Chery Tiggo 9 2026 Review

The 2026 Chery Tiggo 9 range is easy to understand because there’s just one high-spec Ultimate variant to choose from, priced at $59,990 plus on-road costs (ORCs).  

Standard equipment includes 20-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, tail lights and daytime running lights (DRLs), a panoramic sunroof, electric tailgate, acoustic glass up front, and puddle lamps.

Inside, there’s a huge 15.6-inch central touchscreen, along with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless phone charging, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, ‘Hello Chery’ voice command, a 14-speaker Sony sound system (including driver’s headrest), navigation, digital radio, ambient interior lighting, leather-appointed seats with heating, ventilation and massage function up front, a heated steering wheel, and heating/ventilation for the outboard seats in the second row.

Headline safety gear includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB), emergency lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and 10 airbags.

Compared to the slightly smaller Tiggo 8 seven-seat SUV which landed earlier this year, the Tiggo 9 is powered by a more potent plug-in hybrid powertrain, comprising the same turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (105kW/215Nm) but adding a total of three e-motors (two up front and one rear).

Those combine to deliver total outputs of 315kW/580Nm.

The system draws from a 34kWh lithium-ion battery pack, offering a claimed 170km (NEDC) of electric-only driving – and up to 1250km total range – with the ability to charge via AC (up to 6.6kW) and DC (up to 71kW).

It also claims a ridiculously low fuel consumption figure of just 1.4-litre per 100km.

Chery covers the Tiggo 9 with a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, eight-year/unlimited kilometre battery warranty and offers seven years of capped-price servicing.

Hop inside the 2026 Chery Tiggo 9 and the first impression is unmistakably premium.

For a family SUV at this price point, the sense of luxury might surprise you. The cabin features high-end touches like electric reach and tilt adjustment for the steering wheel, massage seats, and a huge panoramic sunroof that really elevate the experience.

Our tester’s optional Mercurial Grey matte paint also adds to the distinct upmarket look.

Despite measuring 4800mm long and 1930mm wide on a 2750mm wheelbase, the Tiggo 9 hides its size well. From behind the wheel, it feels smaller and easier to place on the road than similarly sized rivals like the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe, both of which offer a larger wheelbase.

Unfortunately, that compact feeling translates inside the second half of the cabin, but we’ll touch on that later.

Used as an efficient five-seater, the Tiggo 9 becomes a more appealing package, with generous space in the front and middle rows and leather-appointed seats that add to the plush cabin vibe.

Chery has also taken an interesting approach to vehicle start-up. There’s no traditional start/stop button; instead, the Tiggo 9 wakes up automatically when you sit in the driver’s seat and powers down when you exit and lock it (or walk away with the key).

It’s a small touch, but one that contributes to the car’s modern feel.

On road, the SUV settles into everyday duties with ease. There’s ample power – actually, it could be a little overpowered if we’re honest – for urban and highway driving, and body control is competent as long as you’re not pushing too hard.

The suspension skews towards firm, but not uncomfortably so and (usually annoying) tech like the driver-monitoring system is surprisingly inoffensive, only chiming in occasionally and to be fair, sunglasses may have been to be blame for those occasions.

Cabin practicality is fantastic, with thoughtful storage options and usable nooks throughout. The centre console doubles as a chilled (or warmed) compartment thanks to its integrated air vent, however, its lack of power outlets is disappointing.

Thankfully, there are USB-A, USB-C, and 12-volt outlets conveniently positioned below the console, which doubles a nice (out of way) place to store your phone when it’s not charging on the wireless pad.

Overall, the Tiggo 9 offers an unexpectedly premium experience that makes it feel very good value.  

For all its size – on paper at least – the 2026 Chery Tiggo 9 can feel rather compact for a seven-seat SUV.

Families expecting generous space in all three rows may be disappointed. The third row is best left for kids or smaller adults, and even they might find the climb back there a chore. The second-row seats are heavy and awkward to manoeuvre, costing you energy before you’ve even attempted to squeeze into the rear.

Our test car was still box-fresh, so things may loosen up with more kilometres, but as it stands, it’s not the most user-friendly seven-seat layout. Also, the lack of third-row air vents doesn’t help on longer journeys, with only cupholders and lights provided in the back.

A brief test of the BYD Sealion 8 revealed a decidedly more spacious rear end, aided by its more generous 5040mm long and 1996mm wide proportions.

Another gripe comes with the Tiggo 9’s infotainment.

Chery’s enormous central display looks impressive, but it’s too big for its own good, partially obscured by the steering wheel, which you need to crane your head around to see the right edge of the screen (which contains vital controls when using Apple CarPlay).

The digital instrument cluster is neat, but the fonts and icons are small, surrounded by heaps of wasted white space, which suggests larger fonts would’ve easily fit. The top corners of the screen are also obscured by the top edge of the steering wheel – at least if your driving position is anything like mine.

The much touted 1.4-litre/100km consumption claim is borderline misleading.

Like other Chery Super Hybrids, the real-world figure is nowhere near that unless you’re running almost exclusively on electricity. We did see average consumption in the high 1-litres, but once the battery depleted, we averaged between 5–6-litres/100km, which is still good for a seven-seater.

It’s worth noting we had a maximum of two passengers at any given time, so expect that figure to inflate when you load it up with people and their stuff.

The Tiggo 9 also doesn’t help itself by only providing consumption data for the previous 50km. After a Canberra-Sydney run, our tester’s average was 5.7-litre/100km but even a deep dive into both screens couldn’t produce any long-term (or otherwise) efficiency figures.

Its ability to cool the cabin on a near-40-degree (Celsius) summer’s day doesn’t seem as good as some rivals. We still felt warm with the AC on blast at 19 degrees, fan on high, and the driver’s ventilated seat on full tilt – and that was with just a driver and the rear vents turned off. Imagine a car full of hot people on a sweltering day.

Dynamically, the news is mostly good as we’ve already touched on but some elements stick out for the wrong reasons.

Brake feel, for example, is overly aggressive with sharp initial bite and little in the way of linearity. Throttle calibration also feels mismatched, with delayed and inconsistent acceleration, and speed continuing to build after you’ve eased off the pedal.

Steering feel is sluggish too, even in its firmer, sportier setting. It just doesn’t quite have the momentum to keep up with the Tiggo 9’s athletic acceleration.

 The 2026 Chery Tiggo 9 is appealing in many ways, with luxe appointments and tech that surpass its price tag.

Using it as a proper plug-in hybrid – topping up the battery between trips – can deliver meaningful fuel savings and reduce the number of visits to the pump.

The fact that it feels more like a mid-size SUV from the driver’s seat is a win for those that might be intimidated by driving a big family bus.

On the flipside, those needing a genuine seven-seat SUV will find better options when it comes to cabin space and driving enjoyment. However, it won’t be at this price point.

2026 Chery Tiggo 9 at a glance:
Price: $59,990 (plus ORCs)
Available: Now 
Powertrain: Turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric
Output: 105kW/215Nm
Combined output: 315kW/580Nm
Transmission: Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (3DHT)
Battery: 34kWh lithium-ion
Range: 170km (NEDC)
Energy consumption: 19kWh/100km (NEDC)
Fuel: 1.4-litre/100km (NEDC)
CO2: 32g/km (NEDC)
Safety rating: Not tested

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