Bangkok 2025: Chery Tiggo Cross – Ativa/WR-V rival coming to Malaysia soon; Thailand gets 1.5L hybrid

Sawadeekap. We’re reporting live from the 2025 Bangkok International Motor Show (BIMS) and kicking off our coverage from Impact Muang Thong Thani is Chery Tiggo Cross, which was recently spotted testing in Malaysia with light camo, a strong hint that Chery is set to introduce a junior SUV model as the brand’s entry model very soon.

The Tiggo Cross, also known as the Tiggo 4 Pro in some markets, is a small SUV that sits below the B-segment Omoda 5, which means that this is a rival to the Perodua Ativa (Toyota Raize and Daihatsu Rocky in Indonesia) and the Honda WR-V. For you to have a mental picture, at 4,320 mm long and 1,831 mm wide, the Cross is 255 mm longer and 121 mm wider than an Ativa, and its 2,610 mm wheelbase is 85 mm longer.

In Indonesia, where it was launched last month, the Tiggo Cross is powered by a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with 116 PS and 138 Nm of torque, paired to CVT automatic. Elsewhere, the junior Tiggo is a available with a 1.5-litre turbo-four (DCT) with 147 PS and 210 Nm, which is lower than the Omoda 5’s 1.5T with 156 hp/230 Nm.

In Thailand, Chery is branding itself as a green and eco brand, with hybrids at the forefront, and this pre-production Tiggo Cross being previewed at BIMS (launch targeted for the end of this year) is a hybrid. The HEV combines a 1.5L NA engine with 102 hp/125 Nm with an electric motor pushing out 204 hp (150 kW) 310 Nm – total output is 190 hp/370 Nm and the 0-100 km/h sprint is done in 10.8 seconds. The battery is a 1.8 kWh unit tucked in the boot.

By the way, this latest facelift of the Tiggo 4 has bolder face that consists of a larger and more angular studded grille, which is visually connected to vertical LED daytime running lights at the edges of the bumper. The headlamps are LEDs and the cluster is slimmer. Overall, the new face gives a wider impression, and it’s also more modern.

Like the fascia, the Tiggo 4’s profile and rear end are also more in-line with its bigger Tiggo siblings. The chrome lower border of the daylight opening now goes all the way to the back; this plus some black paint creates the ‘floating roof’ effect seen on the Tiggo 7 and Proton’s X SUVs. The two-tone five-spoke alloys look pretty small here, but are actually 17-inch items with 215/60 rubber.

For me, it’s the rear end changes that does most to transform the Cross/Tiggo 4, which looks so much more contemporary with a full-width bar containing fancy LED signatures and a fully spelled out Chery logo. Vertical reflectors at the bumper edges mirror the front LED DRLs. Check out the pre-facelift to see what we mean. Looks like a smaller Jaecoo J7 from the back.

The pre-facelift Tiggo 4’s interior was a strong point for cars of this size/price, but it has been further modernised and now sports the conjoined screens seen in other Chery SUVs. Further down, the row of piano keys and the piano black AC control panel have been retained, but the vents are now full width. Shift-by-wire allows for a small knob and a big storage area below the centre console.

What do you think of the Chery Tiggo Cross a.k.a. Tiggo 4 Pro? Its prospects will heavily depend on pricing, as buyers in the sub-RM100k market are more price sensitive than those buying a RM150k SUV. The Cross is sure to be priced below the century mark as the Omoda 5 starts from RM100k. Also, which of the three powertrains will we get – NA, turbo or hybrid?

For context, the Perodua Ativa – which has a 1.0-litre three-pot turbo engine – is priced from RM62,500 to RM72,600, while the 1.5L NA-powered Honda WR-V (1.5L NA CVT) retails from RM90k to RM108k. It’s these two compact SUVs that Chery is targeting with the Tiggo Cross.

GALLERY: Chery Tiggo Cross at BIMS 2025

GALLERY: Chery Tiggo 4 Pro facelift in China

GALLERY: Chery Tiggo 4 Pro pre-facelift

The post Bangkok 2025: Chery Tiggo Cross – Ativa/WR-V rival coming to Malaysia soon; Thailand gets 1.5L hybrid appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.