By Otsile Kadiege

A few weeks ago, Chery South Africa held an online press conference with local motoring media where the automaker’s local arm discussed the design of the new, upcoming Tiggo Cross – a compact SUV which will be positioned between the Tiggo 4 Pro and Tiggo 7 Pro.

Design and styling inspired by a tiger

The Tiggo’s design is inspired by the Chinese concept of “Da Qi,” referring to a majestic and elegant style that exudes grandeur, confidence, and a sense of harmony. Inheriting an evolved version of the brand’s easily recognisable family face, the new Tiggo Cross – which will – features a bold shield-shaped grille adorned with carefully created diamond patterns.

Adding visual width to this compact SUV’s front end, the grille extends all the way to the vertically positioned daytime running lights at either end of the front bumper, enveloping these crystal-inspired elements with what Chery’s designers describe as the outline of a tiger’s roar.

“With the grille, we wanted to provide additional detailing that will enrich the product and feeling,” said Sajdin Osmancevic, Technical Director, Chery Design Centre. “Adding the grille is important to show the precision in execution. It takes a lot of effort to make things precise, so that was the main driving force behind the grille. It made sense to add sharpness to the front fascia. The grille highlights Chery’s dedication to detailing.”

Osmancevic added that the design of the Tiggo Cross seamlessly integrates “technological attributes” with “interactive aesthetics”, resulting in an attractive urban look. Further inspired by this muscular big cat’s claws, the tiger theme extends to the slim triple-element headlamps, while the unique taillight design that spans the full width of the tailgate cleverly references this powerful feline species’ distinctively striped coat.

Thanks to the shield-shaped grille and the various tiger-inspired elements, the exterior design of the new Tiggo Cross ties in neatly with Chery’s “Conquer & Guard” safety philosophy, ultimately helping customers to protect the things they love.

Furthermore, the overall proportions of this new model’s body follow the classic golden-ratio principle – a property that appears in several patterns in nature – resulting in true visual balance and aesthetic appeal.

The vehicle’s strong shoulder line rises steadily as it moves rearwards, before kicking up dramatically at the blacked-out C-pillar, while a second character line runs from just above the rear door’s handle all the way to the corresponding taillight. The muscular shoulder line extends across the bodywork, creating a sleek and sophisticated silhouette embodying dynamic beauty and a stable stance. The prominent side-skirt is another design highlight of the dynamic profile, as are the eye-catching alloy wheels.

“The Tiggo Cross has been developed on a pure SUV platform,” said Neel Hariram, Chery South Africa’s Head of Product. “Chery continuously conducts customer research and product interaction. Over the past three years, Chery SA has been sending and gathering local data, and sharing this with the Chinese Research and Development team. This culminates in inputs to future model development, such as the Tiggo Cross.”

Availability

More information about the all-new Chery Tiggo Cross – including powertrain details, local specifications and pricing – will be released closer to this newcomer’s official market launch at the end of October.