The balance of power: how has the popular crossover in Russia changed?
In just five years of presence on the Russian market, Chery's Seven Tiggo is undergoing its third facelift, not counting minor updates. Izvestia investigated whether the crossover, which is popular in Russia, has any changes, in addition to a new appearance and a simplified name.
L does not mean Long
No more bulky smartphone-style names, now Chery's mid-size hit is called the Tiggo 7L. The Pro Max nameplates, stretched by a third of the width of the fifth door, are no longer there. Allow me, doesn't the L in the name mean Long? After all, this is how the "stretched" versions of cars that are so beloved in the Chinese market are designated, take for example BMW models exclusive to China, which have an elongated wheelbase for the convenience of rear passengers.
The dimensions of the Chery Tiggo 7L are 4553× 1862× 1696 mm, the wheelbase is 2670 mm, and the ground clearance is 190 mm.
With the next facelift, the Tiggo seven did add 40 mm from bumper to bumper, however, due not to the wheelbase (the same 2670 mm), but to changes in appearance. The new octagonal grille and headlights are taken from the older crossover of the eighth series, the front bumper has been redesigned and stripped of chrome elements, and the wings have been stripped of useless plastic triangles. The image as a whole has become more mature and solid.
The feed has also been significantly processed. The label with the brand name moved again, this time from the bridge between the lanterns to the body, and the license plate area moved from the bumper to the fifth door. The rear optics with the "cosmic" pattern look spectacular, as if they were prepared for a model of the more premium Exeed brand of the same concern. The bumper has lost its fake exhaust pipes and has gained massive "gills", inside of which the reflectors are hidden.
Touch buttons fight
The only but important reform in the interior of the "seven" occurred with a block of "hot" keys on the front panel. They are no longer sensory, but physical. The functional content has not changed, but now it is more convenient to control the climate system without diverting attention from the road. The "crash" button is asking for the central plug on the panel, which is now located far behind the transmission selector on the central tunnel. You can only find it by lowering your head down.
The interior of the Tiggo 8, which the Seven received with last year's facelift, has hardly changed.
The metal insert in front of the front passenger gave way to pseudo-carbon, and the ceiling turned black. This is the end of the changes in the interior. With last year's facelift, the interior has already been made to look like the eighth Tiggo: a curved digital cockpit is installed, the interior is spacious, and there are a lot of soft finishing materials out of class. The design and functionality have not lost their relevance.
However, the Chinese still have a lot to work on. The large non-lockable transmission selector with a "crystal" filling remained, which is strange, given the trend towards spinning "washers" or shifting control to the steering lever. The translation of the multimedia system into Russian is exemplary, although the response to pressing virtual buttons on the screen could have been faster. The range of adjustment of the driver's seat is not enough, as well as the length of the pillow (on a long trip, the legs get tired faster). Climate control does not always manage to maintain a constant temperature in the cabin, and wireless charging overheats the smartphone.
Do not shake
The Chery Tiggo 7L is built on the T1X platform, like many other models of the concern known to Russians. The crossover is still equipped with a 1.6-liter gasoline turbo engine with a capacity of 150 hp (275 Nm). The transmission is a seven—speed "robot" with two "wet" clutches. The units are the same regardless of the type of drive. We have an all-wheel drive version on test.: its rear wheels are connected via a BorgWarner clutch, which operates with preload, and receive up to 50% of the power from an electronic solution. The car has no off-road qualities, but in winter, in yards or off asphalt, the presence of AWD adds confidence.
You can't call the Tiggo 7L a reckless ride, but the tandem motor box deserves praise. The transmission "clicks" the gears in time and does not force the engine to be quiet by itself. In urban mode, the crossover makes it easy to stay in the flow; on the highway, overtaking should be prepared in advance.
All the improvements of the "seven", from the exterior and interior to the chassis, were developed in search of balance. Handling and suspension performance have improved significantly. If the Tiggo 7 Pro (aka the Xcite X-Cross 7 of the Russian assembly) "pecked" on braking, required steering in turns and tilted during maneuvers so that the driver rested his cheek against the side window, then the 7L lacks these qualities. Although, in general, the behavior of the seven-el, both on asphalt and on a primer, is not surprising - it feels like a basic crossover car at a price of up to 3 million rubles should be exactly that, and over several years of work, Chery engineers have found a middle ground.
The Chery Tiggo 7L is equipped with a 1.6-liter gasoline turbo engine (150 hp; 275 Nm) with a seven-speed "robot" with two wet clutches. The drive can be front-wheel drive or full-wheel drive. Refueling with 92nd gasoline is allowed.
There are almost no complaints about the work of driving assistants, which the 7L is equipped with in abundance. Adaptive cruise control stops the crossover too abruptly, and sometimes it can "touch" the brakes for a split second because it "bumps" into an oncoming car with an invisible beam. On the other hand, in combination with the lane-keeping function (and both assistants are available only in the top version), an "autopilot" is formed. The choice whether to trust him or not remains on the conscience of the driver.
The issue price
The Chery Tiggo 7L is offered in three levels of equipment with both front and all-wheel drive. In the first case, the price of the crossover varies from 2.68 million to 3 million rubles. In the second — from 2.88 million to 3.23 million rubles. If the single-wheel drive has only 18-inch discs, then the AWD version has a larger size, and the brake calipers are red.
Acceleration from zero to "hundred" takes 9.7-9.8 seconds, depending on the modification, the maximum speed is 190-192 km/ h. Fuel consumption in the combined cycle is closer to 8 liters per 100 km.
Diode optics, rear cameras and parking sensors, keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, all heaters (glass, steering wheel, all seats), six speakers and dual 12.3—inch screens with support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay - this is the initial version of the "seven-el". An all—round viewing system, a panoramic roof with a sunroof, front parking sensors, a complex of assistants, electrical adjustments and ventilation of the front seats - these and other options will be offered for an additional fee.
It is possible that it is in this version that the "seventh" Tiggo will gain a foothold in the Russian market for a long time. Moreover, it has already begun to be produced at a factory in the Kaluga region, albeit under a different brand and with a different name.
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