2026 Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV Premium AWD Review

What does the Chery Tiggo 9 name mean?

The Chery Tiggo 9 name also hints at the SUV’s positioning. Chery, founded in China in 1997, reportedly derived its English name from “Cheery”, with one ‘e’ removed.

Tiggo is commonly described as a portmanteau of “Tiger” and “Go”, a name intended to suggest energy and readiness, while the 9 signifies its position at the top of Chery’s Tiggo SUV hierarchy. In PHEV Premium AWD form, it represents the flagship expression of the Tiggo family.

And its logo may vaguely remind you of Infiniti’s, although the two brands are unrelated: one is an established Japanese luxury marque, while the other is a Chinese automaker increasingly competing in the same SUV space. Chery’s oval logo is an abstract interpretation of ‘C-A-C’ — Chery Automobile Corporation — with the central ‘A’ also styled to resemble the Chinese character for ‘person’.

Exterior design 

Chery says the Tiggo 9’s exterior is inspired by its “Conquer” design concept. Right off the bat, I can tell you it isn’t here to turn heads or drop jaws. Instead, it follows what you could call the quintessential modern Chinese design philosophy from an outsider’s perspective, defined by clean lines and elegant detailing.

It is also difficult to ignore its sheer size. At 4,810 mm long, 1,925 mm wide and 1,741 mm tall, the Tiggo 9 takes up a substantial chunk of your field of vision.

Up front, the expansive grille dominates the design, filled with chrome diamond motifs arranged in a graduated pattern, with smaller elements at the top and larger ones below. Slim, wraparound LED headlights sit high on either side, while vertically oriented lighting elements lower down add distinction. The subtly sculpted bonnet brings some visual muscle without looking aggressive.

Along the sides, the bodywork appears smooth and aerodynamic, with pop-out hidden door handles. A strong shoulder line that rises slightly between the C- and D-pillars gives it a more dynamic stance, while chrome window surrounds add a touch of shine.

The 20-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, vaguely reminiscent of Alpina designs, are elegant rather than overly sporty or chunky.

At the rear, a full-width light bar, prominent CHERY lettering, roof spoiler, dark lower bumper, silver-look trim, black valance and hidden exhaust outlets complete the design.

Overall, the Tiggo 9 is neat and not hugely imaginative, but polished enough to appeal to a broad audience. The deep green finish on our test car suited it particularly well.

Interior design

Chery calls its interior philosophy the “Guard” design concept, and this is where the Tiggo 9 really shines. The cabin feels fresh and premium, thanks to its high-contrast beige-and-nautical-blue colour scheme, although it is the only option. Wood-look inserts with a distinctive rift-sawn effect run across the dashboard and door panels, while concealed air vents add another upmarket touch.

Technology takes centre stage, with a 15.6-inch central touchscreen and a 10.25-inch digital driver display. The flat-bottom, three-spoke steering wheel feels comfortable and grippy, though some controls can be finicky. The column-mounted gear selector is modern and user-friendly, while the headlight controls sit quite low.

The driving position is comfortable, with 8-way power adjustment for the driver and 4-way adjustment for the front passenger. The soft leather seats remain comfortable over long periods, with wave-pattern stitching and perforated panels adding visual interest.

The front passenger gets Chery’s “Queen’s Co-Pilot” seat, with an electric leg rest and zero-gravity reclining mode. Rear passengers can also adjust the front seats using side-mounted controls. The second row gets manual privacy shades, while the third row is tighter but still usable.

A panoramic sunroof helps brighten the already spacious cabin and enhances the overall sense of space.

Features and functionality

The Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid is packed with convenience and technology.

Climate control works well, with strong cooling and airflow, rear climate controls and additional vents on the side pillars. The central front vents sit relatively low beneath the touchscreen. The front seats offer heating and ventilation, while the passenger also gets a massage function. Remote start is especially useful in the UAE, letting you cool the cabin before getting in.

Practical touches include a 3 kg grocery-bag hook, a cooled storage cubby and electrically operated seating functions. Cargo capacity ranges from under 150 litres with all seven seats in use to 819 litres with the third row folded, expanding to approximately 2,065 litres with both rear rows down. The rear seats use a 60:40 split, while the third row also gets cupholders. With all seven seats occupied, luggage space is limited.

The Premium AWD gets a 14-speaker Sony sound system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Bluetooth paired quickly, and the infotainment generally worked well.

The “Hello Chery” voice assistant can be temperamental, but the sound system delivers good quality. A clever driver-headrest speaker setup also allows calls to be handled more privately.

Charging options include four USB ports with Type-A and Type-C connections, a 12V socket and a 50W wireless charger, which proved genuinely quick in use.

Powertrain, performance and fuel economy

Under the bonnet, the Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid Premium AWD combines a 1.5-litre TGDI petrol engine with two electric motors and a three-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (3DHT). The engine produces 154 hp and 220 Nm, the front motor 221 hp and 390 Nm, and the rear motor 234 hp and 310 Nm. The combined output is 610 hp and 920 Nm, which are supercar-level figures.

Electric power comes from a 34.46 kWh battery (possibly the largest in its class), with up to 170 km of claimed EV range, which may be closer to 150 km in the real world, and a total driving range that can exceed 1,000 km, depending on conditions. The battery supports DC fast charging at up to 71 kW, with a 30–80% charge taking around 20 minutes under suitable conditions. The charging port sits on the left, while the petrol filler is on the right, making the Tiggo 9 easy to use as an EV for shorter journeys or as a hybrid for longer ones.

