Chery Tiggo 9 vs Volkswagen Polo

What's the difference?

The Chery Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid is outstanding in many ways, especially value and the way it drives. I can only stress the importance of charging this vehicle frequently, however, otherwise it will go from super hybrid to super fuel consumer.

The Polo GTI faces tough competition in the form of Hyundai’s recently arrived, very good, and well-equipped i20 N, as well as Ford’s sleek and super-capable Fiesta ST. But as mentioned at the start, VW occupies the hot-hatch high ground with the GTI badge, and this upgraded Polo is loaded with features, dynamically outstanding and on the leading edge in terms of safety. Time will tell if the higher price, higher spec strategy is the right one, but there’s no doubting this updated Polo GTI is a compelling package.  

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

Chery has crafted a superb-looking SUV here. Sure, the design isn’t ground-breaking or unique, but styling is beautiful from the large grille and multi-spoke wheels to the chrome framed windows and smooth lines of the tailgate.

Our car was painted in 'Aurora Green', which looks stunning in the sunlight. There’s also 'Cosmic Black', 'Star White' and 'Technical Grey'.

The cabin is super modern and luxurious looking, with only a few physical buttons for the hybrid system and climate control. The leather seats are a lovely high-end touch, and while the level of refinement is not up there with the likes of Audi and Lexus flagships the build quality appears to be good.

The Tiggo 9 stretches 4800mm end to end and is 1930mm wide. That classifies it as a large SUV, albeit not an enormous one. A fairly short wheelbase of 2750mm means the cabin space isn’t as voluminous as you might have thought.

Not exactly a massive change to the exterior of the Polo GTI with this mid-life refresh, but sharp-eyed car spotters will notice a new front bumper treatment including a revised lower grille, defined by a body-coloured border and flanked by LED driving lights.

The headlights have also been reshaped to mark the arrival of standard matrix LED beams, with the signature horizontal red keyline moves from the centre to the bottom edge of the upper grille. A continuous LED strip across the nose stands the car apart after dark.

Previously part of the GTI’s ‘Luxury Pack’, the ‘Faro’ design 18-inch alloys fill the wheel arches nicely, and overall the car’s compact, tightly wrapped body and finely chiselled lines are familiar.

At the back, the LED tail-light clusters have been extended laterally into the hatch door, but the car’s fundamental shape is unchanged. 

Inside the dash layout is the same, although the centre of the sports steering wheel has been massaged into a more organic shape with the airbag/horn now an oval rather than a circle.

The rest of the interior is relatively understated in typical VW fashion, the neatly sculpted sports seats trimmed with traditional ‘Clark’ tartan cloth on the cushion and backrest centres. And ‘Kings Red’ inlays in the dash, centre console and front door trims, are a reminder of the car’s heritage and sporty intent.

The Chery Tiggo 9 is not overly large and with a relatively short wheelbase the cabin room is adequate but not outstanding. I’m tall at 189cm, but there is still room for me to sit behind my driving position and headroom is good, too. That said, the cabin floor is high which raises the knee height for second row passengers.

The third row is really just for children and for those occasional but unpredictable times when as a parent you’re suddenly thrown into having to transport more kids home or to parties.

Cabin storage is good with door pockets and cupholders front and back, while a large storage area under the centre console is great for loose items or even a handbag or small backpack.

The wireless charger is perfectly situated on top of the console and features a grippy soft surface.

I would have liked more physical dials and buttons for climate and the stereo, which are accessed through the central screen.

Boot space, according to Chery, is larger than it looks, with the manufacturer saying with the third row up there is 143 litres of cargo capacity and with five seats in place it's 819 litres.  

At just under 4.1 metres long the Polo GTI is a decidedly compact hot hatch, but thanks in no small part to a relatively lengthy (2.6m) wheelbase, interior space is impressive.

The driver and front passenger have plenty of breathing room, and the rear is remarkable. At 183cm, sitting behind the driver’s seat set to my position, I enjoyed ample legroom, and more than enough headroom.

Width is another story, because while two adults will be fine in the back, there isn’t enough space for three to sit in comfort for any length of time. 

Storage options in the front include a small lidded box between the seats (which doubles as an adjustable armrest), two cupholders and various oddments spaces in the centre console, as well as the wireless charging bay in front of the gearshift. 

There are also pockets in the doors with room for (medium) bottles, a decent glove box, a shallow drawer under the passenger seat, and an overhead drop-down tray for glasses.

Map pockets on the front seat backrests, and small bins in the doors add extra practicality, but there’s no fold-down centre armrest or individual ventilation control for rear seaters. 

For connectivity and power, there are two USB-C ports in the front, plus another two in the rear, as well as a 12-volt socket in the front centre console.

