You can have your cake and eat it.
With the launch of the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro, Chery is showing South Africans that the world has changed – for the better.
Gone are the days of quoting a list price that excludes all but the most basic accessories. Chery takes a full set of luxuries as its starting point and then builds from there. And when it comes to the flagship model range, it is First Class all the way.
“In planning for the South African introduction of the Tiggo 8 Pro, we used the analogy of first-class travel. Once in first class, your every need is satisfied. There are no hidden costs, no surprise bills, and luxury is a given.
“That is what we have created for customers of the Tiggo 8 Pro, from design, to seating, to performance and of course to luxuries. We invite customers to enjoy their First Class,” says Tony Liu, Executive Deputy General Manager of Chery South Africa.
Well received the world over
South Africa is the first right-hand drive country in the world to receive the Tiggo 8 Pro, and it arrives shortly after its debut in other large markets such as South America, Russia and the Middle East.
In Chile, the latest country to launch the Tiggo 8 Pro, the launch drew the attention of media, customers and celebrities, and sales have started exceptionally well with Chery ranked as one of the five most popular and best-selling brands in the country.
In Russia, where the Tiggo 8 Pro has been on sale for a number of months, it is not only one of the best-selling luxury SUVs on the market, but it was selected as the Most Technological SUV and the Most Popular Medium-sized SUV in the 2021 SUV of the Year Awards.
“We are very pleased with the positive feedback that we have received from our customers and the media in South Africa. And the inclusion of the Tiggo 4 Pro in the SA Car of the Year competition is a good sign that Chery’s Tiggo Pro range will reach the same heights in South Africa as it has done elsewhere in the world,” says Liu.
A striking new design language
Exterior design
The Tiggo 8 Pro, while clearly sharing the family genes first shown by the Tiggo 4 Pro, is the first vehicle to demonstrate Chery’s next-generation design language.
Called “Movement Design”, the new design mixes bionics and aesthetics to create a vehicle that has a fluid design that hides its size, while maintaining a striking presence. This design also aims to incorporate the human and technological elements into one, as is best seen in the luxurious interior.
From outside, the striking three-dimensional grille is inspired by the stars in the galaxies. It features very tasteful chrome “stars” in a black sky, which draw your eye into the grille and clearly accentuate its design and depth.
Two fully automatic matrix-LED headlamps with dual daytime running lights – called Tiger Eyes – flank the grille. These headlamps are at the heart of the vehicle’s striking visual signature and are standard in all Tiggo 8 Pro vehicles.
The headlights connect to the rear lights through the shoulder line, which runs – in very unusual fashion – in a continuous line from the front to the rear of the SUV.
Other unique design elements in this new Movement Design Tiggo 8 Pro include subtle but striking satin chrome finishes across the lower air intake, which double as a strike plate, the fog lamps, grille, windows and lower door section.
Add to these two load-bearing continuous chromed roof rails and a panoramic sunroof (added to the Executive model) and it is clearly a first-class SUV.
To round off the design, Chery has added LED rear lights with dual fog lights and a high-mounted central stop light, illuminated threshold sills and 18″ alloy wheels with a chrome and black design.
Interior design
Inside, all major controls have been digitised in three separate screens. The first is the instrumentation panel, which is a large horizontal 12.3″ high-resolution screen. The screen not only displays the necessary vehicle information, but dynamically adapts to the driver’s needs and can display much of the infotainment and mobile phone information as well.
A second screen – 8″ wide – takes over all climate-control functions. It is worth noting that the climate control system is fully automatic, dual-zone and fitted with an N95-grade air purifying system as standard. Executive models further receive a third air conditioning system for the rearmost seats.
Mounted in the centre of the dashboard and forming the heart of the vehicle controls is the infotainment system. This 10.25″ high-definition floating multimedia display takes care of the audio controls, display from your mobile phone via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and the image from the reverse camera.
