A cherry is defined, according to dictionary.com as “the fruit of any of various trees belonging to the genus Prunus, of the rose family, consisting of a pulpy, globular drupe enclosing a one-seeded smooth stone.” While more informally, in Mzansi Kasitaal (lingo) style, a “Chery” is a very beautiful girlfriend, female partner or a babe. Well, sadly this article is not about either definition, I sincerely apologize. But I hope you will able to connect the metaphor as you continue reading…
I should rather have began this post by saying – “Move over European car manufacturers, there’s a new king player in town!”
I have thankfully written about the Chinese manufacturer, Haval on a previous article – have a look at this when you get the chance (https://sithenjwat.com/2022/03/08/all-hail-haval/). Haval is the Chinese manufacturer responsible for the likes of the Haval H2, Jolion, H6, H9 and the new road stunner, the H6 GT. They are still making their presence known and felt on the road and are not breaking down or disintegrating, as many predicted they would by now.
Now, with my family having grown – I had the need to get a decent family-sized car and immediately got shopping around for it. As a proud German car driver, my sights were biased towards having another, bigger sized German machine. That was first choice to be honest, but I was not in a rush and felt I needed to take some time to get a decent ride that will last us for some time. Who wants to buy something that won’t last? I wouldn’t.
Thanks to YouTube, I stumbled upon cars.co.za and the likes of CarEdge, Muzi Sambo, Ignition, Coseeker, Autotrader, CarExpert and Juliet McGuire amongst many car review channels online that have served as a vital information source for what to look out for on the car buying market. I must say, there’s an entire collection of information at our disposal – just Google and you’ll find some serious headway. I also got to ask a colleague of mine who is a self-proclaimed car buying expert (actually, I can attest to this) – a valuable insider he sure was!
I wanted an SUV. I was very decisive on this. I was not going to get a smaller, faster car. I wish I could spoil myself with that, but my life and responsibilities right now have drastically changed. I considered the Korean manufacturers from a previous experience with one of their vehicles as a previous car I drove, and I thought I could use that as a basis. They had a tried and trusted tick from me already.
Then I stumbled upon a car manufacturer named “Chery” – who’ve made a big comeback to the country with their latest vehicle offerings, ranging from mid-sized SUVs to compact, larger, more family sized SUVs. And Chery was a prominent consideration for one main ingredient – value for money! Plus, there are 71 new Chery SA dealership principals across the country – the thought of not knowing where to go when the car gives you issues, or for just routine service, is out of the window. They are serious about their presence and availability to clients in the country. I also recalled the Chery QQ car and thought, ‘my word, are they sure that they want to make a return to the market?‘
But I am glad they did. They went back to the drawing board and learnt from their past lessons. It is also clear that they took their time on conceptualizing and implementing their return and I am all for their comeback!
I will now take you through the four cars on offer in the country at the moment and a summary of their specs. I will then reveal which one we decided to go for and highlight the reasons why. Chery cars come in the form of a Tiggo 4 Pro, Tiggo 7 Pro, Tiggo 8 Pro and the new Tiggo 8 Pro Max. They range in sizes from normal 5 seaters to 7 seaters, but all equally pack amazing punches with regards to what they offer and are ideal for small to large families.
1. The Chery Tiggo 4 Pro.
This is their premier entry compact SUV offering 5 variations to choose from and packed with a 1.5VVT engine for the Urban and Comfort models with 83kW power and 138 Nm torque while the 1.5T CVT engine offers the Elite model with 108kW of power and 210 Nm of torque. It comes with interesting colours including blue, red, black, white, silver and dark grey. The Tiggo 4 Pro comes in five different models – 5 (Manual Transmission) MT Urban priced at R299 900, CVT Comfort priced at R336 900, 6MT Elite priced at R346 900, CVT Elite priced at R377 900 and CVT Elite SE priced at R399 900. They all come standard with a 10.25-inch multimedia touch screen display, an array of safety features including dual, front, side and curtain airbags, power steering, rear parking sensors, voice control, apple car play/ Android auto, tyre pressure monitoring, keyless entry and push to start. It comes with an 8-inch LCD aircon touch screen display and a 7-inch LCD instrument cluster. The SE model has a stunning red trim design on its leather interior, making it look more stylish. Chery offers a 5 year or 150 000 km factory warranty for their vehicles and service intervals at every 15 000 km or 12 months, whichever comes first. Service warranty is 5 years/60 000 km, 5 years unlimited road assistance and 10 years/1 million km engine warranty.
2. The Chery Tiggo 7 Pro.
For a family sized car, slightly bigger than the Tiggo 4 Pro, there is the Tiggo 7 Pro. The Tiggo 7 Pro comes in only two variations, the Distinction (entry level) and Executive (high-end version) and no additions. Everything you need is in either one of the models and they only differ with regards to the sunroof and some safety features (front, side and curtain airbags excluded from the entry level model). Both models come with a 1.5L Turbo powered engine with a 108kW power and 210 Nm of torque. They come in colours that range from light blue, red, white, silver and black amongst others.
