This 7-seater crossover caught our attention

With so many different cars to choose from these days, it’s hard to stand out especially in a market like ours. We’re spoiled with so many choices in every segment, especially 7-seater SUVs and MPVs, and subcompact sedans, just to name a few segments. There is one model that caught our attention just hours before writing this, it’s the Chery Tiggo 8.

Remember the Chery QQ from a little more than a decade ago? Well forget it, that’s a thing of the past. The brand was relaunched in the Philippines late last year under the distributorship of United Asia Automotive Group, Inc. If the company name sounds familiar, it’s because they are responsible for the distribution and manufacturing of Foton vehicles in the country, a brand that is quite popular in the passenger van and utility truck segment.

Chery’s return to Philippine-shores starts with four crossover models all named Tiggo. The lineup starts with the Tiggo 2, then the Tiggo 5x and Tiggo 7. We might as well call the Tiggo 8 the flagship as it is the most expensive and the largest one in the lineup, and it’s not expensive at all. That’s why we’ll be talking about it right now. So here’s why the Chery Tiggo8 caught our attention.

Exterior Design

The Chery Tiggo 8’s exterior design can be described in just one word. Sophisticated. You’ll immediately take notice of the large front grille which Chery calls the “crouching-tiger.” A nice chrome strip connects the two headlights and another one connects the daytime running lights on the bumpers. The rear on the other hand, if I may say, gives me some Audi vibes. No, they don’t look the same at all, but it reminds me of it thanks to the LED light bars which is one of my favorite car trends.

Interior Design

Based on photos, the interior of the Tiggo 8 seems to be a very nice place to be in. Just like on the outside, the interior looks very premium. Everything looks tastefully designed from the very well-bolstered seats, the luxury car looking dashboard, and even minor details such as the speakers on the doors for the audio system. In addition to that, there’s also some interior mood lighting which will probably look really good at night. Let’s add the panoramic sunroof which will definitely let a lot of light enter the cabin.

Smart Features

For its price which will be mentioned later, the Tiggo 8 comes with some features you wouldn’t expect, especially when considering other cars that you can buy at the same price point. One is its Passive Entry Passive Start or PEPS feature. The vehicle should detect the key fob nearby. Once detected, the side mirrors will unfold and the doors will unlock as if it were inviting you to go in and take it for a spin. This also enables you to open the tailgate without physically touching it. Just wait a few seconds and the tailgate should open on its own. Quite useful especially if your hands are full. The car will also lock on its own once it detects that the keyfob is nowhere to be found within a meter and a half from it.

Another feature is the Chery Smartwatch. This standard feature allows owners to have a wristwatch which would basically act as the keys to the vehicle. You can do functions such as starting the engine remotely, open and close the windows and sunroof, and open and close the tailgate. We hope to try this out soon.

Tech Features

There are so many different kinds of tech available in different cars today. These usually come at a price and they aren’t always cheap. It’s great to see the Tiggo 8 equipped with many tech features normally reserved for more premium cars. It is equipped with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with mobile phone integration and mirrorlink functions. This also serves a screen for the 360-degree around-view monitor which will make parking or navigating tight spaces a lot easier. There is also a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, and an 8-inch touchscreen display for the airconditioning system.

Warranty

This is probably one of the best features you can get in the Chery Tiggo 8. It’s not one that you can see in the car itself or touch. While purchasing a Tiggo 8 does give you a standard 5 year, 150,000 km warranty with a 3-year preventive maintenance package, it also comes with a 1,000,000 km or 10-year warranty for the powertrain. Yes, 7 digits worth of kilometers! Is there any other brand that can beat that? 

Affordable Price Tag

And one of the main reasons the Chery Tiggo 8 caught our attention. With all these modern features and the very premium interior and exterior looks, you’ll be surprised to know that you can get a 7-seater crossover that’s about the size of a Hyundai Santa Fe for just Php 1,340,000. That’s already for the top-spec Lux EX variant. 

With the government slowly easing the guidelines of the community quarantines being implemented around the country, we hope we get the chance to feature this very interesting 7-seater crossover, and perhaps other Chery models as well. With the growing popularity of other Chinese-made and owned brands in the country such as Geely and British-brand MG, Chery’s re-entry into the market looks quite promising.