Renault Duster vs Chery Tiggo 4 PRO

What's the difference?

The Renault Duster 4x4 Evolution (manual) is a driver’s car. Lots of fun for day-to-day duties and a real visceral experience if you like to have a few laughs on loose-dirt and gravel tracks. And it’s adequately capable for off-roading adventures. It also has more than its fair share of cheeky charm.

Obviously it’s not anywhere near the most capable off-road vehicle available. That’s not what it’s intended to be. But it’s one of the most fun to drive on- and off-road.

And for $36,490 (excluding on-road costs), you’ll still have cash enough for a set of all-terrain tyres and some accessories.

Is the Tiggo 4 Pro the best light SUV on the market? No, it falls short in some key areas, but there’s also a lot to like about it.

The driving dynamics needs more tuning to put it on par with its class rivals. I believe the Chinese brand that invests in a local ride and handling program in the same way Hyundai and Kia have done in the past decade will have a big advantage with customers. The Tiggo 4 feels too vague and unresolved at times, especially in the wet, and that could be rectified with some minor tweaks.

The safety systems also need some major work to make them smoother and less intrusive so you don’t go searching for the button to switch them off - which defeats the purpose of having them in the first place.

But if you can look past (or accept) the driving and active safety issues, there are some big plus points for Chery’s latest model. It looks great inside and out, offers up plenty of value and is as practical as a compact SUV can be.

Chery has come a long way in a short space of time and with some more improvements it’s easy to see it continuing its sales growth with models like the Tiggo 4 Pro.

From the outside, the Duster 4x4 Evolution has that special ‘something’ that draws your eye. It’s unassuming, yet somehow eye-catching.

It’s a chunky little AWD with ‘Renault’ across the front grille and its raised stance gives the Duster a rugged presence.

Hard angles and nifty touches, such as the concealed rear door handles on the C-pillar, add to its funky exterior.

The Duster’s interior continues the minimalist theme with hard plastic surfaces everywhere – including the dash and door armrests – and black and grey cloth upholstery, all amid a neat but uncluttered layout.

The 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen , angled slightly towards the driver, dominates up front and caps off what is an unpretentious, functional cabin.

This is the area where Chery has made immense progress in such a short period of time, which underlines the rapid rate of change the Chinese car industry has been able to manage.

Whereas the J11 I drove all those years ago was a mess, seemingly designed by a team of people not allowed to talk to each other, the Tiggo 4 Pro looks smart and stylish on the outside and in the cabin.

While there are some elements of rival models to the look, there’s also a clear family design to all the Chery Tiggo models that helps create a cohesive look across the range.

It took the South Korean brands nearly two decades to achieve this level of design evolution, so it’s impressive (and worrying for rivals) that the Chinese brands have managed to do it so much quicker.

Inside, the cabin design is not only a major step forward and looks very nice for an SUV at this price point in terms of the presentation and technology.

The dual 10.2-inch screens look more premium than the car's price suggests, as does the lower digital screen for the climate control settings as well as the soft-touch finishes and gloss black trim.

The interior in Evolution trim matches the Duster’s no-nonsense adventure-focussed approach. It’s spartan but user-friendly.

The front seats are manually adjustable and the cloth upholstery looks like it’s hard-wearing and likely able to cope with the utter messiness of life.

I had trouble getting my phone to work via the 10.1-inch multimedia unit, but otherwise I have few complaints about the system as it’s easy enough to operate. There’s a wireless-charging pad below the screen. There are also two USB-C charging ports up front and two for rear-seat passengers, as well as two 12-volt sockets one in the front and another in the rear cargo area.

There is a mix of physical buttons and on-screen controls to operate various in-cabin functions, such as air-con.

For storage there is a glove box, a deep centre console, two cupholders, and a small shelf for your pocket clutter.

The second-row seats are roomy enough for two adults or three teens across the row and while passengers there have access to two USB-C charging ports and air vents, there’s no fold-down centre armrest.

The rear cargo area is accessed via a manual tailgate and is claimed to offer 358 litres of cargo volume when the rear seat is in use and 1424 litres when the second-row seat is stowed away.

