
Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Is A Luxurious SUV and more
Let’s talk about Chery, the car brand. For years we in South Africa have seen Chery cars on the road, nice enough for what they were, but not many and not much to write home about, unless it was about a very affordable subcompact car. Then for around ten years or so, nothing. Chery as a brand was something that used to be here but then moved into the shadows.
So when suddenly at the end of last year the impressive Tiggo 4 Pro made a splash, followed by the stunning Tiggo 8 Pro early this year and the Tiggo 7 Pro shortly after, it was a surprise to most of us. Then came the news that, unlike before, Chery was here as Chery South Africa, a full-fledged subsidiary of the Chinese mother firm. It had 40/50 dealerships, it had professional Chery service centres, and it had full-scale parts set-up. The Tiggo 8 Pro even came with a world-beating 10-years/1 000 000km warranty.
Was this all real? Or was it like those old Western movies where the buildings had double-story fronts with balconies from where baddies fell off when shot from the front, but nothing except scaffolding at the back? Was Chery South Africa all smoke and mirrors and not much else?
Turns out Chery South Africa is real. It is a real brand with massive worldwide sales and its impressive cars are backed by one of the big players in the Chinese car market. China has the biggest car market in the world, overtaking the USA in 2010, albeit after the big crash of 08/09. But since then the Chinese market has continued to accelerate, selling 27m cars last year compared to the States’ 15m. The Chinese market is supported by their government, with subsidies for subcompact and electric cars, but the Chery Tiggo range is neither. These are full-sized SUVs that have to compete in China and the world with all the big players – Toyota, VW, Ford, BMW, and the like.
Let’s look at the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro. It is a seven-seater, full-featured SUV, pretty to look at, magnificent to drive and sold here at a world-beating price. And people are buying the Tiggo 8 Pro. In April this year, the 500 000th Tiggo 8 series car rolled off the production line, making it the fastest growing car in its segment.
So when you are looking for a new SUV, have a look at the international record-breaking Chery range. At least kick the tires and take it for a spin. After all, half a million buyers for one model can’t all be wrong.
Leave a Reply