Chery Tiggo 7 PRO vs Hyundai Venue

What's the difference?

The Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Elite has been a very surprising car for me. Its premium features, stylish design and practical space don't match the affordable price tag! But I'm all for it because you definitely get bang for your buck. The technology needs to be improved but everything else more than makes up for it. This medium SUV is a solid all-rounder.

My son likes the red paintwork and how much space he has in the back seat.

The Hyundai Venue Elite is a sweet-looking, compact SUV that should suit drivers who only need an A-to-B sort of car in the city. Or an empty nester who doesn’t want to feel flustered by any high-end tech and wants knobs and dials where they expect them to be.

Some elements of the safety set could be better though and that’s something to consider. However, for an urban landscape, you can practically fit it anywhere. With its engine specs, it's also happiest in the city - don't consider this a road trip car.

The Chery Tiggo 7 Pro looks great because it manages to do two things really well.

It's not boring to look at yet simultaneously blends into the sea of medium SUVs without ruffling any design feathers.

The Tiggo 7 Pro is well-proportioned and has some interesting focal points like the large grille that sports a dual-coloured 'diamond' motif.

It gives me some insect-like vibes while adding depth and dimension to the bonnet.

There is a full suite of exterior LED lights that look sharp, the 18-inch alloy wheels and the simplified rear rounds out the package.

The overall footprint is a good size at 4513mm long, 1862mm wide and 1696mm tall.

With those dimensions, the Tiggo earns its place in the medium-SUV category, yet it's still being easy to manoeuvre in tight city streets.

The interior style looks premium with the use of black synthetic leather upholstery and contrasting white piping.

The dashboard is headlined by a large curved screen housing the 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

There's also adjustable, coloured ambient lighting, a chunky shifter and a plethora of soft touchpoints throughout, accentuating an already pleasant cabin space.

Cute is the adjective that comes to mind when you look at the Venue’s compact styling. And it is compact with its wee 4040mm length. The benefits of its dimensions means that you should be able to tuck this away in most garages or apartment car spots!

The Venue does have a boxier shape than I ordinarily like but because it’s small, it manages to get away with it and still feel sharp.

Our model’s paintwork and roof colour has been finished in Atlas White but you can customise the Venue with a two-tone roof job (either black or white, depending on main body colour), to add some more personality.

You just lose the sunroof with that option, which I actually think adds a lot of oomph to the interior and stops it from looking too plain inside.

Speaking of, the interior is pleasing but simplistic.  There are a lot of traditional design elements from the gear shifter and handbrake to the easy-to-access buttons and dials. This is a no-fuss interior that is banking on having a no-fuss sort of driver.

There is some cool cred with the white painted metal accents around the air vents and gear shifter. Plus, the contrasting piping and stitching on the cloth seats adds some fun, too. 

The cabin space is practical and user-friendly, which is a great combo. Both rows have a decent amount of leg- and headroom (despite the massive sunroof).

Individual storage is great throughout the car with the front row enjoying an extra-deep middle console, undershelf storage cubby below it, a drink bottle holder in each door and two cupholders.

The rear row gets two map pockets, two cupholders in a fold-down armrest and drink bottle holder in each door.

There is also a (very) shallow storage nook at the back of the middle console… think packet of chewing gum or small wallet size.

The boot space is a great size at 626L but if you need extra space, you can bump it up to 1672L with the back seats folded.

The rear backrest has a 60/40 split with a level loading space. Impressively, underfloor storage is taken up by a full-sized spare wheel and you get a powered tailgate in this model.

Other amenities accentuate the premium-feeling the Elite is going for with the electric and heated front seats offering well-cushioned support, although I miss having adjustable lumbar support!

The rear seats aren't as comfortable as the front (a bit hard on the tush) but the back support is fantastic.

In terms of technology, you get a single USB-A port in each row but the front also gets a faster USB-C port, 12-volt socket and a wireless charging pad to choose from.

The multimedia system's touchscreen can be laggy at times, which is annoying while on the go and the onboard 'Hello Chery' assistant tech needs improving.

I managed to get a few voice commands to work but most of the time the response was 'I haven't learned that yet' or a garbled version of the request (despite using the same phrasing as previously approved requests).

The system has built-in satellite navigation supplied by Turbo Dog, which is easy to use and it's simple to connect to the wired Apple CarPlay.

It also has Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity and AM/FM radio but misses out on digital radio.

It ain't a people mover. Period.

If you plan on having regular passengers and they’re tall, look elsewhere because they won’t find much comfort (especially in the back seat).

On the back seat, I barely fit with my 168cm (5’6”) height and had to accommodate my driving position by spreading the ol’ knees apart. So ladylike.

However, kudos to the clever high roofline because headroom isn’t an issue. The 170mm ground clearance also makes this a super easy car to get in and out of.

Front passengers definitely enjoy the most room and amenities but you will be jostling for the premium position on the armrest. The storage is good for this size SUV with a glovebox, middle console, two cupholders and a cute little storage shelf in front of the passenger.

There’s also a dedicated phone tray that has the wireless charging pad, a USB-A and C port plus a 12-volt port too.

The tech is simple to use and it was easy to get my iPhone connected to the Bluetooth and wired Apple CarPlay (there’s Android Auto, too for those users). The new-for-2023 4.2-inch digital instrument panel adds some pizzazz but unfortunately, isn’t customisable.

The boot is a solid size for this class at 355L. You can adjust the floor to sit a little lower and there is a space-saver spare tyre.