Payload in the Duster Evolution 4x4 is listed as 503kg. The cargo area has a light, cargo hooks and a 12V socket. This Duster has a 215/70 R16 spare stored underfloor.

Starting with the question of space, the Tiggo 4 Pro actually offers up good room, for what is ultimately a compact SUV. No, it’s not ideal for a family of five, but for anyone looking for an urban-friendly runabout for singles or couples, it plays that role nicely.

The fronts seats are quite nice, comfortable and offer good support. There’s adequate space in the back to take children, or even adults, with some compromise to the front seat position, but that’s in line with expectations for any model this size externally.

The boot holds a claimed 380 litres, which is quite generous when you compare it to the likes of the CX-3 (264L) and Venue (355L), but can’t match the likes of the Yaris Cross (397L) and Nissan Juke (422L).

The technology in the car is impressive for an SUV this size, especially given the price. The dual 10.2-inch displays look slick, as does the lower screen for climate control, which gives a hint of Audi or Range Rover vibe to the cabin.

The multimedia system is straightforward to use, thanks in large part to the wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but I did find the ‘Hello Chery’ voice command system hit and miss - although, to be fair to Chery, I find all these voice command systems hit and miss.

One minor amusement is the ‘welcome theme’ that plays when you get in the car. Many brands do this trick, a short musical jingle when you open the door to welcome you inside. The team at Chery went a little overboard, though, and wrote a whopping 15-second theme (yes, I timed it with a stopwatch), which feels like major overkill. Thankfully it can be turned off in the set-up menu.

Chery was not backwards in coming forward with the launch of the Tiggo 4 Pro, with Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris claiming it is “Australia’s best value SUV.” It’s a huge call to make, but there’s no doubt the Tiggo 4 Pro offers a lot for a competitive price.

There are two model grades to choose from, the Urban, which is priced from $23,990, and the Ultimate, which is $26,990 - and crucially both those prices are drive-away.

That gives Chery a clear financial advantage on its rivals. That’s because the most affordable rival is the Hyundai Venue at $22,500 (plus on-road costs), while the cheapest Mazda CX-3 is $26,950 (plus on-roads) and Toyota’s entry-level model in the hybrid-only Yaris Cross is $30,900 (plus on-roads).

Both the Urban and Ultimate feature the same powertrain, so the difference is in their specification.

The entry-level grade comes equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, a synthetic leather-trimmed steering wheel, dual 10.2-inch screen display (one for the instrument panel and one for the multimedia), digital radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (wired & wireless), ‘Hello Chery’ voice command and all LED exterior lights.

Stepping up to the Ultimate adds 18-inch alloys, heated front seats, a six-speaker sound system, 360-degree surround camera view, a power sunroof and power-folding exterior mirrors.

All told, the Tiggo 4 Pro is a very good value SUV - even if I wouldn’t go as far as calling it the ‘best value SUV in Australia.’

The Duster 4x4 Evolution has a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with a 48V mild-hybrid system (producing 96kW at 4500rpm and 230Nm at 2250rpm) matched to a six-speed manual gearbox.

As I said earlier, a new small 4x4 SUV with off-road capability and a manual gearbox is refreshing.

This Duster has an all-wheel drive system and the little 1422kg SUV can do the 0-100km/h sprint in a claimed 11.94 seconds.

As mentioned earlier, both Tiggo 4 variants are motivated by the same powertrain. Specifically, it’s a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) driving the front wheels.

It makes 108kW/210Nm, which is quite competitive against its rivals, which adds another layer of appeal. The CVT does a decent job and the engine pulls strongly and smoothly in most situations. It’s one of the more impressive elements of the dynamic package.

Official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel consumption is 5.7L/100km.

On test, we recorded 6.7L/100km but we did do a half-day of light off-roading.

This Duster 4x4 has a 55-litre fuel tank so, going by that on-test fuel figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 820km out of a full tank.

The turbocharged 1.2-litre mild-hybrid three-cylinder engine requires 95 RON premium unleaded petrol.

The official fuel economy figure for the combined cycle is 7.3L/100km, which is well off class-leading for a compact SUV.

The Kia Stonic has claimed ratings between 5.4-6.7L/100km (depending on the model) and the Mazda CX-3 has a 6.3L/100km claim, but Hyundai’s Venue manages 7.0-7.2L/100km to make Chery’s figure stand out less.

