Test drive Chery Tiggo 4 against Kia Rio X-Line and Lada XRAY Cross

Bracelet key, gesture control, variator and other similar equipment already seem normal today, even in the class of compact crossovers. And even Chinese cars

A Chery fitness tracker is not just a branded gadget, but also a car key. Land Rover was the first to come up with the idea of ​​a wearable unsinkable key, but so far only the Chinese have managed to implement it for a car worth a little over a million. And it really works: it closes and opens the doors, lowers the windows, unlocks the trunk.

The bracelet idea is good for sports or other activities in which it is not very convenient to carry the key with you. With the bracelet, you can go to the beach, ski, run or carry luggage without the risk of losing your primary key. The bracelet also allows you to remotely start the engine to heat or cool the interior. True, the Tiggo 4 does not have full-fledged climate control, and this is rather strange for a model that is considered the newest and most advanced in the range of the brand.

It is easy to get confused in the Chery crossover hierarchy because the numeric indexes do not always correspond to the dimensional positioning. You just need to remember that the Tiggo 4 can be considered the formal successor to the cheaper Tiggo 3, and this model is roughly the size of the Hyundai Creta. But at the same time it is sold no cheaper than a bestseller, which is quite surprising. Moreover, Chery does not have all-wheel drive, so you need to directly compare it with cross-country hatchbacks, and they are cheaper in comparable versions.

A classic example is the Kia Rio X-Line: an ordinary five-door hatchback with increased ground clearance and plastic sidewalls. And in general, for broken Russian roads, this is a very suitable option of moderate dimensions and with classic passenger ergonomics. The seating position inside is the same as in the Rio sedan, adjusted for the height of the position. Not only was the X-Line's ground clearance initially higher than that of the sedan, in the spring of 2019 the importer increased it by another 2 cm to a very impressive 195 millimeters.

The ground clearance of Chery Tiggo 4 is only slightly less - 190 millimeters. But if you put both cars side by side, it will seem that they are generally from different segments, because Chery is noticeably taller. It looks like a real crossover with a high body, an upturned roof, massive doors and exposed roof rails, which are almost invisible from Kia.

The layout of the body largely determines the fit, and in the Tiggo 4 it is exactly the crossover - vertical and high. Solid, dense armchairs have a decent profile, but the headrest presses too persistently on the back of the head. There is nothing Asian about the style of the salon, and I would like to compare the large screen of the media system with a TV. Almost the same - instead of devices, and the view is adjusted to the taste of the owner. True, you can't get the usual picture with dials, the display itself seems faded, and on the sides there are uninformative black dips of the thermometer and fuel gauge.

The graphics of the screen of the media system are better, there is an interesting animation, but the knobs of the air conditioner do not allow setting the temperature and automatic mode. But the Tiggo 4 does something that rivals can't find for any money: gesture control. Rotating your finger in front of the screen, you can adjust the volume, swipe to change the radio or tracks, and swipe your palm to turn the air conditioner on or off. Although it is even easier to operate the rotating handle on the tunnel.

Lada XRAY is an intermediate version. The car is built on the basis of the Renault Sandero hatchback, but has a high body, and in the Cross version it also has a record clearance of 215 mm. Although otherwise it is the most compact option both in size and in interior space with all the familiar compromises of the B0 platform and far from the most comfortable fit. It's good at least that there is a steering wheel adjustment for reach, which gives much more options for drivers of different heights. But unpretentious upright seating chairs cannot be put anywhere.

The Cross interior is well enlivened by contrasting gray accents in the seats and instruments with orange edging in the body color, but this is just one of the options. The top version of the Luxe can be equipped with a two-tone orange interior, which looks very bright and even rich from a distance, but, like the one-color version, disappoints with the echoing plastic of all surfaces. Even with a top-end media system, climate control and keys for heated seats and glass, the XRAY Cross looks budget-friendly from the inside. It is gratifying that the media system, after the update, is able to handle Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The back in XRAY is frankly cramped, and you can't turn around with child seats. The Kia Rio X-Line is also not a record holder, but for an adult driver of average build, you can at least sit normally here, easily climbing through the compact central tunnel. And the most spacious place is in the tall Chery, where there is enough room in the shoulders, legs, and even above the head. Heating of the rear sofa cushion is offered by all three, but only in the older trim levels.

The compact XRAY plays with a trunk, which is no shorter than that of Chery, and even symbolically wins in volume, taking into account the cavities hidden under the floor. The hard floor can be installed on two levels, and in the upper position, the transition to the folded backrests is done without a step. The Tiggo has a step, but the compartment itself looks neater. And the Rio is beyond competition: the trunk is both higher and longer, and on the sides there are niches for bottles with a washer. But only XRAY can fold the back of the front passenger seat for transporting long items.

