With a thoughtful combination of high-end ingredients, the Chery TIGGO 8 Pro Max is a fully loaded seven-seat SUV that brings a new level of power, practicality, and luxury to its segment. We spent a week with the new model to find out what makes this AUD$47,990 drive-away SUV tick, and it’s not hard to see why more than three million TIGGO-family SUVs have been sold in 80 different countries.
The brand has a clear vision for delivering great value for money inside, outside, and under the skin, where a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with 180kW of power and 375Nm of torque lives. This is backed by a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, available in two- and all-wheel drive.
It’s hard to believe you’re getting all of this, plus a comprehensive seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, seven-year capped-price servicing, and up to seven years of roadside assistance for such a sharp price.
Even at its entry-level Urban model grade, the Chery TIGGO 8 Pro Max brings the same dual 12.3-inch HD LCD screens, customisable ambient interior lighting, driver memory seat, and heated and ventilation function for the front seats that we experienced in our top-of-the-range Chery TIGGO 8 Pro Max Ultimate AWD.
This range-topping Chery TIGGO 8 Pro Max Ultimate AWD model grade adds further luxury with a panoramic sunroof, 19-inch alloy wheels, puddle lamps, a 10-speaker Sony sound system, privacy glass, brown synthetic leather seats (optional), and a fragrance system. Previously, we only found features like these in high-end European vehicles, but you’re getting them here in a vehicle that starts from $41,990 and tops out at $47,990.
The first thing you’ll notice when you sit inside the Chery TIGGO 8 Pro Max Ultimate is the dual 12.3-inch HD LCD screen, which is highly responsive and comes with wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, offline navigation, and voice controls for actions like setting the climate and closing the boot. You wouldn’t know it, but there’s also an Air Quality System (AQS) feature that will automatically engage air recirculation when high PM2.5 levels (polluted air) are detected, as well as a built-in driver view recorder dash cam.
If you spend extra time in the cabin, you’ll appreciate the touch panel below the screen. This panel gives you quick access to climate features: recirculation, fan speed, front and rear defrost, and temperature control.
Chery has done a good job of maximising the available space in the cabin, especially considering the vehicle measures 4720 mm long, 1860 mm wide, 1705 mm high, and 2710 mm wide, with a 2710 mm wheelbase. Unlike some vehicles, which have grown to become gargantuan in size, navigating city streets is not difficult in the TIGGO 8 Pro Max because of this footprint. Driving down one-way streets with parked cars and navigating tight car park entrances was never an issue during our drive.
Still, there’s plenty of space for passengers in the third row – this is a seven-seat SUV, after all – but maybe the most impressive thing here is the 117 litres of luggage space (VDA) you get behind the third row. Fold it down, and you increase that size to 479 litres (VDA).
Maybe the biggest stand-out feature during our week with the car was the grunt of the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. We don’t usually associate vehicles in this price range with power and performance, so having 180kW of power available at 5500 rpm and 375 Nm of torque from 1750-4000 rpm was a welcome surprise. This power is particularly useful on the highways where the TIGGO 8 Pro Max can overtake with ease.
Even with plenty of power on tap, it’s not too thirsty, using 8.1 litres of fuel per 100km in Urban and Elite model grades and 8.7 litres of fuel per 100km in the Ultimate AWD. The transmission is smooth-shifting, always finding the correct gear, and never gets hung up or confused.
Of course, with a five-star ANCAP safety rating, there’s plenty of safety for peace-of-mind driving, including a plethora of airbags at the front, front side and centre, rear side, driver knee and side curtain. This combines with several advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), with the most useful being adaptive cruise control (ACC), autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK).
Finally, we must discuss design because everyone in our team thinks this car looks great. It’s not trying to reinvent the wheel; it’s neatly proportioned, features Chery’s signature diamond point grille, and when you combine this with stylish 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels, quad exhaust tips, and smart LED head and tail-lights, you end up with arguably the best-looking vehicle in its segment.
Our tester was finished in Lunar White, but you can choose from one of the eight available colours: Star Silver, Rhine Blue, Loran Violet, Mercurial Grey, Technical Grey, Aurora Green, Space Black, or Lunar White.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the entire Chery TIGGO 8 Pro Max model range in Australia:
Chery TIGGO 8 Pro Max Urban – $41,990 drive-away
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- 18 advanced driver assistance systems
- Three-position driver memory seat
- Heated and ventilated front seats
- Dual 12.3-inch HD LCD Instrument and Multimedia screens
- Inbuilt sat-nav
- Air quality Management system
- Black synthetic leather seats
- Three drive modes
- ‘Hello Chery’ voice command
- 8-speaker Sony sound system
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wired & wireless)
- 50W Wireless charging
- 360-degree camera
- Ambient interior lighting
- LED headlights and tail lights
Chery TIGGO 8 Pro Max Elite – $43,990 drive-away
Adds or replaces:
- Power tailgate
- Built-in dashcam
- Third-row AC vents with fan speed control
- Heated exterior mirrors
- Illuminated “Tiggo” door sills
- Retractable Cargo blind
Chery TIGGO 8 Pro Max Ultimate – $47,990 drive-away
Adds or replaces:
- All Wheel Drive System
- Panoramic sunroof
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Fragrance system
- Puddle lamps
- Optional Brown synthetic leather seats
- 10-speaker Sony sound system
- Privacy glass
The Chery TIGGO 8 Pro Max joins the Omoda 5 and TIGGO 7 Pro in local showrooms, priced from AUD$41,990 drive-away. To book a test drive, follow the link at Chery’s website, which is linked below.
