Chery launches Tiggo X range, opens UK R&D centre in Britain

Chery has opened a research and development centre at the Millbrook test track and is introducing the Tiggo X family to the UK, led by a five-metre, seven-seat plug-in hybrid flagship that produces 476 hp and 630 Nm and offers about 200 km electric range on the CLTC cycle.

The move follows Chery's first full year in the UK, during which the company sold roughly 29,000 vehicles and says it has already exceeded the targets it set for 2026.

Chery's sales still trail sister brands Omoda and Jikoo; Jikoo 7 alone has sold nearly 53,000 units since its late-2024 launch.

Chery currently sells Tiggo 4, 7, 8 and 9 in the UK to compete directly with models such as the Ford Puma, Volkswagen Tiguan and Skoda Kodiaq. Next year four new or upgraded models will arrive, one of them fully electric. The Tiggo X name has not been finalised.

The Tiggo X flagship was previously shown at the Beijing motor show. Chery says the X series will deliver a different character from current Tiggo models, with boxy styling, lifestyle focus and greater off-road capability.

The new Millbrook centre will initially act as an engineering translation and adaptation hub, turning local customer and media feedback into technical changes for senior engineers in China. Because UK roads are narrower, twistier and bumpier than China's, the centre will calibrate steering, chassis settings, suspension and advanced driver assistance systems.

Engineers at Millbrook will test whole systems and rapidly evaluate parts such as dampers, bushes and software calibrations. Chery's UK chief says the company aims for a ride and handling feel that evokes German cars. The technical changes will also be applied to other group brands including Omoda, Jikoo and Lipas.

Plug-in hybrids account for three quarters of Chery's UK sales to date; the company says factory supply limitations are the only restraint on further growth. Chery's stated long-term plan is to make plug-in hybrid drivetrains standard across its range, letting buyers choose battery capacity and electric range much like selecting storage options on a smartphone.