No Venue grade has a powered tailgate but honestly, you don’t need it.

Even though the Elite is the top model for the Venue line-up, it’s just $28,500 before on-road costs.

That puts it on par with the Mazda CX-3 in Maxx Sport guise, but about $4500 cheaper than the Toyota Yaris Cross Urban.

The Elite has an okay spec sheet but is a few items short of feeling like a top model should.

For example, this has wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, whereas the lower grades enjoy wireless.

This is a common trait in Hyundai and Kia products due to a quirk with the vehicle architecture. It also just makes do with halogen headlights but they stand out against the rest of the LEDs on the road.

However, the other standard equipment for the Elite still makes it a competitive player, like the tilt and slide sunroof, 17-inch alloy wheels, temporary space-saver spare tyre, steering wheel-mounted controls, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system and wireless charging pad.

The Elite variant has a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with a maximum power output of 137kW and 275Nm of torque. It also features a front-wheel drive drivetrain and a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission.

I wasn't expecting it to be as gutsy as it is and the Elite has adequate power for easy open-road driving.

All Venue grades share the same engine – a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol drivetrain with a maximum output of 90kW and 151Nm of torque. Which sounds as gutless as it feels.

The six-speed auto transmission and under-powered engine can feel a bit rough on the open-road when you need to put your foot down.

Basically, you’re not going to do Daytona 500 in this. Think the odd bit of shopping, taking your small lap dog to get trimmed and going for a coffee with your friends. 

The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 7.0L/100km and my real-world usage averaged 8.2L after doing some open-road, but mostly urban, driving.

The fuel economy is great considering the driving conditions and the fact I don't hold back in making use of its power.

Based on the combined cycle fuel figure and the 51L tank, expect a driving range of around 730km.

Chery recommends minimum 95 RON unleaded petrol be used.

It earns back some points with the fuel efficiency, especially considering how hard you have to drive this to wring out its power.

The official combined fuel figure is 7.2L/100km and I achieved the same according to the trip computer. Not too shabby but there are hybrid versions for the Venue’s rivals now - like the Yaris Cross - so it would be good to see one for this as well. 

It has a 45L fuel tank and based off the official combined figure, you should be able to get around a 625km driving range, which means you should be able to go a couple of weeks without filling up if you’re doing shorter commutes.

The Tiggo 7 Pro is a fairly easy-going car to drive. It handles well in the city but also feels pretty solid on the road at higher speeds.

There is a good sense of power that always feel primed and ready to go, in the sense that you don't have much delay between putting your foot down and the car shooting forward.

However, if you're too aggressive with the accelerator, you will lose a bit of tyre traction which can make it feel jumpy.

The brakes aren't particularly sensitive, meaning you have to be firmer when applying pressure. This creates a jerky experience until you get used to it but is more noticeable in stop-start traffic.

Steering feel is not too heavy, not too light. There's a great balance and the car is responsive when manoeuvring, which is what makes its cornering behaviour so surprising.

It doesn't feel dynamic on a winding road, due mainly to the amount of roll the car exhibits.

The cabin is very quiet in terms of wind and road noise, accentuating the premium-feel but suspension is a little firm which can lead to some grunts over harder bumps.

I like medium SUVs because their size usually makes them easy to park and the Tiggo 7 Pro is no different.

With a super clear 360-degree camera system, you shouldn't have any issues parking it. However, I didn't notice the front and rear parking sensors sounding out all that much.

This is an urban dweller for sure. It’s happiest going under 70km/h but it handles that range very well. You have enough kick to cross traffic without too much fuss and the steering feels direct.

Those feelings disappear on the open road where it’s a struggle to maintain your speed and the engine complains so loudly, I was nervous it was going to conk out.

The cabin also gets loud at higher speeds with wind and road noise, which just reaffirms that this is a city car. At lower speeds, it’s fairly quiet and you can chat without interruption.

There’s some roll when you tackle corners but once you get used to how to drive it, it won’t bother you. The ride comfort is good until you hit bumps and then, you probably feel more connected to the road than you might like but it’s short lived because of the short wheelbase.

I really like the 10.2m turning circle and compact size - it made navigating around tight city streets an absolute breeze. Parking? Hurrah for a small car. I got into spaces that would ordinarily elude me. I just would have liked a clear reversing camera, it’s a bit blurry for a top-spec model.

This little SUV has some good safety features that come as standard, like: blind-spot monitoring, auto emergency braking (AEB) with forward collision warning - car, pedestrian and cyclist detection (operational from 5.0 – 60km/h), rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, driver attention warning, check rear occupant alert, lane keeping aid, rear view camera with dynamic guidelines and tyre pressure monitoring.

However, the Venue was awarded a four-star ANCAP safety rating back in 2019. It missed out on that extra star because of the forward collision system, which had a lower ability to avoid rear-end impacts with vehicles in front. That dropped the Safety Assist and Vulnerable Road User scores down to just 62 per cent. That’s something to consider for the sort of traffic you’d get in an urban setting.

It only has six airbags but that does include curtain airbags covering the back row.

The Tiggo 7 Pro comes with a seven-year/unlimited km warranty, which is longer than usual for the class.
 
There is a seven-year/105,000km capped priced servicing program and services average $294 per, which is very competitive.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.

Ongoing costs are great as the Venue comes with Hyundai’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which is a standard term for the class.

You can pre-purchase servicing plans for up to five-years or 75,000km (whichever occurs first). The five-year plan averages $315 per service, which is very competitive! 

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.