2025 Chery Tiggo Cross Hybrid Review

As competition in Malaysia's hybrid SUV market heats up, the B-segment SUV submarket has become the first choice for many family users—meeting the flexibility of daily commuting while balancing the practicality of weekend outings. The arrival of the 2025 Chery Tiggo Cross Hybrid precisely targets these needs: priced at less than RM 100,000, it features a 1.5L engine + electric motor hybrid system, comes standard with L2-level driving assistance, and 7 airbags. Such a configuration is quite rare in its class. In this test drive, we focused on experiencing its hybrid system's real-world performance, spatial practicality, and whether the configurations genuinely enhance everyday driving experiences.

In terms of appearance, the design of the Tiggo Cross Hybrid leans towards youthful dynamism, with overall smooth lines that maintain a sense of robustness. The front face adopts a large-sized blacked-out grille, paired with sharp LED headlight clusters on both sides. The daytime running lights inside the light clusters are L-shaped, highly recognizable when illuminated. The waistline of the car's side runs from the front to the rear, complemented by 17-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, resulting in a visually harmonious effect. At the rear, the LED taillights feature a through-type design, connected in the middle by Chery’s brand logo. Below, the rear bumper incorporates silver skid plate accents, enhancing its SUV off-road vibe. Overall, the exterior design of this car avoids overly aggressive elements, making it an enduringly appealing choice suitable for the aesthetics of most family users.

Entering the cabin, the interior style of the Tiggo Cross Hybrid takes a minimalist approach. The dashboard is wrapped in soft-touch materials, accented with silver trims, giving it a sense of quality that is quite good for its price range. The central control area is equipped with a 10.25-inch floating touchscreen, with clear screen resolution and decent operating fluency. It supports Bluetooth, CarPlay, and Android Auto connectivity. The instrument cluster also features a 10.25-inch fully digital display, showing hybrid system working status, fuel consumption, navigation, and other information in an intuitive layout. In terms of configuration, it comes standard with dual-zone automatic climate control, where the front air conditioning control area retains physical buttons, making operation more convenient compared to fully touch-based setups. The driver’s seat supports 6-way electric adjustment and electric lumbar support, while the passenger seat offers 4-way manual adjustment. The rear seats feature independent air conditioning vents, adding comfort to daily rides.

In terms of space performance, the Tiggo Cross Hybrid has a wheelbase of 2610mm, which is standard for B-segment SUVs. The front row seating is spacious, with a passenger height of 175cm having enough headroom and legroom. The rear space is also commendable, with the same passenger enjoying about two fist-widths of legroom and one fist-width of headroom; even with three adults in the rear, it doesn't feel overly cramped. The trunk provides a standard capacity of 350 liters, sufficient for a few suitcases or shopping bags. By folding down the rear seats, the capacity can be further expanded, making it suitable for transporting larger items. In terms of storage, the front center armrest box and door panel storage spaces are quite practical, while the front row is also equipped with a wireless charging pad, showing thoughtful attention to detail.

In terms of dynamic driving, the Tiggo Cross Hybrid is equipped with a 1.5L naturally aspirated engine and a permanent magnet synchronous motor hybrid system. The engine delivers a maximum horsepower of 96PS, while the motor produces a maximum horsepower of 204PS, and the system achieves a combined torque of 310N·m. During daily starts, the motor responds quickly, and you can feel a noticeable push-back sensation with a light tap on the accelerator. The official 0-100km/h acceleration time is 8.9 seconds. In actual driving, there is sufficient power reserve for overtaking, and even when accelerating beyond 100km/h on the highway, it does not feel noticeably underpowered. It offers three driving modes: ECO, Normal, and Sport. In ECO mode, the power output is milder, suitable for daily commuting; in Sport mode, both the engine and motor work together for more aggressive power response, fitting scenarios that require rapid acceleration.

In terms of handling, this vehicle features a combination of a front MacPherson independent suspension and a rear torsion beam non-independent suspension. When driving on urban roads, the suspension effectively filters out most minor bumps, providing decent ride comfort. However, when encountering speed bumps or uneven roads, the rear suspension feels slightly stiff, though it's on par with other vehicles in its class. The steering wheel has moderate weight and offers precise directionality, making daily driving quite easy. The braking system performs smoothly, with a clear feedback when pressing the brake pedal, without any abrupt sensations.

Fuel efficiency is a core selling point for hybrid models. During this test drive, we primarily drove on urban roads with occasional highway segments, keeping the ECO mode on the entire trip. The measured average fuel consumption was approximately 5.6L/100km, which is close to the official figure of 5.4L/100km, reflecting good fuel economy. In terms of noise control, the cabin remains relatively quiet during low-speed urban driving, with minimal noise from the motor. At high speeds, wind and tire noise are somewhat audible, but still within an acceptable range and won’t affect normal conversations.

Regarding safety features, the Tiggo Cross Hybrid performs outstandingly. It comes standard with 7 airbags, ABS, electronic stability control, lane change assist, lane departure warning, autonomous emergency braking, and it also includes ACC adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree panoramic camera. These features are relatively rare in similarly priced B-segment SUVs and enhance everyday driving safety.

In conclusion, the 2025 Chery Tiggo Cross Hybrid’s core strengths lie in its high cost-effectiveness and comprehensive features. Compared to competitors in the same class like the Honda HR-V Hybrid and Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, it is more affordable while offering more comprehensive options, especially in terms of safety and comfort features, where it has significant advantages. Its power is sufficient for daily needs, it is fuel-efficient, and it offers versatile space.

This vehicle is ideal for families who prioritize value for money, particularly those who need an SUV that can meet daily commuting needs and accommodate family outings. With rich features, ample space, good fuel economy, and relatively low maintenance costs, it is very suitable as a primary family car.

Overall, the 2025 Chery Tiggo Cross Hybrid is a well-balanced hybrid SUV. Although it does not match Japanese competitors in terms of brand influence, it makes up for this shortcoming with a lower price and richer features, making it one of the models worth considering in its class.