Having established in plug-in hybrid form, Chery’s ‘7’ and ‘8’ models will avail with purely petrol power from February.

FEATURES and pricing for two base versions of models important for China’s budget-minded Chery have disclosed.

The Tiggo 7 (top) and Tiggo 8 (immediately above) are respectively five and seven seater sports utility models that, having released last year in CSH (Chery Super Hybrid) plug in hybrid formats, are now about to add in cheaper pure petrol deliveries.

The new petrols keep the 1.5-litre turbocharged engine from the CHS versions, obviously without the battery and electric motor.

In the Tiggo 7 pure petrol the engine makes 108kW/210Nm, drives the front wheels through a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission and returns 6.9l/100km.

Specification-wise, the petrol Tiggo 7 largely matches the CHS, with the same Urban and Ultimate grades, but pricing is substantially lower - the petrols are $34,990 and $39,990 whereas the CHS counterparts are $42,990 and $49,990. If nothing but running costs matter, there’s plenty to consider.

The Tiggo 8 also asks for the same. The larger car has only been here in a single format, a Ultimate CSH at $51,990.

With the fully petrol choice, you have two levels of spec as a less fully provisioned Urban is also coming to the showroom.

The petrol Tiggo 8 steps up to a 2.0-litre which, with 180kW/375Nm, is Chery's most powerful petrol powerplant. The Super Hybrid ‘8’ has the same 105kW/210Nm as Tiggo 7.

So what do you pay? Again, that could be the clincher. The petrols are $39,990 and $44,990. With the Ultimate, you swap from front-drive to all-wheel-drive, in both instances with marriage via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Inside both is plenty of technology, as you’d expect from a Chinese newcomer.

Tiggo is a name Chery uses for all its SUVs. In fact, the J11 model that Chery had in New Zealand for a short while 10 years ago was sold as a Tiggo in its home market.