One of my neighbors bought a blue Tiggo 5x last year and when I first saw it, all I thought was it has a design with just the right amount of chrome and cladding on all sides—signs of a brand that’s not trying hard to look premium. I wasn’t close with my neighbor, though, so I didn’t ask him for a tour of his new car. Luckily, my editor asked me if I can take a Chery Tiggo 5x for a spin so I obliged.
I appreciate the unity of the horizontal lines in front and at the back. The Tiggo 5x also has the usual crossover cues like black cladding and silver skid plates.
The interior is different, though, with a very utilitarian feeling thanks to the flattened dashboard and segmentation of the controls. It’s not exactly minimalist, but it’s not overwhelming either. The model nameplate, embossed in aluminum on the right side of the dashboard, is a nice touch too, just to remind you that this isn’t some Japanese brand you’re in. It’s a Chinese car that can stand wheel-to-wheel with the other offerings in the market.
All seats are covered with leather. The dash is nice to the touch, and the armrest on the doors are in lightly padded leather. Gauges are digital.
The touchscreen infotainment system is surprisingly great. It’s clear, modern, and very responsive. It has its own quirks with navigating all the controls but once you’re familiar, it’s very easy. It also helps that they have controls below the shifter and on the steering wheel.
Once I’m done familiarizing myself, I took it out for a drive without looking at the spec sheet just to see what it’s like without prejudice. The engine is adequate enough that it can carry its own weight even when I had two other people on board. The CVT is tuned make the Tiggo 5x just a bit more responsive, with less of that rubberband effect. Later on, I checked out the specs and saw that it has a 1.5L non-turbo engine that puts out 114hp and 141Nm of torque.
The suspension is good in that it takes road bumps well and won’t punish you if you step on the brakes late on a road bump.
The best part of the Tiggo 5x for me is the remote engine start since it includes the aircon. I had lunch out and when I asked for the bill, I decided to try this feature out. Good news is it works. It will turn on the engine and aircon but will keep the car doors locked, as it should.
In traffic, the Tiggo 5x impressed me with a 7.8km/l fuel economy—to have that figure in heavy traffic is outstanding. When the roads cleared up, I took it out for another drive and it returned 10 km/l.
It’s a surprise that I don’t see many Tiggo 5x on the road. I think it’s a case of the quiet kid in school—students that were just on a corner, quiet every day, not at the top of the class but above average. Once you talk to them and they open up, you’ll realize they’re not really weird and you have similar interests. That’s the Tiggo 5x in a nutshell.
It’s one of the biggest in its class but, price-wise, is in the middle ground of a very saturated segment that it has a hard time standing out. Get inside one though and I’m sure you’ll include it in your shortlist.
For P950,000, the top-of-the-line Tiggo 5x Luxury gives you a spacious car that can handle the city well. It’s not exactly a steal, but it’s not overpriced too — especially for the perks you’ll have. It has a remote engine start, Apple CarPlay, ABS with EBD, Airbags, Hill Descent Control, Hill Hold Control, Traction Control, Tire Pressure Monitoring, rear camera with guide lines, front and rear sensors, a fairly economical powertrain, and its more spacious than many crossovers in this price range.
This feature list and price is just half of the story, though. The Tiggo 5x can’t be judged on the spec sheet alone. It certainly needs to be driven to be appreciated because it’s the only way you’ll get why it can stand bumper to bumper and hold its own against more popular offerings in the segment.