The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro: Will South Africans Take a Bite?

Chery’s latest Tiggo 8 Pro SUV has all the hallmarks of a premium product.

Back in February, we took a look at the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro (which you can read all about here), the company’s first model as they set out to re-establish themselves in South Africa.

Well, since then, Chery has launched their second model on local soil, the Tiggo 8 Pro, and like its smaller brother, Chery has certainly upped their game. 

If you can recall the Tiggo 4 Pro article, you will know that I waxed lyrical about its looks and honestly, I won't blame you if you did the same because it's a good looking car. Well, the Tiggo 8 Pro deserves the same admiration because once again, the Chery designers have outdone themselves by creating a beautiful SUV. Like the 4 Pro, the front features a large chrome studded grille with aggressively shaped lights and a deep bumper giving the front end a Ford Everest vibe, albeit smaller and more stylish.  The side view is also an exciting affair with a subtle upward swooping window line, bulbous arches and the inward step along the bottom of the door, similar to the 4 Pro.

At the back, the 8 Pro’s Everest vibes can be seen once more, but unlike the Ford, it looks classier with slim angular lights and a lower chrome “bash plate” which surrounds the twin tailpipes…Haval, I hope you are taking notes for when the time comes to design the next Jolion?

Moving inside, the interior is a luxurious affair and where Chery may have held back on the 4 Pro, they have certainly pulled out all the stops inside the 8 Pro. Starting with the seats, they are larger and more comfortable with a classic diamond stitch pattern reminiscent of an AMG Mercedes, while the door cards are finished with both brushed aluminium around the door handles and matching fabric on the arm-rests. The dashboard could not escape its own stylish appointments either, and instead of adding wood trim or simply leaving the plastic finish, Chery chose to accent the dashboard with the same fabric as the seats, classy!

The dashboard is a very stylish affair in its own right, clean and simple with minimal switchgear which is more akin to something from a premium brand. Instead of cluttering the dashboard with loads of buttons, Chery chose to equip the dash with two touchscreens that link to your phone via IOS and Android and the instrument panel. These screens display multimedia, communications, early warnings, driving information, warning messages, settings and other functions, making for a more user-friendly, and safer driving experience. When it comes to the switchgear you do find, such as the electronic gear selector, they are all finished really smartly. Aside from looking the part (of a high-end SUV), the cabin is also filled with exciting features like a SONY sound system, wireless charging for your devices, and refrigerated armrest storage to name just a few.

Powering the 8 Pro is Chery’s turbocharged 1.6T GDI engine which produces 145kW and 290Nm of torque.  This is not that bad per se, but I personally think they could have gone with a larger engine in this case. The engine is mated to a 7-speed DCT transmission and to ensure maximum fuel saving there’s an automatic stop/start function.

Once the 1.6 engine and 7-speed transmission get you moving, Chery has made sure that the 8 Pro is loaded with active and passive safety features to ensure you stay safe. These features include adaptive cruise control which monitors road conditions and vehicle spacing, BSD (Blind Spot Monitoring) and LCA (Lane Change Assist), 360-degree AVM (Around View Monitor), a TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) and 6 “Guard-Ring” airbags should the situation get really hairy. These all work in conjunction with Chery’s ADAS (Advanced Driving Assistance System) the name they’ve given for the full collection of “normal” safety features which include ABS and ESP to name just a few.

Moving onto the "administrative stuff", the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro is available in two specification levels, Distinctive and Executive, and each includes a 5-year or 150 000km warranty, and an impressive 1 000 000km/10 Year Engine Warranty!  Pricing for the Distinctive spec starts from R496,900 while the Executive can be yours from R546,900.

With pricing on point, luxury features and stunning good looks, it seems as if Chery might have a winner on its hands, but will the South African market take the bait and fall for this Chery? I would, but I guess only time will tell for the rest of us.

Find your next Chery by checking out the ClickaCar Virtual Showroom.