Boot space is a healthy 305 litres (VDA) with the 60/40 split-folding rear seats upright, that number growing to 1079L with them folded down. 

Tie down anchors are handy for strapping loose loads, while shopping bag hooks help keep smaller bundles under control. And be aware, the spare is a space-saver.

Headline news is the Polo GTI’s before on-road costs price has gone up by close to 18 per cent, from $32,890 to $38,750. 

Why? More standard equipment; some new things and other previously optional features now included in the base price.

The aim is to bring the car into line with the specification the majority of customers are ordering, because Volkswagen believes the days of a ‘price leader’ Polo GTI are behind it. That is, pique a buyer’s interest with a keenly priced but relatively sparse base model, and they invariably add options once engaged in the process.

So, the Polo GTI has put a price gap on its two key competitors, the Ford Fiesta ST ($32,290) and Hyundai i20N ($32,990), but it’s now loaded with a whole lot of fruit for the money.

The new bits are ‘Matrix’ LED headlights, a centre airbag, and 18-inch alloy rims (up from 17s), while the elements moved from the options list to the standard equipment column are assistance features bundled under the ‘IQ.Drive’ umbrella including, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front parking sensors (joining those in the rear), ‘Park Assist’, adaptive cruise control, and auto-folding exterior mirrors.

Also included in the GTI’s base price are the ‘IQ.Light’ matrix LED headlights, ‘Dynamic Light Assist’ (auto low to main beam switch with light profile adjusted to avoid dazzling cars ahead or oncoming), ‘Premium’ LED tail-lights (with dynamic indicators), metallic paint ($600 on the Polo Life and Style), LED driving lights, dual-zone climate-control, front and rear carpet mats, ‘Digital Cockpit Pro’ (incorporating nav and phone functions), ambient interior lighting, wireless device charging, and sports front seats.

Then you can add ‘Discover’ nav in the 8.0-inch media touchscreen set-up, auto headlights, rain-sensing wipers, ‘Manoeuvre Braking’ (low-speed rear AEB), an auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather trim on the sports steering wheel, gearshift and handbrake lever, and six-speaker audio.

A ‘Sound & Tech Package’ is available for the GTI ($1500) incorporating a 9.2-inch multimedia screen, and a Beats branded premium audio system (digital eight-channel amp, 300 watts).

A Panoramic glass sunroof ($1500) is also offered, and premium metallic paint adds $300.

The Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid has three electric motors (two at the front and one at the rear), plus a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. The combined output is a whopping 315kW and 580Nm.

A dedicated hybrid transmission sends drive to all four wheels. 

The Polo GTI is powered by a version of Volkswagen’s 2.0-litre (EA888) four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, driving the front wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch auto transmission.

The iron block/alloy head unit uses direct- and port-injection, variable valve lift on the intake side, and variable valve timing on the intake and exhaust sides to produce maximum torque of 320Nm from 1450 to 4390rpm, at which point peak power of 147kW takes over from 4390-6000rpm.

The Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid is a plug-in hybrid. There’s a fuel tank for petrol (95 RON minimum) and a charging flap for you to fill up the 34kWh battery.

Super hybrids are so-called because of their relatively big batteries and longer ranges. Chery says on a full 70-litre tank and charged battery the Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid has a range of 1250km (NEDC). The WLPT range isn’t given but while it will still be impressive it would be less than the NEDC. The same goes for the electric-only range of 170km (NEDC).

If you keep the battery charged, fuel consumption is outstanding. In our short time with the car the trip computer was reporting an average 1.4L/100km, which is exactly the manufacturer's claim.

I noticed that once battery charge fell below 20 per cent the fuel economy worsened to 7.1L/100km.

The battery has a 71kW DC charging capacity however and will fill up fast.  But you will have to top up frequently to get the good fuel economy.   

VW’s official fuel economy figure for the Polo GTI on the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) cycle is 6.5L/100km, the 2.0-litre turbo four emitting 150g/km of CO2 in the process. Not bad for hot-hatch with this kind of performance. 

Minimum fuel requirement is 95 RON premium unleaded and you’ll need 40 litres of it to fill the tank. Using the official consumption figure that translates to a range of 615km.

The Chery Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid drives silently and smoothly with strong acceleration just like an electric car for the most part while in the city at lower speeds.

Hills and higher speeds call on the engine to help but even then the transition is almost imperceptible. 

A comfortable ride with well set up suspension, light and accurate steering make for an impressive and effortless driving experience.

There are downsides, like the brake pedal feel. As in many hybrids there’s a ‘wooden’ sensation and I felt I needed to depress the brake pedal harder and longer to pull up at times. This is a heavy vehicle at 2200kg and brake response could be better.

The active safety tech is also intrusive, as is the case with so many cars these days, but the alerts and warnings can be turned off. 

