2026 Chery Tiggo 9 review

Chery has yet again expanded its Super Hybrid lineup, with the new Tiggo 9 large SUV.

This plug-in hybrid seven-seat SUV offers a mammoth amount of claimed EV driving capability, three rows of seats, and a spec list that is extensive considering the asking price.

We’re talking less than $60,000 before on-road costs for a seven-seat SUV with high-end features that you won’t even find in cars three times the price.

So is it a good choice for a family with PHEV mobility in mind? Read on to find out.

How much does the Chery Tiggo 9 cost?

There is just one version of the Chery Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid on sale at launch.

That price pitches it as a $10k step-up from the practical and price-friendly Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid, which also has plenty of gear for the cost, and offers three-row seating, too.

Other mainstream brand rivals include the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, though the updated version of that model is due imminently and pricing isn’t yet confirmed. There’s also the Kia Sorento PHEV, which has a few variants available starting from more than $70,000 plus on-roads.

If you’re thinking about a three-row PHEV, it may be worth hanging on to your wallet and waiting to see what happens next, given BYD is about to launch the Sealion 8 PHEV in 2026, with a few choices expected including front- and all-wheel-drive.

To see how the Chery Tiggo 9 lines up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool

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What is the Chery Tiggo 9 like on the inside?

The perceived quality is good in this one, as soon as you slide in. It doesn’t feel like a $100k car in some ways, but plenty of cars at that kind of cash can’t match this car’s tech and features.

The big 15.6-inch central screen – larger than my family’s first CRT monitor for our 386 computer – is hardly lo-fi, with a crisp display and speedy processor to make it fast to respond without load time.

That screen runs wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and while the graphics are sharp and response times are good, I had a number of issues with CarPlay during my loan, including the fact it couldn’t manage to complete voice-to-text tasks, and other voice control jobs were a struggle, too.

The native menu system in the media screen is pretty easy to learn, and the configurable shortcut drop-down box lets you bring frequently used functions to the surface, which makes day-to-day use far more intuitive.

For instance, if you want to have quick switches for the driver monitoring camera system (DMS) or the lane-keeping assistance (LKA), you can have them there – ready to be deactivated (each time you get back in).

Climate controls are embedded in the display but laid out sensibly, and you can access the climate management stuff when the CarPlay full-screen setup is in use by simply swiping up from the bottom.

There is dual-zone temperature adjustment, a fan-speed slider, airflow controls, demisters front and rear, a recirc button and even air ionisation. Occasionally the touch elements can be a bit fiddly, but once you’re used to them you’ll be fine.  

Both front seats offer heating, ventilation and massaging, with heating and ventilation also available in the outboard second-row seats – so the kids (or grown-ups) will be happy. The massage modes have some… interesting names (Wave, Catwalk Cross, Relieve and Jump), but they are pretty effective.

The display is also the home of your surround-view camera, which has buttons for auto parking, reverse tracking (which will reverse out of a tight space for you if you’re not confident), and a 3D exterior view. There’s also an electronic owner’s manual onboard (more space in the glove box!) and, while it’s a lot of tech, most of it works well.

Ahead of the driver is a digital instrument cluster that can display separate EV and petrol ranges, and even tell you your odometer reading for the different modes.

A head-up display is also included, and the steering wheel’s gloss-black haptic pads look premium but show up fingerprints and smudges very easily, and will require regular cleaning.

The right side of the electrically adjustable steering column has a gear selector (push the end for Park), with wipers/blinkers on the left stalk, and a traditional dial for the headlights down near the driver’s right knee.

There’s a single wireless phone charger up front, and the material quality on the dash and doors is impressive, with stitched finishes, and real leather seat trim, too. But there are some shiny, reflective bits between the seats that can shine sunlight into the driver’s eyes, and they don’t look or feel as plush as they could.

Storage is generous: big door bins, a deep, ventilated centre console bin, a large under-dash storage tray with USB ports, and proper cupholders. The Sony sound system even includes head restraint speakers for phone calls – which is great for some extra privacy, because we’ve all heard people having chats that everyone nearby can hear. 

A large panoramic sunroof with a thick electrically-adjustable shade is a nice touch, but the sun visors aren’t extendable, so sunny arvo drives might be annoying at times. 

Further, a digital rear-view mirror would also be welcome given the enormous second-row head restraints that block rearward visibility.