The variator paired with the 1,6 Nissan engine is a novelty for Lada, and there is a feeling that Togliatti overcame a little, endowing the unit with a phlegmatic character and dull acceleration figures in the official specifications. Although everything is pretty good in sensations, the variator does not interfere with the engine, and in the aggressive acceleration mode it skillfully imitates the change of "fixed" gears.

Chery, with its two-liter engine in normal driving modes, seems vigorous, because it pleases with the moment and quite solidly responds to the gas pedal with a margin. But if you try to go really fast, then disappointment comes: the variator pulls the rubber, the thrust gets stuck, and the engine itself does not really want to spin up at high speeds. The situation is a little better in the sport mode, but in general there is only one remedy for laziness - the version with a turbo engine, which plays in a different price category.

There are no complaints about the Kia Rio with a 1,6 engine with almost the same power, and this is the merit not only of the evenly distributed engine thrust, but also of the cool 6-speed “automatic”, which does not even have a Sport button as unnecessary. Fast responses, adequate acceleration and even a hint of excitement - in this trio the Rio X-Line is better not only in numbers, but in feel.

Roughly the same alignment in terms of handling. The increase in ground clearance did not spoil the Kia's settings, because along with the struts of the Rio X-Line, the front suspension arms and knuckles were changed, and the car still handles excellently: quick reactions, a clear steering wheel and modest rolls.

Chery is worse on the road, but it keeps a straight line just as well, remains understandable during maneuvers, but moves away from the driver if you drive more actively. Lada in this sense is more honest, even taking into account the rather tight steering wheel and noticeable rolls, because in most situations it remains quite predictable. In addition, the XRAY's suspension makes it easy to rush even on a very bad road at a very comfortable noise level.

Tiggo 4 is tougher, and on very bumpy roads it shakes very mercilessly, in some places it also starts to sway. There is only one recipe - to slow down. But the almost reference Rio X-Line, which broadcasts all the irregularities to the salon in some detail, does not withstand such conditions either.

All this does not mean that the Rio X-Line is afraid of the country off-road. In mud and slush, the traction control system works well, which effectively simulates cross-axle blocking. Lada XRAY is also trying, but in the version with a variator, the car from Togliatti is devoid of a selector for selecting the driving modes, which made these efforts more noticeable. Chery Tiggo 4 also has nothing to boast about: the electronics are on guard, but they do not promise much cross-country ability.

The "fourth" Tiggo with automatic transmission cannot be bought for less than a million - a car in the Comfort configuration costs $ 13, and in the test version of Techno with keyless entry, heated steering wheel and rear seats, leather, electric seats and a large media system for another 491 $ more expensive. ...

Lada XRAY Cross with a variator, even in the richest Luxe Prestige configuration, costs $ 12 and this is a complete set, including a two-tone eco-leather trim, a sensor media system with a camera, climate control, heated steering wheel and rear seats, atmospheric interior lighting and a folding back of the passenger seat ... And the Optima package, which also cannot be called "empty", is offered for $ 731 and this is the minimum for the XRAY Cross with a CVT. By the way, the usual XRAY is not equipped with a CVT at all - you can only buy a version with a 11 engine and a "robot" for $ 082.

Raised Rio can also be put in a million, even with a 1,6 engine and automatic transmission. The basic Comfort version costs $ 12 and the older Premium - $ 508, which is more expensive than the top-end Chery Tiggo 14. The top-end Rio has heated all seats and a windshield, a keyless entry system and a navigator. There is an even cheaper option - the Rio X-Line with a 932-horsepower 4 engine and an automatic transmission costing $ 100, which is offered only in the Comfort version.

Body type	Hatchback	Hatchback	Hatchback
dimensions (length / width / height), mm	4318/1831/1662	4171/1810/1645	4240/1750/1510
Wheelbase, mm	2610	2592	2600
Ground clearance, mm	190	215	195
Curb weight, kg	1494	1295	1203
engine's type	Gasoline, R4	Gasoline, R4	Gasoline, R4
Working volume, cubic meters cm	1971	1598	1591
Power, hp with. at rpm	122/5500	113/5500	123/6300
Max. cool. moment, Nm at rpm	180/4000	152/4000	151/4850
Transmission, drive	CVT, front	CVT, front	6-st. Automatic transmission, front
Maximum speed km / h	174	162	183
Acceleration to 100 km / h, from	n. d.	12,3	11,6
Fuel consumption (city / highway / mixed), l	11,2/6,4/8,2	9,1/5,9/7,1	8,9/5,6/6,8
Cargo space, l	340	361	390
Price from, $.	13 491	11 093	12 508