The Polo launch drive program covered around 150km of city, suburban and freeway running from inner Sydney, through twisting B-roads to the city’s south, and sprawling semi-rural areas further west, topped off with a closed track session at the Luddenham Raceway.

Weighing in at a fraction over 1.3 tonnes, with 147kW/320Nm sent to the front wheels, the Polo GTI is capable of sprinting from 0-100km/h in 6.8 seconds, which is satisfyingly quick.

And the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine’s dyno sheet must be a thing of beauty with maximum torque available from from 1450 to 4390rpm, and peak power picking things up at precisely the end of that plateau, remaining on tap all the way to 6000rpm.

So, mid-range punch is always there, and the six-speed ‘DSG’ dual-clutch auto delivers rapid, precise shifts, with wheel-mounted paddles dialling up the fun factor when you want to shift ratios yourself.

Combined engine and exhaust noise is agreeably rorty without tipping over the annoyance threshold, although the high-performance 215/40 Continental ContiSportContact rubber transfers a fair amount of rumble on coarser surfaces.  

The base suspension set-up is strut front/torsion beam rear, with the standard ‘Sport Select’ system built around switchable dampers, offering the choice of ‘Normal’ and ‘Sport’ modes. 

Normal is nicely composed with comfy compliance over longer undulations as well as higher frequency bumps and dips. But if the red mist descends and you’re ready for some fun the (noticeably firmer) Sport setting buttons everything down that bit more. 

As well as the damping, throttle response is faster, the DSG picks up the pace as does the steering. Even the exhaust is enhanced, although it’s via the synthetic ‘Sound Actuator.’ Boo!

Balanced and predictable in quick cornering, the Polo GTI’s electro-mechanically assisted steering is precise and beautifully weighted, with great road feel. And the car’s ‘Extended Differential Lock’ uses the traction control and braking systems to minimise wheel spin, maximise traction, and help limit understeer.

On top of all that, the carefully sculpted sports seats deliver secure location without compromising comfort, and the grippy sports wheel feels great.

Braking is by ventilated discs at the front with solid rotors at the rear, and even under the pressure of a flat-out track session (moderated with the help of some admirably patient tame racing drivers) they remained progressive and firm.

In more civilised surroundings the Polo’s size and excellent all-around vision (not to mention a clear reversing camera) make it a cinch to park. The combination of on-screen touch controls, and physical dials for the multimedia system is welcome. And the connection for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is wired or wireless which is handy for those who prefer the surety of a wired connection or the flexibility of one less cable in their life.

The current Polo scored a maximum five-star ANCAP rating when it launched in 2018, and it must have been tempting for VW to save more than a few euros by side-stepping active and passive safety upgrades in this refresh.

But, bravo, it didn’t, the German giant re-submitting this updated version for assessment against more challenging 2022 criteria.

The GTI is loaded with a raft of crash-avoidance tech under the umbrella of ‘IQ.Drive’, including AEB (with cyclist and pedestrian detection), lane-keeping assist (with lane departure warning), ‘Multi-Collision Brake’ (automatically slows the car after a collision, reducing the chance of a secondary impact), driver fatigue detection, ‘Park Assist’ (perpendicular and parallel), front and rear parking distance sensors, rear AEB (low-speed), a reversing camera (with static and dynamic guidelines), adaptive cruise control (with speed limiter and distance warning display), and tyre pressure monitoring.

If, despite all that, a crash is unavoidable there are seven airbags on-board - driver and front passenger (front and side), front centre, and full-length side curtain.

A front centre airbag is the solution many manufacturers are using to meet ANCAP’s recently introduced, tougher criteria around head clash injuries. 

There are three top tether points across the rear seat for child seats and/or baby capsules, with ISOFIX anchors on the two outer positions.

The Chery Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid is covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, while the battery has an eight-year unlimited-kilometre warranty.

There’s also roadside assistance and capped price servicing for seven years at $3174, or an average of $453 per year.

Chery's national dealer network consists of 86 sites, including 21 in Melbourne, 20 in Sydney and 12 in Brisbane.

Volkswagen Australia covers the Polo GTI with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which is now the volume market standard.

The paint is warranted for three years/unlimited kilometres, “Through Corrosion” is covered for 12 years/unlimited kilometres, and 12 months roadside assistance is included.

Servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, with prices over the first five years ranging from a low of $455 to a high of $1498, the average per service coming out at $701, which is a pretty solid number.

Capped price servicing is available, however, over five- and three-year plans. Paying up-front for five years results in a $765 saving over pay-as-you-go.

A nice side benefit is the ability to fold servicing costs into the vehicle’s financing at the time of purchase, and the plan is transferable if you decide to sell the car before the five or three years is up.