Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid – silly name, serious car!

You might not have heard of state-owned Chinese mega-brand Chery but you’ll likely be aware of other products within its wider family, including the Omoda 5 and Jaecoo 7. The latter are fast establishing themselves on our roads, their combination of price, performance and tech clearly winning fans among cost-conscious British buyers. The amusingly named Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid joins them under the Chery name and – clue in the looks and badge – is a seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV with huge range, tons of kit and an impressive seven-year warranty. For those looking for more traditional fuel types there will be a petrol version too.
• A huge player in its home Chinese market, Chery is better known as the group within which other brands like Omoda and Jaecoo sit – this Tiggo 8 will be sold as a Chery and, we expect, in the same showrooms • Plug-in hybrids are nothing new but this Tiggo 8 combines petrol and electric power for over 700 miles between fill-ups, and 56 miles of pure battery range • Described as having seating for ‘5+2’ we’d take that as a sign the third-row seats are intended for occasional use, rather than the Tiggo 8 being a full seven-seater like a Kia Sorento or Hyundai Santa Fe • Combined output of 204 horsepower from the electric motors and 1.5-litre petrol engine is adequate, but down somewhat on the similar system in the Omoda 9 • Announced at Goodwood, the Tiggo 8 will – incredibly – be delivered to buyers in September • Prices start at £28,545 for the petrol and £33,545 for the Super Hybrid

We’ll generously describe the looks as ‘generic modern SUV’ but given that’s what most people buy these days that’s absolutely fine, and the Chery is no better or worse looking than most mainstream rivals. While somewhat less stylish than the Hyundai Santa Fe you might also be considering, yet the Chery is considerably cheaper so you pays your money and takes your choice. There are two levels of trim: Aspire and Summit. Entry-level models get features like wireless charging and heated seats as standard, while Summit models gain a Sony sound system, panoramic roof, an electric tailgate, ambient lighting and more.

We’ve not got much to go on here but the interior – again – looks to follow accepted trends with an oblong digital instrument cluster behind the wheel and a large central screen standing proud of the dash. We’re reassured by the sight of some physical switches on the steering wheel and on the raised centre console, too. Chery promises “advanced infotainment features”, “smart technology” and “a suite of driver assistance systems” as standard – as soon as we have more details of what they include we’ll let you know.

Describing the Tiggo 8 as a ‘Super Hybrid’ sounds bold, but the combination of a 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric power does result in a spectacular range between fill-ups of nearly 750 miles. Indeed, if you can plug it in and use the 56 miles of electric range for your daily errands visits to the petrol station may end up being a monthly or even annual event rather than a weekly one! The 204 horsepower ‘system’ output sounds modest, meanwhile, but perfectly adequate for a family SUV. The petrol version is less powerful with just 147 horsepower gained from a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine.

The petrol model starts at £28.545 while the ‘Super Hybrid’ is priced from £33,545. That price includes a seven-year/100,000-mile warranty as well, which will help reassure those taking a punt on an otherwise unknown brand. Order books are open now with first deliveries expected in September.

Honestly? We don’t know! Such is the speed of developments from the Chinese car industry entire brands can arrive in the blink of an eye, never mind new models! Between Chery, Omoda and Jaecoo expect a flurry of new products to pack the group’s new network of British dealerships, though.

Pretty much everything, though specifically the Tiggo 8 looks aimed at Korean rivals like the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe, big seven-seaters like the Skoda Kodiaq also likely in its sights.