Chinese copycat cars are nothing new. But the latest offender – the Zotye X7 – essentially clones a vehicle that has yet to even arrive in South Africa.
Yes, Zotye appreciated the design of the second-generation Volkswagen Tiguan so much that it pretty much cloned the compact SUV.
You may argue that the X7’s grille (which features “Domy” badging) isn’t anything like that of the new Tiguan, but that’s because Zotye’s, er, “designers” seem to have swiped it from the German brand’s Cross Coupe GTE concept. The interior, too, borrows heavily from the German vehicle.
The Zotye X7 is available in China with a choice of three turbocharged engines, all of which either match or outgun Volkswagen’s 1,4-litre TSI mill in the power department. Well, on paper at least.
Zotye, of course, is no stranger to this game, with its Smart ForTwo clone appearing on our list of 5 of the most blatant copycat cars out of China.