It certainly feels quick, but don’t mistake 610 hp for a sports-SUV experience. Acceleration is strong and effortless rather than dramatic, while the overall drive is slightly uninvolving — fitting its role as a luxury-oriented family tourer. The Tiggo 9 PHEV AWD is reported to achieve 0–100 km/h in around 5.4 seconds, and we consistently recorded sub-six-second runs.

Our test car rode on 20-inch wheels with 245/50 R20 Newbustar tyres, produced in Cambodia by a subsidiary of China’s Qingdao Doublestar. The brakes provide strong stopping power, although the pedal is quite sensitive and takes some acclimatisation.

Ride and handling

The Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid is clearly tuned more for comfort and refinement than driver engagement, which suits its role as a large seven-seat touring SUV. The cabin is very quiet, helped in our test car by double-glazed front windows, while road and wind noise are well suppressed at cruising speeds. Ride quality is generally composed, with the Tiggo 9 doing a good job of isolating occupants from everyday road imperfections rather than trying to feel sporty.

There is not a great deal of steering feel, but that appears intentional. The steering is light and easy to use, with the emphasis on making longer journeys relaxed and hassle-free rather than delivering much feedback through the wheel, and the handling is composed, although there is some body roll when pushed. The available Eco, Normal and Sport drive modes can be selected from the rotary controller on the centre console, with Sport mode altering the shift points to allow higher engine revs, although the overall character remains comfort-focused.

One irritation is the amount of brake-pedal pressure required before the transmission will allow you to switch between Drive and Reverse. It is manageable in normal use, but becomes noticeable during quick manoeuvres such as a three-point turn in traffic, where repeated D-to-R changes are less fluid than they should be.

Overall, the Tiggo 9 feels more like a quiet, easy-going luxury family SUV than a dynamic sports SUV, prioritising refinement and effortlessness over steering feedback or outright agility.

Safety features and crash test rating

As a seven-seat family SUV, the Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid comes well equipped on the safety front. The Premium AWD gets up to 10 airbags, including a front-centre/far-side airbag and long curtain airbags, along with a 540-degree HD panoramic camera, front and rear radar, Blind Spot Detection, Adaptive Cruise Control and Autonomous Parking Assist. The UAE specification also lists Forward Collision Warning, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning and Prevention, Emergency Lane Keeping, Intelligent High Beam Control and a Driver Monitoring System.

Our test car also had ISOFIX child-seat anchor points, adding to its family-SUV credentials. On the road, the driver-assistance systems felt fairly competent, with lane keeping and lane centring among the standout functions. They can take some of the workload out of longer highway journeys, although these remain assistance systems and the driver must stay in control.

Chery’s UAE website describes the Tiggo 9 Hybrid as offering “Global Five-Star Safety Excellence” and says its body uses 85% high-strength steel. However, the site does not identify the independent crash-test programme behind that five-star claim.

Chery has nevertheless carried out its own public crash demonstrations, which are manufacturer-run validations rather than NCAP assessments. In April 2026, a Tiggo 9 underwent a simultaneous 50 km/h frontal impact and 40 km/h rear impact at Chery’s crash laboratory. Chery reported that the passenger cell remained intact, the airbags and seatbelt pretensioners operated correctly, and all four doors automatically unlocked and could be opened afterwards.

2026 Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV Verdict

The Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV Premium AWD is first and foremost a suitably large family SUV, and that is where it makes the most sense. Think of it as a bigger, more modern and more technology-focused step up from the Tiggo 8, with seven seats, a genuinely premium-feeling cabin and a long list of comfort and convenience features.

Its headline 610 hp and 920 Nm figures suggest sports-SUV territory, and the acceleration is certainly wholesome, but that is not really its character. The light steering, quiet cabin and comfort-focused chassis make it much better suited to relaxed commuting and long family journeys.

There is plenty to like inside, from the large displays and effective air-conditioning to the fast 50W wireless charger, ventilated seats, massage function and clever driver-headrest speakers. The ride is refined, and the cabin remains impressively quiet.

It is not without shortcomings. The third row is tight for adults, the voice assistant can be temperamental, steering feedback is minimal, and the need for a firm press of the brake before shifting between Drive and Reverse can be annoying during tight manoeuvres.

Overall, the Tiggo 9’s strongest argument is not any single headline figure, but how effectively it combines PHEV performance, seven-seat practicality, comfort, technology and long-distance usability in one package. It is certainly more than a one-trick pony.

Rivals and alternatives

The Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid competes in a growing field of electrified SUVs, though few match its combination of seven seats, plug-in capability and 610 hp.

The BYD Ti 7 is one of the closest Chinese alternatives, combining strong PHEV performance, long range and family-focused technology. The Jetour T2 i-DM takes a more rugged, adventure-oriented approach, though it is a five-seater.

The EXEED RX Super Hybrid leans more towards premium design and performance, with strong acceleration and long-range capability, but also seats five.

For buyers preferring an established Japanese alternative, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid offers seven-seat practicality, proven hybrid technology and ownership confidence, though it is a conventional hybrid and far less powerful. The smaller Toyota RAV4 Hybrid prioritises efficiency, simplicity and value.

Other alternatives include the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, Palisade Hybrid and Kia Sorento Hybrid, all strong on three-row practicality and family usability.

The Tiggo 9’s key advantage is how it combines high PHEV output, seven-seat practicality, long-distance range and generous equipment in one package.