We saw a 9.2L/100km on the trip computer on test, but that was almost exclusively urban driving. The claimed urban cycle figure is 8.9L/100km, so the real-world economy isn’t too far off Chery's claim.

However, it’s clear that the punchy engine performance comes at a cost of efficiency, so that should be factored into your consideration of the Tiggo 4.

It does have a fairly large 51-litre fuel tank, which means it has a theoretical driving range of nearly 700km.

My kids are learning to drive in a manual because I reckon being able to drive a manual vehicle remains an important skill to have. I only own manual cars at this point in time and it’s nice to see new cars with manual gearboxes haven’t been done away with just yet.

This all-wheel drive adventure machine is light at 1422kg and punchy, working through a turbocharged 1.2-litre mild-hybrid three-cylinder engine (producing 96kW at 4500rpm and 230Nm at 2250rpm) and a six-speed manual gearbox.

It’s sporty, with precise steering, crisp throttle response and nicely controlled ride and handling. And it’s a whole lot of fun to drive on sealed surfaces.

Throwing it around corners at (legal) speed is a barrel of laughs and driving on fast loose-dirt tracks is damn good for rally-style hilarity, all with the gruff backing track of this little AWD’s tractable petrol engine. Driving the 4345mm long, 2069mm wide and 1650mm high Duster feels like you’re punching a go-kart around a track, in a good way.

The Duster’s suspension deserves a mention here because this package, including an independent multi-link set-up at the rear, yields a firm but well-balanced overall feel.

Its tight turning circle makes it supremely easy to accomplish quick manoeuvres without fuss and it’s also a cinch to park.

Visibility from the driver’s seat is somewhat reduced through different angles to the rear and back along the vehicle’s side, but you get used to that. It doesn’t help that the camera view is muddy looking on the screen.

Those niggles aside, did I mention it’s fun to drive?

It’s not too shabby in low-speed off-road scenarios, either. The Duster is similar to Subaru’s Crosstrek and XV or the Jimny, in that this Renault’s intended use is not as a hardcore rock-crawling beast, it’s not engineered for that sort of thing.

The Duster's all-wheel drive system is well calibrated and quietly effective at detecting wheel-slip and delivering a smooth response. Driven with care, this AWD SUV is capable of off-roading at a level that will surprise some.

It has a 4x4 terrain control system with five modes – 'Auto', 'Eco', 'Mud & sand', 'Snow' and 'Off-road' – as well as a hill descent control system. None of these are engineered to turn the Duster into an off-highway mongrel but they ensure it's able to cope with mild to less-mild off-roading.

The Duster’s ground clearance (212mm) and off-road angles (31-degree approach and 36-degree departure) make it better suited to tackling off-road terrain of the light-to-moderate variety rather than door-sill deep mud holes and the like.

For reference, the Suzuki Jimny has 210mm of ground clearance and approach and departure angles of 37 and 49 degrees. The Crosstrek has 220mm of ground clearance, and approach and departure angles in the off-road-focussed Wilderness of 23.5 and 25.5 degrees.

But it’s still very capable if driven with consideration and well within the limits of its physical dimensions and off-road traction control.

Light off-roading (well-maintained gravel roads and dirt tracks in dry conditions) is fine because that’s well within the Duster’s capabilities and it results in little to no wear and tear on the vehicle.

While the Duster can handle short bursts on firm-packed sand (which I test here), sand-driving puts extra stress on any vehicle, and AWDs don’t have a lot of ground clearance, so they’re prone to bellying out on tall crests in between deeper wheel ruts on a beach.

My advice? Avoid anything beyond a well-maintained dirt track in dry weather and don’t take on any ‘4WD/ high ground clearance only' tracks, prolonged sand-driving or rock-crawling. Anything more rigorous than that and you risk damage to the vehicle’s underbody at a minimum, and mechanical damage and personal injury at worst. You’ve been warned.

The Duster’s off-road capabilities could easily be further enhanced with a set of decent light truck all-terrain tyres but, be aware, even aggressive rubber won’t turn it into a gung-ho off-roader.

