2026 Tiggo 7 PHEV Value vs Mitsubishi ASX Overcharge

The Great $13,000 Robbery

David and I have spent the week oscillating between genuine shock and fits of giggles. It all comes down to one number. $47,990. That is what Mitsubishi wants you to pay for the mid spec ASX Aspire drive away. Now look at the Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid. Thanks to a current MY25 clearance offer it is a staggering $34,990 drive away for the Urban.

We aren’t just talking about a price gap. We are talking about a market chasm of gaping proportions, and it can’t be fixed by ASX discounts. The legacy brands aren’t just overcharging you. They are taking the absolute piss.

Australia’s Cheapest PHEV

While the Urban variant wasn’t the star of our latest video it deserves a massive shout out for one reason. At $34,990 drive away the Tiggo 7 Urban is officially the cheapest plug in hybrid in the country. It managed to undercut the BYD Sealion 5 on road costs to take the title. You are getting a thirfty mid sized SUV with cutting edge tech for less than the price of many basic petrol hatchbacks from the old guard brands.

Download Specifications HERE

Above: This Week’s VIDEO Review –2026 Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV Ultimate -Why ASX is dead PART 2

#CheryTiggo7PHEV #MitsubishiASX #Remitzy #PHEVReview #GayCarBoys

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The Remitzy Disaster

Let’s be clear about what the 2026 ASX actually is. It’s a Renault Captur with a Mitsubishi badge slapped onto the front. We call it the Remitzy and frankly it’s embarrassing. Under the bonnet of the ASX is a piddling 113kW 1.3L turbo. Mitsubishi is trying to sell you efficiency but the reality is a driving experience that feels underpowered and overpriced. Then you step into the Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid.

• Chery Power

A frisky 1.5L turbo petrol engine and a punchy 150kW electric motor.

• The Result

A combined output of 255kW and 525Nm.

YIKES. The Mitsubishi doesn’t just lose the race. It doesn’t even know the race has started. While the ASX is hunting for gears in its wishy washy DCT the Chery is surging forward with a deliciously muscular shove. The Tiggo 7 just requires the merest flex of the right foot for much whooshing to come.

The Urban vs Ultimate Choice

In the video we tested the Ultimate which currently sits at $38,990 drive away. It adds a panoramic sunroof (with very large opening section) and an 8 speaker Sony sound system. It also brings the 360 degree camera which is essential because the ASX reversing camera looks like it was filmed through a fish tank in 1994.

Even at the higher Ultimate price you are still saving nearly ten thousand dollars over the Mitsubishi. Chery isn’t playing mind games with the trim levels. You get the full power output and that hefty 18.4kWh battery as standard regardless of whether you pick the Urban or the Ultimate.

Interior Horrors

David and I struggled into the back of the ASX. Unless you have the dexterity of a Cirque du Soleil performer the rear is a cramped horror show. The upholstery has a nasty 70s Nylon feel to it and the rear headroom is beyond bijou. For 20 grand it is acceptable but at $48k it is utterly appalling.

The ASX cabin is narrow. It’s a compact SUV trying to command premium mid size money. The Tiggo 7 is a proper mid sized, a full segment size larger than ASX. The SUV’s 1862mm width makes the extra breathing room obvious. And the boot? Mitsubishi has given you a hard floor with a massive cavity underneath where a spare tyre should be, and for $750 you may have one. For free they’ve tossed in a repair kit and left a hole big enough to hide a body. We have never had a successful tyre repair kit incident yet.

The Dead Posh Experience

Switch to the Tiggo 7 and the vibe shifts instantly to Dead Posh.

• The Tech

Dual 12.3 inch curved screens. One responded to every touch and had no ASX Google Glitches.

• The Luxury (yes, luxury)

We are talking synthetic leather and dual zone climate. In the Ultimate trim you score ventilated cooled seats that waft cooled air up your Khyber on hot days.

To find ventilated seats and a premium sound system in a Japanese rival you are typically looking at a $60,000 invoice. Chery is giving it to you for under $40,000 and ASX only gives you heated seats in the top model. The surfaces are soft and our only concern was longevity. Thin pleather over soft foam will rip easily and there is no getting away from it..

Tech That Actually Works

In the ASX we spent half the time fighting the car. David couldn’t find the audio knobs and the speed limiter accidentally kicked in at 30km/h. The Chery feels like it was designed in this decade. The Hello Chery voice control actually handles the sunroof and climate while you keep your eyes on the road. The safety suite is comprehensive and includes a 360 degree camera that makes the ASX’s grainy reversing camera look like a CCTV feed from the 90s.

Driving Dynamics

The mechanical mismatch is a cheesy embarrassment. The ASX’s 7 speed dual clutch transmission is sloppy blancmange. It’s constantly hunting for gears, constantly finding the wrong one. It hesitates and faffs, and is only snappy and precise when under full flee.

The Tiggo 7 DHT is lightyears ahead in refinement. It uses the electric motor via a 1 speed reduction gear for the bulk of the heavy lifting around town. There is none of that “shudder” or “crawl” that ruins the Renault based Mitsubishi. Tiggo 7 is smooth and it’s silent.

The Efficiency Reality Check

Mitsubishi claims the ASX is frugal but it’s a petrol only engine. You are always burning fuel. Even on its best day it can’t compete with a car that lets you drive to work and back on pure electricity. Our ASX test never bettered 7.2L per 100km whereas the Chery was around 4.2L per 100km. Remember, the home charging cable went AWOL. Although we could have DC fast charged at up to 40kW, we didn’t.

If you charge the Tiggo 7 at home you are essentially driving for the cost of a few kilowatt hours. For most Australians that means a fuel bill of zero for the entire working week. With 93km of EV range the ASX simply can’t dream of that.

The Verdict

The 2026 Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid has done something remarkable. It has exposed the legacy brands for exactly what they are. The Mitsubishi ASX isn’t a $48,000 car. It’s a budget hatchback wearing an expensive badge.

If you buy the ASX over the Tiggo 7 you are paying a huge brand tax for a car that has less power and a tatty interior. Chery isn’t just winning on price. They are winning on the actual product.

Our Advice? Don’t be a fool for a badge. The Chery is the Giant Killer and the Remitzy is officially toast. That, ladies and germs, is why we say Mitsubishi is dead.