Sub-$50K price for Chery’s new seven-seater
BY MATT CAMPBELL | 17th May 2024
CHERY Australia has launched its first seven-seat SUV and priced the new Tiggo 8 Pro Max assertively as the Chinese brand tries to find buyers in a small but busy space in the market.
The Tiggo 8 Pro Max will be offered in three trim levels: the Urban, at $41,990 drive-away; the Elite, at $43,990 drive-away; and the Ultimate AWD, at $47,990 drive-away.
It is not quite the most affordable seven-seat SUV on sale in Australia; that title is still held by the similar-sized Mahindra XUV700 starting at $36,990 drive-away.
Chery Australia chief operating officer Lucas Harris said the Tiggo 8 launch is an important moment for the brand as it aims to offer vehicles to fit this market’s specific lifestyle requirements.
"We’re excited to enter the large SUV market here in Australia with the launch of the Tiggo 8 Pro Max,” he said. As our first seven-seater SUV here in Australia, the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max will offer customers a first-class experience at a competitive price point.
“With its blend of luxury, performance, and advanced features, we're confident it offers exceptional value to drivers.”
All variants are powered by the ‘Pro Max’ (hence the name) 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine producing 180kW and 375Nm, with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic offered in the front-wheel drive Urban and Elite grades, as well as the all-wheel drive flagship Ultimate model, which has Borg Warner components and three additional drive modes (Snow, Mud and Offroad), in addition to Normal, Sport and Eco modes offered on all versions.
By comparison, the Mahindra’s 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine develops less power at 149kW but is slightly torquier at 380Nm.
Fuel consumption for the Tiggo 8 is stated at 8.1 litres per 100km for the 2WD models and 8.7L/100km for AWD. All versions are Euro 6 emissions compliant, though they must run on 95RON premium unleaded fuel. Tank capacity is 57 litres.
Spec by spec, Chery has thrown quite a bit at each of the Tiggo 8 Pro Max models.
The entry-level Urban, at $41,990 drive-away, comes as standard with 18-inch alloy wheels with a tyre pressure monitoring system and temporary spare, LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, LED tail-lights, a surround-view camera system, proximity key with push-button start, imitation leather seats, a pair of 12.3-inch screens (one for media, one for driver info), wireless and wired Apple CarPlay, Android Auto (wired only), eight-speaker Sony stereo, sat nav, voice command, driver’s seat memory function, heated and ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, wireless phone charger, and even ambient lighting.
Mid-grade Elite gains a few valuable features for an extra $2000 ($43,990 drive-away), including an electric tailgate, built-in dash cam, third-row air-conditioning with fan speed control, illuminated front door sills, cargo blind, remote window operation, and heated exterior mirrors. The headlights and taillights also have animations for this grade.
At the top of the range is the Ultimate, which adds AWD and a number of other features for the $47,990 drive-away asking price.
It is differentiated by a unique 19-inch alloy wheel design and it has a panoramic sunroof. In some colours, the Ultimate is available with black or brown interior finishing, and it has a 10-speaker Sony stereo, privacy glass, puddle lamps, illuminated vanity mirrors for driver and passenger, and a fragrance system integrated into the air-con.
Chery has stated that the brand is “very close” to an ANCAP safety rating for the new family-focused model, which boasts an array of standard active safety technology across the range, including autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a surround-view camera system and front and rear parking sensors, among other tech.
Furthermore, the brand has fitted 10 airbags to this vehicle, with dual front, driver’s knee, front centre, front side, rear side and curtain airbags included, but the latter do not reach the third row, so buyers should be mindful if planning to use all three rows, all the time.
As for dimensions, the Tiggo 8 sits alongside similar seven-seat options like the Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan X-Trail and Honda CR-V, with a length of 4720mm (on a 2710mm wheelbase), and it’s 1860mm wide and 1705mm tall.
Luggage capacity stacks up decently, with the VDA figure for all three rows being 117 litres, and if you stow that back row there’s a claimed 479L of capacity (or 739L to the ceiling). Furthermore, all versions come with a space-saver spare wheel mounted under the floor of the boot.
And boosting its appeal for Aussie buyers, the Tiggo 8 is the first model with a rated towing capacity for the brand in our market. The unbraked maximum capacity is 750kg, while the braked towing capacity is 1300kg. The maximum tow ball download, however, is 75kg.
As with other Chery models, the brand offers a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, as well as a seven-year capped-price servicing plan with intervals every 12 months/15,000km. If servicing with the Chery network, the brand throws in up to seven years of roadside assistance.
Our review of the Tiggo 8 Pro Max is due soon.
2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max pricing*:
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Tiggo 8 Pro Max Urban
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$41,990
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Tiggo 8 Pro Max Elite
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$43,990
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Tiggo 8 Pro Max Ultimate AWD
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$47,990
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*Pricing includes drive-away costs.