For the record, it has unbraked trailer towing capacity of 750kg and braked towing capacity of 1500kg. Maximum towball download is listed as 75kg.

A bonus for Duster owners is that it can be kitted out for adventure via either Renault’s range of accessories – including all-weather floor mats, roof box, roof racks etc – or through Australia’s aftermarket industry.

The Tiggo 4 Pro Ultimate made a strong first impression… until the moment I started driving it. As impressive as the brand’s design evolution has been, there is still work to be done on the dynamic side. 

While the engine performance is good, the ride needs some fine-tuning as it’s quite soft, which is good for soaking up bumps but also means less chassis control.

The bigger issues are the steering and the brakes, both of which are below the level of Chery’s rivals in this segment.

The steering is too light, which normally wouldn’t be a deal-breaker as it makes parking and navigating traffic easy, but combined with it being unevenly weighted it becomes problematic.

It leads to a disconnected feeling between the driver and the road, and while I understand that a compact SUV doesn’t have to have sports car-like ‘steering feel’, it feels disconnected and that leads to it feeling vague to drive at times.

It doesn’t help that the Giti tyres fitted to our test car don’t provide very good grip, especially in the wet. During a summer rain shower the front end of the Tiggo 4 felt like it was going to understeer at times, with very little grip when turning, even at low speeds.

This problem is compounded by a long brake pedal, with very little initial bite when you press it. Instead, you need to bury your foot in order to get the Chery to slow with any sense of urgency and that led to some uneasy moments during our test drive.

Then there’s the adaptive cruise control, which I’ll dive into later in ‘Safety’, but has a major impact on the driving experience. Put simply, it has very poorly calibrated lane keeping assistance when the cruise control is activated, which seemingly cannot be turned off, despite turning off lane keeping assistance separately.

This leads to the car drifting in the lane until it finds the lane marking and then rather aggressively tugging the steering wheel to push you into the centre - and then begin the process again. This leads to near-constant tugging of the wheel in your hand which is as unnerving as it is annoying.

The Tiggo 4 Pro hasn’t been crash tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP yet, so there is no third-party safety rating. However, it does come with a comprehensive list of active driver assist systems (ADAS), notably across both the Urban and Ultimate variants.

The list of fitted equipment includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB), emergency lane keeping, lane departure warning, lane departure prevention, adaptive cruise control, integrated cruise assist, lane change assist, rear collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, door opening warning and a driver monitoring system.

That’s a lengthy array of features, which should score the Tiggo 4 well, however, as we mentioned above, it’s hard to give a good review when some of these systems are so poorly calibrated for real-world conditions that we turned them off (or attempted to).

While some, such as the driver attention system and door opening warning do their job well, others are too intrusive or aggressive when activated and spoil the driving experience.

The key villain is the lane keeping when the adaptive cruise control is activated, with the previously mentioned tugging at the wheel.

This repeated wandering in the lane followed by a firm tug at the wheel is simply not good enough and needs to be recalibrated by Chery as soon as possible.

What makes it so maddening is that other systems seem well-calibrated. For example, the driver attention warning is very good for a modern car, not overly sensitive and emitting a subtle chime when it notices your eyes wandering off the road. So Chery needs to take the same care and precision with its other systems.

A five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with five years of roadside assistance applies to the Duster. That's average for the mainstream market.

Servicing appointments are set at 12 months/30,000km intervals, whichever occurs soonest.

Capped price servicing applies to the first five services with a total cost calculated at $2475 for the all-wheel Duster, with an average per-service cost of $495, which is getting up there for a car in this price bracket.

Renault has more than 70 dealerships across Australia.

As a still new-to-Australia brand, Chery has made the smart move and is offering a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty plus capped-price servicing and roadside assistance for the same period on all models. This gives buyers taking a chance on an unfamiliar brand some peace-of-mind should anything go wrong.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km (whichever comes first) and servicing is only $280 for the first five workshop visits, rising to $375.64 for the sixth service and $295.54 for the final one covered by the initial plan.

That means a total of just over $2071 to maintain your Tiggo 4 Pro for the first seven years of ownership.

There are still long-term questions about reliability and residual values Chery needs to answer, but only time can tell what those answers will be. Given that, the seven years of ownership coverage is a strong offer.