You might have noticed local dealerships now offering Omoda and Jaecoo brands – now they’re going to be joined by the parent company, Chery.
The first Chery-badged car to launch in the UK is the Tiggo 8. It’s nothing to do with Winnie The Pooh; instead it’s a three-row, seven-seat SUV with a plug-in hybrid engine.
The styling is reminiscent of Ford and Audi, which should give it a good start in the UK. Up front, there’s a wide, tall grille and modern-looking headlights, while the rear end features an LED lightbar to join the brake light clusters.
Chery Tiggo 8 UK pricing and specifications
Chery's debut model in the UK goes on sale from 1 September, with two trim levels available.
Aspire includes dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, an eight-speaker Sony sound system, synthetic leather upholstery and heated seats. Oh, and a 15.6-inch HD touchscreen – with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – plus cooled wireless phone charging.
Top-spec Summit adds a panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting, a hands-free bootlid, a 12-speaker sound system, electrically adjustable and cooled front seats, heated second-row seats and a head-up display.
Prices start at £28,545 for the petrol engine and £33,545 for the hybrid. For context, a Skoda Kodiaq with seven seats starts at £39,000, the Nissan X-Trail is over £37,000 and even the Ford Tourneo Connect van is £34,000.
Engines
Set to use a similar powertrain to the Jaecoo 7 SVS, the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid – to give it its full name – promises a 745-mile total range, including a 56-mile electric range. That puts it in contention with some of the longest-range plug-in hybrids on the market.
The Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid is one of a growing number of PHEVs to be able to fast-charge at a DC public charger, as well as slower AC charging, such as from a home wallbox or a rare Type 2 destination charger. Plug in to a 50kW motorway charger and the battery will be back at 80% in under half an hour.
There are two electric motors and a 1.5-litre petrol engine, with a combined total output of 204hp.
Chery calls the Tiggo 8 a ‘5+2’ seater, suggesting that the third row is best used for occasional uses and may not fit adults in.
As we’ve seen from a number of recent Chinese car brands, the interior features two large screens and plenty of technology.
The Tiggo 8 comes with a seven-year/100,000-mile warranty, which matches offerings from Jaecoo, Omoda and Kia – so you might soon see it on our list of the best cars with long warranties.
Shop used 7-seater cars and used plug-in hybrid cars for sale at Motorpoint, all with warranty cover as standard – and most are cheaper than a new Chery Tiggo 8.
