Author: Michelin

Choosing a Midsize SUV Under 200,000 RMB

Several years ago, the choice for a midsize SUV under 200,000 RMB was most likely made among several joint venture brands. Which factors were more important: space or interior quality? Power or fuel economy? Customers had to make compromises. As for intelligence, what was that?

Recently, this choice has become even more difficult. Not because of the comparisons and trade-offs, but because of an overwhelming number of options from domestic brands like Lynk & Co, Changan, Chery, GAC, and BYD, who have identified this price range as a battleground. In just one day, two new models in this price range were introduced: the Chery Tiggo 9 and Haval Big Dog 2nd generation PHEV. If we include the Geely Galaxy L7, a still-unpriced new car that will compete with the 200,000 RMB BYD Song Plus, there have been three new models in this segment in the past week alone.

It can be said that customers with a budget of 200,000 RMB have never had such a wealth of choices. Moreover, domestic brands have all produced their own merits to make their products more attractive in this price range, eliminating the need to compromise on demands and budgets by spending high prices for low configurations.

The Platform, Autonomous Brands’ “Capital” for Close Combat

As the saying goes, trains run fast thanks to their engines, and cars are made great by their platforms.

Any self-owned brand without its own platform or hybrid technology will basically be retired from the final competition in 2023. Last week, Geely Galaxy introduced the Thor super hybrid technology. This week, Chery’s Mars architecture-super hybrid platform has made its debut. Domestic brands seem to have hit upon users’ pulse and have administered powerful medicine for range anxiety and fuel economy through hybrid technology.

At the Chery Tech Day in September 2020, the “Yao Guang 2025” technology strategy was unveiled, containing four major technology fields with grandiose and inspiring names – the Mars architecture, Star Core Power, Lion Smart Intelligence, and Galaxy Ecology. Half a year later, we finally see the True New Energy-genius Mars architecture-super hybrid platform. As the latest hybrid and fuel vehicle platform of Chery, the strength of Mars architecture-super hybrid platform is Chery’s competitiveness for products over the next five years.

Martian Architecture – Super Hybrid Platform equipped with EEA4.0 electrical and electronic architecture, supports 5G and Gigabit Ethernet.

In terms of power, the platform offers two power solutions: hybrid and fuel. Among them, as the third-generation intelligent hybrid twin star solution, the 3rd gear DHT peak power is 165kW, and the maximum output torque reaches 4000N·m; the 1st gear DHT peak power is 145kW, with high efficiency, ultra-quiet, and super-smooth three major characteristics. The fuel power uses the Kunpeng 2.0TGDI engine previously used by the Ruihu 8 Plus. With the blessing of the second-generation “i-HEC” intelligent combustion system and other technologies, it can provide more than 43% thermal efficiency and a maximum torque of 400N·m, balancing the needs of high performance and low emissions.

In terms of comfortable experience, the new platform is equipped with the CDC “magnetic suspension” suspension system, which can achieve infinite damping adjustment, allowing the vehicle suspension to adapt to the road conditions actively under the assistance of sensors and precisely control the entire vehicle posture. At the same time, the platform is equipped with the AWD intelligent control four-wheel-drive system, which improves the overall driving control by 20%.

In terms of advanced safety, Martian Architecture-Super Hybrid Platform is developed according to the highest global five-star safety standards and integrates active and passive safety technologies. The passive safety system can intervene 2 seconds in advance to provide protection. Furthermore, the new platform is equipped with the highest 10 safety airbags, including far-end safety airbags, becoming the first platform with largescale production of far-end safety airbags in the industry.

Moreover, in the field of artificial intelligence, which was the shortcoming of Chery in the past, is also the focus of development this time. Recently, Gu Junli, the former Vice President of Automatic Driving at XPeng, joined Chery Automobile, and Chery also established a Dazhuo Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. These show Chery’s investment in the field of intelligent driving.

Currently, the Martian Architecture-Super Hybrid Platform is equipped with the Chery Pilot L2.9 level intelligent driving assistance system, including21 basic ADAS functions and 11 high-level intelligent driving functions. In the future, with the establishment of a new intelligent driving team at Chery, it is believed that the capability of Martian Architecture in intelligent driving will be further enhanced.

As for the cockpit, the platform is equipped with the top-performance Snapdragon 8155 flagship chip in the auto industry, with a CPU computing power of up to 105K. In addition to the underlying hardware and software capabilities, Chery Automobile also collaborates with world-class suppliers to optimize the in-cabin experience. Taking the C-PURE Green Cabin as an example, the new car’s odor grade reaches level 3.0, and the key VOC standard has been improved by 10 times. The health and environmental protection inside the cabin have also become the current standards pursued by more and more users and auto companies.

What Should Be the Finalists of 200,000-yuan SUVs?

What do owners of 200,000-yuan SUVs really want? If users in this price range had to make choices before, today, with the competition among domestic brands, users have more choices, including space, comfort, safety, power, and economy… They all want everything. This also means that the required quality for the finalists is versatility and balance.

As the first model of the Mars Architecture-Super Hybrid Platform, the body size of the Tiggo 9 is 4820mm1930mm1699mm, with a wheelbase of 2820mm. Compared with opponents in the same price range, the Tiggo 9’s length and height are much larger, even a small circle larger than Chery’s own Jung Yun Light.

In terms of power, Tiggo 9 offers two power options: fuel and hybrid. Among them, the Kunpeng fuel version is equipped with a 2.0TGDI engine and an Aisin 8AT gearbox, with a maximum power of 192kW and a peak torque of 400N·m. The hybrid version has a comprehensive cruising range of over 1300km and supports 60kW fast charging.

In terms of intelligence, the Chery Tiggo 9 is equipped with top hardware equipment in the industry, including the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip and 5G gigabit Ethernet. The cabin has a 24.6-inch dual-curved screen and an AR-HUD with a projection size of 50 inches. In addition, the Tiggo 9 has zero-gravity seats, heated second-row seats, a 540-degree three-dimensional air conditioning system, B-pillar air outlets, intelligent fragrance systems, and a SONY 14-speaker surround sound system, all of which were previously only available on higher-priced models.

In terms of intelligent driving, the Chery Tiggo 9 is equipped with an L2+ intelligent driving assistance system. Chery positions this system as an L2.9 intelligent driving assistance system, which is getting closer to L3.

Although the final pricing was not announced on site, the starting price of 160,000 yuan still gives the Tiggo 9 significant competitiveness. Positioned in the price range of 150,000 to 200,000 yuan, it offers a larger size and space than compact SUVs and more fully-equipped configurations than mid-size SUVs, creating a unique positioning.

Final remarks

From being a national-level brand car to briefly experiencing a downturn in the early stage of intelligent electrification, Chery has once again returned to the center stage in recent years. In 2022, Chery sold 1.23 million vehicles, a growth of 28.2%. This was the first time that Chery’s brand sales exceeded one million, and it was also due to Chery’s rapid turnaround in technology and products. In this turnaround, Chery labeled itself as a “science and engineering man,” which implies more technology and practicality.No matter it’s the “Yao Guang 2025” strategy with R&D investment exceeding 100 billion, or the establishment of self-driving subsidiary Da Zhou Intelligent by attracting talents as mentioned earlier, or the release of Mars architecture-Super Hybrid Platform and Tiggo 9, Chery is developing towards the direction of technology and practicality. As the first model of the new architecture, Tiggo 9 carries Chery’s transformation and upward goals.

After achieving the first record of selling over one million units, can the new model and platform help Chery realize its dream?

This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.