Speaking of the infotainment system and central console, all Tiggo 8 Pro models offer wireless charging, intelligent voice control and crisp clear music through a SONY sound system with 8 surround sound speakers as standard.
First class space and luxury
In step with its first-class positioning, the cabin of the Tiggo 8 Pro is a truly luxurious place to be.
All seven seats are leather clad on the Distinctive model, and should you opt for the Executive model, the trim is upgraded to black and brown leather with a modern diamond-stitched pattern.
All Tiggo 8 Pro models have a six-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat with memory setting, and in the Executive model, the front passenger also receives four-way electrical adjustment and electrically adjustable lumbar support.
It is worth noting that the seats have been ergonomically designed and feature high-density cushioning to offer the best support. This is especially true for the two front seats that are shaped to offer greater hip and upper-body support.
The rear seats in both models can fold completely flat in a 60:40 configuration.
Aside from the ample space, Chery has ensured that all the creature comforts are taken care of. This includes adjustable rear seats, three USB ports throughout the cabin, a 12V charging port in front and a coat rack and armrest in the rear.
To round off the first-class interior, Chery has added ambient lighting and, in the Executive model, privacy glass.
No compromise on safety
First class travel implies the best of all worlds and this is equally true when it comes to safety.
The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro has six airbags as standard across the range. These airbags are all omnidirectional and have been designed to create the maximum protection to all occupants. Chery calls this innovation its Guard Ring, which keeps occupants safe at all times.
Also standard across the range is the full list of safety features usually expected in far more expensive SUVs. This includes Traction Control (TCS), Roll Stability Control (RSC), ABS brakes with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) and of course ISOFIX child seat anchors.
For help at parking speeds, the Tiggo 8 Pro has rear park distance control (PDC), a rear-view camera with dynamic guides and a 360-degree parking view from its cameras mounted in the nose, rear and sides of the vehicle.
The Tiggo 8 Pro further has auto-locking on drive, remote car locking and automatic window closing, tyre pressure monitoring (TPM), hill assist and downhill ascent control (HAC) an anti-theft alarm and keyless entry with a push button start as standard.
To further enhance the driving experience in the Executive model, Chery has added a comprehensive, intelligent safety package as standard. This uses an array of complex sensors to offer Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Automatic Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), Traffic Sign Recognition (TSC), Intelligent High-beam Control (IHC), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSD), Front Collision Warning (FCW), an emergency Brake Override System (BOS) and a Door Open Warning and Prevention (DOW) system as standard.
Chery Power
The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro is powered by one of Chery’s award-winning turbo-petrol engines with direct injection and intelligent control.
The 1.6 TGDI was lauded in the China Heart engine competition for its high-tech design, which allows the engine to reach previously unheard-of levels of efficiency that benefit both power and fuel consumption.
As fitted to the Tiggo 8 Pro, the 1.6 TGDI delivers a maximum power output of 145 kW at 5 500 rpm and a solid 290 Nm across a notably wide powerband between 2 000 rpm and 4 400 rpm. The engine is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (7DCT) that delivers power to the front wheels.
To best utilise the power and smooth engine characteristics, Chery has tuned the electric power steering system for improved feedback and has added Standard, Eco and Sport driving modes. The steering further offers Eco and Sport driving modes, where the feedback and feel of the steering system adjust to the driver intent.
1-million reasons to buy
The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro will follow the example set by its smaller sibling, the Tiggo 4 Pro, and offers a comprehensive 10-year / 1-million-kilometre engine warranty. Only the original owner is afforded this warranty and it is not transferrable. A 5-year / 150 000 km general warranty that is linked to the vehicle is standard, as is a 5-year comprehensive roadside assistance plan.
Chery will also offer customers a comprehensive 5-year / 60 000 km service plan as standard with its flagship Tiggo 8 Pro.
Pricing
There are two models available in the Tiggo 8 Pro range:
Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Distinctive – R496 900.00
Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Executive – R546 900.00
The Tiggo 8 Pro is now available at 50 dealers nationwide.