The second row is one of the highlights of this cabin. With the seat set for a 6’0”/182cm driver, second-row knee and foot room are both generous, and headroom is reasonable even with the sunroof fitted.

There are rear window shades, overhead grab handles (the driver’s seat is the only one without them), large door bins, map pockets, and both B-pillar and central directional air vents. There’s even a dedicated fan-speed control.

The bench slides and reclines in a 60/40 split, with ISOFIX mounts on the outboard seats and three top-tethers for child-seat fitment.

What about the third row, though? Access is compromised by an awkward tilt-slide mechanism on the driver’s side of the rear bench, which only resets when pushed all the way forward. That will be frustrating if the driver’s seat isn’t set for a shorty. 

The passenger side portion doesn’t have the tilt-slide system, meaning passengers will have to clamber over the seat to reach the back row from the kerb side.

Once you make it into the third row, space is very limited. Adults will find their knees pressed into the seat ahead, their thighs unsupported, and their headroom very tight. 

There are no child-seat anchor points and no rear air vents, and outward visibility is poor thanks to those massive second-row head restraints and small windows. Basic cupholders and small storage pockets are the only real amenities.

This is very much an occasional-use third row – fine for kids on short trips, but not suitable for regular seven-seat duty. If you’re running it as a seven-seater the boot space is fine, but not as good as some rivals, with 148 litres to the ceiling.

That improves significantly when you fold the rear seats down. Then you’ll have between 448L (to the cargo cover height) or 819L (to the ceiling) – making it a competitive cargo space for family customers, with bonus seats hidden below.

There is no spare wheel though, so regional and rural buyers mightn’t be too happy. You just get a tyre repair kit.

To see how the Chery Tiggo 9 lines up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

Petrol power when you really need it, and electric power for the daily grind. It makes so much sense, and the reality is that it works very well.

For distance commuters, this could be a terrific choice because the EV range claim is strong, and in reality the actual range is also very impressive.

This powertrain pairs up the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine with not one, not two, but three electric motors, and all told the system can generate maximum outputs higher than some old HSVs and FPVs at 315kW of power and 580Nm of torque.

All that grunt gets its way to the ground via a three-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (3DHT) and all-wheel drive. If you’re curious about where those three electric motors fit into the mix, there’s a 175kW unit on the rear axle, and two more e-motors – one at the front axle producing 75kW and another 90kW unit integrated into that novel transmission.

There’s a sizeable NMC battery pack offering a claimed 170km of EV range, which can be recharged at a rapid charger if you prefer to drive fully electric rather than use the hybrid side of things.

The brand doesn’t offer a claimed range figure for hybrid driving, but you can expect it to be pretty efficient as a petrol-driven hybrid, and it’ll still make good use of the electric motors when you’re in HEV mode. More fuel use details from my test drive below…

To see how the Chery Tiggo 9 lines up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool

How does the Chery Tiggo 9 drive?

The Tiggo 9 PHEV is a really well executed example of plug-in hybrid technology.

The Super Hybrid system is genuinely impressive. With its sizeable battery pack and a claimed 170km of electric-only range, it’s excellent as an EV-style commuter.

As with many plug-in hybrids, the official fuel consumption number is almost comically low: 1.3L/100km, thanks largely to that huge EV range. To test its real-world ability, I ran the battery from ‘full’ to the point where the system naturally switched to hybrid running: it won’t fully ‘deplete’ the battery, leaving some in reserve for hybrid driving.

Realistically, you’re more likely to see around 140–150km of usable EV range before the hybrid system takes over, and my test returned 138km of pure EV driving before the engine joined the party. I must note that it was unusually hot during my testing, and you will likely see better results in cooler conditions.

I then drove a further 100km in hybrid mode to see how it performs as a hybrid SUV – and while Chery doesn’t publish an official ’empty battery’ hybrid consumption figure, the real-world number I saw was surprisingly efficient, and certainly competitive with other large PHEVs at just 6.3L/100km.

So, if your weekly routine is mostly short trips and commuting you could theoretically complete several days of driving without using any petrol at all – and even when the petrol engine does step in, the Tiggo 9 remains comparatively economical.

It does need premium unleaded petrol, which might bother some buyers, but the pressurised fuel tank is designed to prevent your petrol from going stale if you’re running the car as an EV most of the time. 

With its battery and tank combined, the Tiggo 9 offers an indicative 1100–1200km of total range, depending on conditions. Nice!

