Chery Tiggo 9: Kia Sorento PHEV rival could get cheaper base grade

The Chery Tiggo 9 was launched here last year in a single variant with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain and all-wheel drive, but it could be getting some company.

Australian Government certification documents seen by CarExpert confirm road-use approval for a new front-wheel drive variant, which could give the large SUV a more affordable entry point.

“The T9 front-wheel drive is under review for the market,” said a Chery Australia spokesperson.

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It still features a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine mated with 105kW of power, but has only two electric motors, located within the transmission unit and producing 75kW and 90kW respectively, with the all-wheel drive Tiggo 9’s third, rear-mounted electric motor removed.

While Chery quotes a total system output of 315kW for the all-wheel drive Tiggo 9, no system total for the front-wheel drive Tiggo 9 appears in the approval documents.

It’s unclear how much the base price of the Tiggo 9 could drop by with the introduction of a front-wheel drive variant.

The single Super Hybrid Ultimate AWD variant currently available is priced at $59,990 before on-road costs.

The Tiggo 9 measures 4800mm long and 1930mm wide on a 2750mm wheelbase, positioning it above the Tiggo 8 large SUV that’s also offered with plug-in hybrid power and seven seats.

This smaller SUV, which Chery markets as a large SUV despite being dimensionally similar to the mid-size Mitsubishi Outlander, measures 4724mm long, 1865mm wide and rides a 2694mm wheelbase.

The Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid is currently priced between $45,990 and $49,990 drive-away, leaving plenty of room for a front-wheel drive Tiggo 9 to slot in between it and the existing all-wheel drive Tiggo 9.

In the first two months of this year, the Tiggo 8 – which is also offered with conventional petrol powertrains – outsold the Tiggo 9 (697 versus 262).

The Tiggo 9 is, however, outselling two models offered by fellow Chery group-owned brand Omoda Jaecoo: the petrol-powered Jaecoo J8 (146 deliveries) and the plug-in hybrid Omoda 9 (115).

MORE: Explore the Chery Tiggo 9 showroom