clutches, then on the "nine" it works in tandem with a classic eight-speed "automatic". This tandem accelerates a rather heavy crossover to 100 km/h in 8 seconds, while acceleration is as smooth as possible, without any jerks and "pick-ups". The behavior of the car does not cause complaints neither on the lack of power, nor on the sluggishness of the transmission: it is enough to push the gas pedal harder, and the Tiggo 9 rushes forward confidently. Switching to "sport" mode itself does not add any special dynamics: the car only slightly more sharply begins to react to the change of traction.
The suspension deserves special praise. It confidently protected peace of passengers on small bumps of highways. And even when the asphalt was suddenly replaced by a dirt road, the car responded to frozen clods of earth and icy "ridge" only by a slight rocking of a body. And double front windows provide very good noise insulation.
Unlike Jaecoo J8, the flagship crossover Сhero is not equipped with an advanced transmission Torque-Vectoring AWD with additional clutches on the semi-axles, which provides the "brother" model with venturesome and piquant controllability. On the "nine" all-wheel drive is conventional: when the front wheels slip, the multidisc clutch connects the rear axle.
It provides the car with reliable stable behavior in turns. Partially switched off stabilization system still allows you to slightly "put the tail" if you want, but up to overdetermined limit. If in the opinion of the insuring electronics the driver will overstep the boundary, it will intelligently and unobtrusively remind about itself, returning the car to the original trajectory.
Target audience
The presence of a third row of seats, the absence of a smart transmission Torque-Vectoring, a classic "automatic" and comfortable chassis settings - this is a well-thought-out marketing move by Chery. "Nine" is positioned primarily as a car for traveling, addressed to sedate people with a large family. In the hierarchy of the global model range of the concern, it stands half a step above its sportier "sister", the target audience of which is younger and "breezy" buyers.
The basic version of Cheery Tiggo 9 in the initial configuration (19-inch disks, fully LED optics, support for VK services and a package of telematics functions, rearview camera in combination with front and rear parking sensors, panoramic view system, front and side airbags, security curtains and a full "winter" package) will cost 4.15 million rubles. For the car in maximum equipment with 20-inch disks, side parktronics, central and knee airbags, parking system and a number of other options dealers ask 4.45 million rubles.