The Distinction model costs R437 900 while the Executive model goes for R472 900. You can get into a Tiggo 7 Pro for less than half a million, which is a solid deal compared to what’s on the market. Standard features on both models include a 360-degree camera, hill start/ descent assist, blind spot assist, a CVT dial-by wire automatic gear shifter, key less entry, rear traffic assist and distance control sensors. They also come standard with voice control, tyre pressure monitoring, ABS, EBD, different driving modes to choose from, cruise control, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, 8-inch information touch screen system, 6 speaker premium sound and wireless charging amongst many other stylish features for the price. The Tiggo 7 Pro also comes with a 5 year/ 150 000km warranty, 60 000 km service plan and 10 year/ 1 million engine warranty. It looks very nice at night, from its rear with a light that is a full strip design.
3. The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro.
Then for something much bigger than the Tiggo 7 Pro, there is the 7-seater Tiggo 8 Pro which comes with three variations to choose from. It comes with a 1.6 turbocharged GDI engine with a 7 speed DCT automatic transmission delivering a powerful 145kW power and 290 Nm torque. The colours range from blue, white, black, red, silver and dark purple. The Tiggo 8 Pro comes in the Distinction (entry level model), the Executive (middle range model) and the newer Tiggo 8 Pro Max (top of the range model). The Tiggo 8 Pro has a towing capacity of 750 to 1500kg. The Distinction model is priced at R496 900 while the Executive comes in at R574 900 – still well priced when compared to their competition. Standard features in the Tiggo 8 Pro include a 360-degree HD camera, ABS + EBD, with emergency braking, rear parking assist with sensors and keyless entry (push to start option). Also comes with 18-inch wheels, leather steering wheel, forwards collision warning, cruise control, dynamic driving modes to choose from, 12, 3-inch digital infotainment touch screen display and a touch screen ventilation display. The car also has a glove box with a cooling function, electrically adjustable front row seats, 8 speaker Sony sound system, 10.24-inch touch screen infotainment centre screen, wireless charging and android auto/apple car play. The Tiggo 8 Pro has a stunning rear with real exhaust pipes (not like the fake one’s from other European manufacturers in the market) towards the lower back and the Executive model also comes with privacy glass.
4. The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max.
Now, the Tiggo 8 Pro Max is powered with a 2.0L turbocharged GDI engine delivering a powerful max 187kW power and 390Nm of torque. It is priced at R629 900. It comes with most features of the Executive model but is much more powerful and the rear exterior has four exhaust pipes as opposed to two, making it a more aggressive and meaner beast on the road. It also comes with a thicker windscreen for reduced noise inside the cabin. The Tiggo Pro max comes standard with a black only interior.
Now for the Chery Tiggo car I chose to purchase…
When looking at these various options including cost, value for money and what each model offered I compared the brand with one German SUV and one or two Korean SUVs and came up with a decision to go for the Tiggo 8 Pro – Executive model. I remember running the Absa Jozi 10 Km run on Heritage Day 2022 and Chery was one of the sponsors of the event. I was blown away by the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro that was on display, but I had known that I would go for it a long time before then, seeing it there on display that race day was a confirmation for me.
The online review that sold the car and brand for me instantly was this review done by Marius Roberts – please check it out on this link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvNvYXyeH5I. I liked this review so much, that I went for the exact same colour and interior as seen in the video. I fell in love with it. I must say, I am really happy with the buy and experience with the brand and car so far.
Pros for the Tiggo 8 Pro
The extra row of seats at the back means that I can carry more people along. They are ideal for children though, but the extra space and seats comes in handy. I know many car reviewers deem these as useless, well I have used them a lot and find them to be a lovely added extra in the vehicle. The on-board camera is of great quality, it is in HD and world class, has an option to view it in 3D, 2D, wide front and rear – very responsive when you scroll through it on the touch screen, it’s beautiful. It’s only a pity that it shows the car as only a standard white colour on the screen across the Tiggo 8 Pro range. The rear parking sensors are an excellent addition – making rear parking with this large vehicle a breeze. The rear sensors also have traffic alert which works very well when you reverse from a tight parking spot. It alerts you immediately on which direction a car from behind is approaching so that you can be alert. I really love this function. The brown/tan interior just makes the car feel premium and stylish. You can personalize the light colour inside the design and even make it pulsate inside the cabin, adjustable headrests for the front seat passengers and the cooling glove box means my drinks are always chilled. Their tagline holds truth to it, you will enjoy first class driving experience on the car. The large digital instrument cluster is also stunning. The car opens and closes as you approach and walk away from it. Side mirrors automatically fold and unfold while doing so. It has greeting lights at the bottom on the side mirrors that come alive at night, making it more beautiful. My son loves this function the most about the car. I also like that the car has an electric boot and voice control, though the voice control does not always work to its desirable state but does what it can do here and there. The vehicle’s power for a big car is good and I don’t feel it lacking when overtaking or driving long distances, it’s such a breeze and pleasure to drive.
