2023 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro SUV launched in Malaysia – rival X90 7-seat 2.0T, 256 hp, 390 Nm; RM160k
Finally, Chery’s return is official. Not long ago, Chery Malaysia officially launched the Omoda 5 and Tiggo 8 Pro SUVs as the first models in the brand’s new era in Malaysia. Click Click here to read about Omoda 5 – this post focuses on Tiggo 8 Pro. TLDR: there is a single Luxury variant priced RM159,800.
It’s been a long pregnancy – our exclusive in December 2021 broke the news of Chery’s re-entry into our market and Chinese car manufacturer The first official event here takes place in October 2022. Since then, we’ve been bringing you a preview of what’s coming from the company’s facility in Wuhu, as well as the first posts on local specs omoda 5 And Tiggo 8 Pro. All of that culminates in tonight’s ‘epic launch event’.
In case you’re wondering about the ‘back’ part, or aren’t old enough to remember, Chery was brought back by Tan Sri Cam Soh Thiam Hong’s Alado in the 2000s and we’ve got models like the QQ minicar , Tiggo SUV and Eastar MPV in the ‘Chery Alado’ era. We even had a Chery made her world debut here in 2015!
This time there were no local partners, as Chery decided to do things his own way in a very difficult market to penetrate. Even the mighty BYD has the backing of major player Sime Darby. In addition, there will be 31 agents launchedwill open more by the end of 2023. That’s a staggering number perhaps unmatched in the Malaysian auto market, as far as we can remember.
Another sign of bravery is that the Omoda 5 and Tiggo 8 Pro were launched in CKD form, with no initial small batch of CBUs for ‘testing’ but domestic assembly. at Inokom in Kulim right from start. This is no small undertaking, as even Proton – with its huge factory, long-standing supplier network and nationwide auto position – has kicked off sales of complete imported Geely SUVs.
We’ve taken a look at the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro for now, and it still looks great, inside and out. For the first time we bring you live coverage from Wuhu, home of Cherybefore coating Local launch of SUV at the Malaysia Autoshow in May. Then we gave our usual D-segment SUV 360 degree outdoor gallery and walking video treatment.
By the way, we are about to have the latest improved version of this seven-seat SUV, called Tiggo 8 Pro Max in China, although the suffix ‘Max’ has been dropped in Malaysia to simplify things. — it was the only Tiggo 8 that we ‘I’ll get anyway. Under the hood is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 256 hp and 390 Nm of torque. Power from the GDI engine is sent to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and there are three driving modes – Eco, Normal and Sport.
By the way, today’s Tiggo 8 Pro is different from which was previewed in Malaysia last year. The SUV has an updated look with a new “galactic” grille and a full-width LED light bar and a fancy T-shaped third brake light. The wheels are now 19-inch, one-inch up, wrapped in 235/55 tyres. We have some night shot so you see the LED signatures and illuminated logos.
The outside is a bit nicer now, but inside the latest Tiggo 8 shines. The large SUV features a horizontal dashboard design with modern features such as conjoined screens (24.6 inches in total), inline AC vents, and a tall center console. It’s all much tidier now and there are places where you’ll find Mercedes-style details – check out the switches, the hollow (albeit untextured) wood trim and speaker grilles that mimic the originals. Merc’s Burmester item.
The steering wheel is also new with the words Chery instead of the logo. Speaking of logos, there’s a Tiggo signature on the side of the center display and the rear AC vent area, in a vintage font. According to the smart kit, the number of airbags currently maxes out at nine (we’ll explain odd numbers later) and there’s a total of eight Sony speakers.
As for the rest of the kit, the list includes an electronic parking brake with auto hold, automatic LED headlights with LED daytime running lights, LED taillights, a welcome light and multiple ambient lights. color, electric front seats with ventilation/heating, driver’s seat with memory, dual-zone automatic climate control with rear vents, hands-free power-closing rear trunk, electronic panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charger and (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s also a proximity sensor keyless entry, like Honda’s walk-in auto lock.
The very long list of tools that are supported by the full ADAS suite includes functions such as warning/lane keeping, blind spot detection, door opening warning, rear cross traffic alert, traffic control, etc. adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning with automatic braking (AEB). Parking is supported by an all-around camera.
A note about airbags – in addition to the usual six, the Tiggo 8 Pro adds a driver knee bag and a rear side airbag. The latter is very rare in Malaysia and is usually only seen on luxury cars.
For those wondering how this compares to Beads X90 – also a three-row SUV designed in China – the car with the tiger badge is number one in RM152,800 for Flagship, but it is equipped with a 1.5T 3-cylinder mild hybrid system with 177 hp / 255 Nm. Chery’s 2.0T outdoes it with 256 hp / 390 Nm.
In terms of dimensions, the Tiggo 8 Pro is 4,722 mm long and 1,860 mm wide, 108 mm shorter and 40 mm narrower than the X90. The Chery’s 2,710 mm wheelbase is 95 mm shorter than the Proton’s. So the X90 has a larger footprint, which this writer didn’t guess – Chery looks athletic. For luggage compartment is 193 liters when all 3 rows of seats are kept or 892 liters when the 3rd row seats are folded. Maximum volume is 2,101 liters when all seats are lowered.
Color options are limited to Dark Black and Khaki White, which means we miss out on stunning colors. dark blue of preview unit, glittering in the sun. Once again, the Tiggo 8 Pro is priced RM159,800.
Chery Malaysia also revealed its warranty package tonight, which is 7 years or 150,000 km for the car, plus 5 years of ‘free service’ (rotating labor, free of charge). The engine warranty is a whopping 10 years or a million kilometers. But what’s fascinating is the remarkable engine warranty for the first 3,000 customers. It then returns seven years/150,000 km, joining the rest of the vehicle. But if you really want the 10 years/1 month plan, top up the RM2,000 for the extended warranty.
In addition to the Proton X90, the local rivals of the Tiggo 8 Pro include Mazda CX-8just released Toyota Innova And The fourth generation Kia Sorento, although the latter starts at over RM200k. The Next Generation Honda CR-V too, when it comes. The powerful C-SUV has increased in size and is available elsewhere with optional third-row seats. So, what do you think of the Tiggo 8 Pro’s looks and price/package compared to this group?