There is adjustable regenerative braking with a few different levels of assertiveness on offer. Even in its strongest setting it won’t quite deliver true ‘one-pedal’ driving, but it will slow itself to walking pace – around 5km/h. 

The brake pedal feel is better than in many PHEVs, with a firmer initial bite and more consistent progression than some – though it still doesn’t mimic a conventional ICE brake pedal perfectly.

It isn’t trying to be a performance hero, despite those huge power and torque figures. Instead, it delivers a comfortable, soft and easy experience, but there’s definitely plenty of urgency when you thump the throttle, and it’s even more responsive in the Sport driving mode.

The suspension tune is smooth and compliant, making it a relaxed SUV around town and on the open road. The large, heavy wheels and relatively low-profile tyres do pick up some sharper edges, but overall ride comfort is agreeable in almost all situations.

The steering is light but predictable, and without much in the way of feel or feedback, but the upside is pretty effortless manoeuvrability. 

Parking and tight urban work are made easier thanks to the surround-view camera system, and for buyers who spend most of their time in the suburbs and want a big EV-capable SUV that’s easy to live with, this is bang on target.

To see how the Chery Tiggo 9 lines up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

What a list of standard kit – this thing packs in plenty for the price!

2026 Chery Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid equipment highlights: 

• 20-inch alloy wheels
• Tyre repair kit
• Panoramic sunroof (tilt/slide) with powered sunshade
• Power tailgate
• Heated, power-folding exterior mirrors
• Automatic LED headlights – projector-type
• Automatic high-beam
• LED tail-lights
• Acoustic glass (windscreen, front door)
• Puddle lights
• Proximity entry and start
• Automatic Parking Assist (APA)
• 360-degree surround view camera
• Leather upholstery
• 6-way power front seats
  • Thigh support extension
  • Heating
  • Ventilation
  • Massage
• Heated and ventilated outboard second-row seats
• Premium heated steering wheel
• Power tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment
• 10.25-inch driver instrument cluster
• 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen
• 14-speaker Sony Sound System incl. 2 speakers in driver’s head restraint
• Satellite navigation
• Head-up display (HUD)
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wired + wireless)
• 50W wireless phone charger
• Intelligent Voice Command (Hello Chery)
• Colour-selectable ambient lighting
• Dual-zone climate control with second-row air vents
• Power windows with auto up/down function

To see how the Chery Tiggo 9 lines up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool

Is the Chery Tiggo 9 safe?

You won’t find an ANCAP or Euro NCAP rating for the Chery Tiggo 9 just yet. But it does have a whole host of the expected safety technology in order to achieve a high (maximum) score.

Standard safety equipment includes:

• Autonomous emergency braking
• Adaptive cruise control
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Driver monitoring system
• Lane-keep assist
• Emergency lane-keep assist
• Rear cross-traffic assist
• Safe exit warning
• Traffic Jam Assist
• Surround-view camera
• Front, rear and side parking sensors

The Tiggo 9 has 10 airbags including driver, passenger, front-centre, driver’s knee, front side, middle-row side, and curtain coverage. But those curtain airbags do NOT cover the third-row occupants, furthering the notion that this is a car that is best considered a five-seater with emergency back-row passenger accommodation.

To see how the Chery Tiggo 9 lines up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool

How much does the Chery Tiggo 9 cost to run?

Chery backs the Tiggo 9 with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty and an eight-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty for the high-voltage battery.

Here’s a rundown of the pricing for the servicing over the seven-year period, and it works out to be pretty reasonable as an average (around $450 per visit).

There is up to seven years of roadside assistance if you service with the brand’s network of workshops, and on that topic, there’s a seven-year capped-price servicing program, with visits required every 12 months or 15,000km. 

Some rivals are charging almost $300 more per service, so the ongoing maintenance promise here is a strong one.

To see how the Chery Tiggo 9 lines up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the Chery Tiggo 9

If you don’t plan to use the third-row space all the time, the Tiggo 9 might be a strong option.

But for those who need to use all seven seats regularly, the space and usability of the access system might be a serious deal-breaker.

That’s a shame, because it’s otherwise a terrific option for those in the market for a large hybrid SUV with enormous EV driving range and loads of standard technology and equipment

CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Chery Tiggo 9. Click here to get a great deal.

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MORE: Explore the Chery Tiggo 9 showroom