The after sales service is also great. There are many dealerships around to pop into when there are issues. I had a slight issue with the aircon not working this one time and a simple drop in at a Chery dealership closest to me, was enough to get that matter sorted out. For value for money, I saved close to R200K from the competitor vehicles I compared it with, and I got more for the vehicle without having to add extras and pay more for them. I also loved the fact that only two models at the time of purchase were available (it had to be one of them and not variations of them for me to choose from) and I did not have to pay extra for additions such as the sunroof, camera and wireless charger for example. These are standard. Most European car manufacturers do not offer these options as a standard feature.
As someone who has kept their first car for close to a decade and still be driving it to this day, I am at peace knowing that the engine is covered should anything happen to it for the 10-year period or for 1 million km, whichever comes first. To me, it says Chery has put their faith on these vehicles to last and work well beyond 5 years. The panoramic sunroof is large and beautiful, scenic for the second-row passengers. I’ve never owned a car with a sunroof before and this option on the Executive model just adds the Chery on top even more to the deal. The galaxy front grille is bold and attractive, by far my most favorite part of the car in terms of its exterior. It has a dial by wire electronic gear lever that is easy to use and has a manual option (Although the automatic option does the work perfectly, you won’t need to even consider it). This means that there is a space below the gear lever area and that is where the wireless charger station is secretly hidden from the view. There is also ample space below it as well. The car can also start itself remotely using the key from outside. The automatic tail gate can be height adjusted to suit the desired height. The car’s price is head and shoulders above the rest when compared to its competitors, approximately R100 to R200K cheaper than alternative European SUVs.
I really like the wide-angle rear-view mirror which makes visibility towards the back of the vehicle easy. It is a bit of a shock at first glance, but I got used to it and like it more now. The passenger seats have rails, which can slide forward and backwards to give the third-row seaters some decent leg room.
Cons for the Tiggo 8 Pro
In as much as I really love the car and its cool features, there are a couple of let downs that I feel Chery should look into on their later models. They are nine in total for me and they are in no particular order.
1. No front sensors.
I don’t know why they forgot to place front sensors in the car. Really a letdown when the rear parking assistance works.so well. They really let this one slip.
2. Voice control.
Does not always work well so don’t expect it to be on form all the time. But it is there and works, somewhat. Just don’t ask “Chery” to do silly and weird stuff like “Stop the car” or things of that sort.
3. Only front wheel drive options available
Future models of the Tiggo 8 Pro could be even more impressive with an all-wheel drive option.
4. Fuel consumption
Well, I know this is the one aspect that most reviewers talk about, but I must say, it’s much cheaper to fill up this 51L fuel tank than my previous 45L tank European machine. On average, the fuel consumption I do is 9 to 12L per 100km. It is still new, and I think, a bit early to judge thoroughly.
5. Isofix installations are not that user friendly.
I’ve struggled to install my son’s car seat at the back. Although the isofix hooks are there, it’s not very easy to install them. My previous car has a much easier and simpler isofix mechanism.
6. Piano black at the centre console (this means the area easily gets scratched and has fingerprints and attracts dust so always have a cloth or wet wipe along).
7. Only one USB port for the back passengers. And the two USB ports in front are located inside the glove box which means to use it, you need to open up the glove box or have the cord running outside of the glove box which is not tidy. I don’t see how that is practical.
8. Bluetooth takes a while to connect and does not automatically connect after connecting it more than once. This is a letdown for me. A more automatic and smoother Bluetooth connection over time would have been ideal.
9. Lane departure warning function is there but there is no lane keep function to compliment it. It just says you’re driving outside of your lane and leaves you like that to sort it out. Luckily there is blind spot assist, traffic sign/speed limit assist and fatigue warning indicator.
Final thoughts…
It took me a while to get in tune with driving a Chery and I must say, I have gotten used to it and I am now at ease and comfortable with that. I do not regret making the decision. The car is really a head turner and I love how it is always a conversation starter when I am out and about, people asking me about it in general – it instantly makes one a self-appointed Chery Brand Ambassador. I could not be any happier with my purchase. I also want to take this moment to appreciate the dealership I used to secure the Tiggo 8 Pro and the sales representative that assisted me throughout the process – Chery Heildelberg (South of Gauteng) and Ms Nomsa Mosia for the great service and experience. I would highly recommend their service.
I look forward to seeing the growth of the brand with the years to come. I love seeing many more Tiggo’s on the road, cementing their relevance, place and significance. I love what the Chinese manufacturers like Haval and Chery have done to the South African car buying market, they’ve really caused a major disruption in terms of the traditional car market as we all know it. It has flipped over what reliability, good pricing and value-added offering in vehicles means and looks like and it’s lovely to see how nonconforming the vehicle sale graphs are as a result of their entrance. They have cleverly interpreted and applied the “value for money” principle beautifully through their cars and cash-strapped South Africans are accommodated and are smiling all the way to the bank. Chery has really brought ‘the cherry on top’ catch phrase to life in a bold and massive way.
Disclaimer: This article is not paid for or an advertisement but is an honest opinion piece from an actual client’s experience. Prices quoted are correct at the time of publishing. They are subject to change.
Reference
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