EV Review · New Launch
Chery Q Review: This Is Your Q To Be Bold
Chery's first fully electric hatchback lands in South Africa with striking design, real tech, and a price from R349,900. Here's everything you need to know, straight from Chery's own website and brochure.
The Chery Q on the road — Chery's first fully electric hatchback for South Africa
Chery has spent the last few years building out one of the biggest model ranges in South Africa with the Tiggo family — but the Chery Q is something new entirely: the brand's first fully electric hatchback for the local market. It launched with a distinctive "round square" design, a genuinely long list of tech, and pricing that puts it squarely in the fight for South Africa's budget EV buyer.
Everything below is pulled directly from Chery South Africa's official website and product brochure — no overseas spec sheets, no guesswork.
Design & Dimensions
Chery calls the Q's look "round square" — playful curves balanced against a bold, modern edge, in a compact, aerodynamic package. It's friendly but confident, and the colour range backs that up: Beige, Purple, Silver, and White.
The Q measures 4,195 mm long, 1,811 mm wide, and 1,568 mm tall, riding on a 2,700 mm wheelbase. That long wheelbase is doing the heavy lifting for interior space, while the turning circle stays tight at around 5.2 metres — so it's still an easy car to thread through city streets and parking lots.
Range & Charging
The Q is rated at 400 km on the NEDC cycle, powered by a 42.7 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery — a chemistry Chery says was chosen for faster charging and longer battery life. As with most NEDC figures, treat this as a best-case number; real-world range will depend on driving style, load, and conditions.
Charging is a genuine highlight:
- DC fast charging: 30% to 80% in just 16.5 minutes
- AC home charging (6.6 kW): 10% to 100% in around 6.5 hours
Powertrain
The Q is rear-wheel drive, powered by a single electric motor producing 90 kW and 115 Nm of torque. Top speed is rated at 135 km/h or more, with 0–100 km/h taking 13.5 seconds. These performance figures are identical across both trims — Comfort and Elite drive exactly the same, with the differences sitting entirely in tech and comfort.
The Cool Stuff
This is where the Q earns its "intelligent" branding:
- APA (All-Scenario Automated Parking Assist) — intelligent park-in and park-out assistance, paired with a 540° HD camera. (Elite only)
- V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) — turns the Q into a portable power source for compatible devices. (Standard on both trims)
- External PA System — projects audio beyond the cabin. (Elite only)
- Interactive Design — animated Co-Pilot Wallpaper (cat, husky, bird, otter), Dynamic Time Wallpaper, and Quick Gestures on the infotainment system
- Modular cockpit — dual magnetic accessory ports beside the co-pilot seat and custom HDMI integration
Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) turns the Q into a portable power source
The infotainment system's animated Co-Pilot Wallpaper
Practicality
Up front there's a 70L frunk with a 50 kg load capacity and its own drain port — genuinely usable as a cooler. The boot runs from 375L up to 1,450L with the rear seats folded, and Chery counts 38 separate storage compartments around the cabin, which it claims is the most in its class. A power tailgate is standard on both trims.
The 70L frunk doubles as a cooler, drain port included
Safety
The body-in-white uses 82% high-strength steel in a five-longitudinal, eight-transverse cage structure, built on Chery's T12 electric platform. Six airbags — front, side, and curtain — are standard on both trims, alongside designated crumple zones, an EDR accident data recorder, and the full standard suite: ABS, EBD, brake assist, ESP, traction control, roll stability control, hill-start assist, and hill descent control.
Step up to the Elite and you unlock the full Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) package — lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, blind spot detection, lane change assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, rear cross traffic alert, automatic emergency braking, traffic jam assist, and more — using a front-view camera and rear millimetre-wave radar.
Six airbags — front, side, and curtain — standard on both trims
Comfort vs Elite: What Do You Actually Get?
Ambient cabin lighting and the bigger screen setup — Elite only
Power, torque, top speed, acceleration, range, charging speeds, six airbags, and the core safety suite are identical across both trims.
Warranty & Service Plan
- Vehicle warranty: 5 years / 150,000 km
- Service plan: 5 years / 100,000 km
- EV battery & electric drive warranty: 10 years / 200,000 km
Who Is The Chery Q For?
This is an easy recommendation as an ideal second car — the school run, the daily commute, the city errands where you want to stop thinking about fuel prices altogether. If you want an EV that looks like it made an effort, with genuinely useful tech and a confidence-inspiring battery warranty, without stepping into premium EV pricing, the Chery Q earns a spot on your shortlist.
Quick Take
Distinctive design, real safety credentials, useful everyday tech, and a 10-year battery warranty — all from R349,900. The Elite's parking intelligence and full ADAS suite are worth the step up if they're within budget.
Specs and pricing sourced from Chery South Africa's official website and product brochure. Pricing subject to terms and conditions — confirm final pricing with your local Chery dealer.
