The Chery Tiggo is the crossover that began Chery’s SUV range. It was launched at the 2005 Shanghai Motor Show as the NCV, or New Concept Vehicle, with styling that borrowed heavily from the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V, and it was later renamed the Tiggo 3.
Chery Tiggo at a glance
| Maker | Chery Automobile, Wuhu, China |
|---|---|
| Production | 2005–2023 |
| Debut | Shanghai Motor Show, 2005, as the NCV |
| Internal code | T11 |
| Styling | close to the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V |
| 2010 facelift | revised front end and tail lamps; new 1.6 s supercharged engine |
| Supercharged 1.6 s | 110 kW (150 PS), 205 N·m from 3,500 to 4,500 rpm |
| 2014 rename | Chery Tiggo 3; 1.6-litre of 126 hp, five-speed manual or CVT |
| 2020 update | “millionth edition”, 1.5 of 116 hp or 2.0 of 139 PS |
| Italy | assembled as the DR5 from 2007 |
| Uruguay | assembled from 2007; plant closed in 2015 |
| Brazil | sold as the Chery J11 |
The English Wikipedia article on the Tiggo is only a list of models, so this page uses the article on the Tiggo 3, which covers the original Tiggo as well.
History of the Chery Tiggo
A RAV4 look-alike
The original Tiggo made its debut at the 2005 Shanghai Motor Show under the name NCV, for New Concept Vehicle, and it was the first product of the Tiggo series. Launched in 2005, it had many styling cues that resembled other compact crossovers, mainly the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V. Its first facelift came in September 2010: the front end and the tail lamps were revised, and to the previous 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre engines Chery added a “1.6 s” with a mechanical supercharger, 110 kW (150 PS) at 5,500 rpm and 205 N·m between 3,500 and 4,500 rpm.
Renamed Tiggo 3
At the Beijing Auto Show in 2014 the model was facelifted again and renamed the Chery Tiggo 3, becoming the entry model of the growing Tiggo family. It went on sale in May 2014 with a 1.6-litre engine of 126 hp and 160 N·m, a five-speed manual or a CVT. Another facelift for the 2020 model year was called the “millionth edition” and had gold interior trim; it was offered with a 1.5-litre of 116 hp and a five-speed manual, or a 2.0-litre of 139 PS and 183 N·m with a five-speed automatic, while some markets received a 1.5 turbo of 147 hp and 210 N·m with a nine-speed CVT. Production continued until 2023.
Abroad
Outside China the Tiggo was assembled in Uruguay from 2007 by a partnership between Chery and the Argentine company SOCMA, which wanted to export it to Argentina and Brazil with enough local content for Mercosur tariff-free status; that plant closed in May 2015. In Italy it was assembled from knocked-down kits by DR Motor as the DR5, with 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre engines of 118, 130 and 137 hp, and the 2.0-litre was also assembled in Egypt under the Speranza brand. In Brazil the car was sold as the Chery J11. Its safety record was weak: a 2011 car scored two stars in ANCAP testing, and a basic Latin American version with two airbags and no stability control received zero stars for adult occupants from Latin NCAP in 2019.
Design and features
- The first Chery SUV: the model that started the Tiggo range in 2005.
- Supercharged option: a 1.6 s engine of 150 PS added in the 2010 facelift.
- Long life: built from 2005 to 2023 through several facelifts and a change of name.
- Poor crash results: two ANCAP stars in 2011 and zero Latin NCAP stars in 2019.
Chery Tiggo versions
- Tiggo (T11): the original car of 2005 with 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre engines.
- 2010 facelift: new front and tail lamps plus the supercharged 1.6 s.
- Tiggo 3: the 2014 name with a 1.6-litre of 126 hp.
- Chery J11: the Brazilian name.
- DR5: the Italian kit-assembled version.
The Tiggo was the first of Chery’s crossovers; the small Riich M1 and X1 appeared later on a city-car platform. More models are in the Chery collection.
Video: AUTO AL DIA – TEST CHERY TIGGO 2013
Video by UNICAMENTELOMEJOR on YouTube.
Sources
- Chery Tiggo 3, English Wikipedia: 2005 launch, facelifts, engines, foreign assembly, safety
