2024 Chery Tiggo 7 Pro is out to slay the Proton X70 - launch expected for Q2

If its presence wasn’t already widely felt last year, Chery is a brand that Malaysian car buyers will hear a lot more about in 2024 as the automaker has announced the introduction of the Tiggo 7 Pro, tipped to enter the market before second half of the year.

Remember, this is in addition to the launch of the fully electric Omoda E5 that was previously confirmed for Q1. Alongside this, while the Tiggo 7 Pro is the smaller sibling to the 3-row Tiggo 8 Pro and rival to the Proton X70 and Toyota Corolla Cross, Chery has also earmarked the smaller Tiggo 4 for a local debut closer to the tail end of 2024.

Then there's also the more premium-oriented Jaecoo brand to consider.

However, focusing on the topic at hand, the Tiggo 7 Pro is definitely a C-segment SUV contender to watch out for, especially from the perspective of our first national automaker. In markets where it and the X70 already face off - South Africa, for instance - the Chery is 16% less expensive.

Dimensionally and even in terms of its design, there more than a passing resemblance to the Proton, especially with regard to its side profile and C-pillar kink. That said, the X70’s Geely progenitor, the Boyue, first entered production in 2016. The Tiggo 7 Pro, however, only emerged in 2019.

Its overall design, though, is evidently separate from the Omoda 5’s youthful exuberance, opting instead to appeal to those looking for a more traditional, family-focused SUV.

Under the bonnet we’ll find a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine (no hybrid tech here, mild or otherwise) with 197hp and 290Nm mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The peppy unit is said to propel the SUV to 100km/h from as little as 8.3 seconds.

Elsewhere, the Tiggo 7 Pro is boasts 18-inch alloys, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, a 24-6-inch dual screen array (driver’s display + infotainment), an 8-speaker sound system from Sony, an active safety suite with 17 ADAS functions, and crucially to convince would-be X70 buyers, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Like the current duo of SUVs offered in Malaysia by Chery, the Tiggo 7 Pro will be locally assembled in Kulim. More information is expected to come to light as we near the new model’s launch date in a few months time. Of course, we’ll keep you posted.