Hyundai Kona vs Chery Tiggo 7 PRO

What's the difference?

The Hyundai Kona is the Korean car giant’s best-selling model in Australia, by a reasonably comfortable margin. And in 2025 it managed to battle its way to the top of the ludicrously competitive ‘Small SUV under $45K’ new-vehicle sales category.

Chery’s breakthrough Tiggo 4 Pro, GWM’s Haval Jolion, the MG ZS and close to 20 other well-credited segment rivals can all dream on because currently the Kona has their measure.

So, what’s all that about? Why are so many Aussie SUV buyers choosing to put a Kona in the driveway?

In an attempt to answer that question we slotted a Kona Hybrid into the CarsGuide garage, in this case a new mid-spec Elite version, to explore its relative strengths and weaknesses.

So, if you’re in the market for a compact SUV, with the Kona on your shortlist (and odds are it already is) stay with us for a detailed examination.

The Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Elite is a part of the brand relaunch for Chery and it showcases the brand's commitment to safety with its five-star ANCAP rating, awarded in 2023.

The medium SUV market is well and truly saturated with options and the Tiggo 7 Pro has rivals like the GWM Haval H6, Hyundai Tucson and MG HS which offer affordable packages for families in an expensive economy.

So, does the newest offering from Chery hold its own? In this review I'll unpack what my little family of three thought after a week with the mid-spec Elite model. (And why I suddenly have a hankering for Cherry Ripes).