New 1,200km Chery hybrid SUV launched in South Africa – Pricing and features

Chery has officially launched the new Tiggo 8 CSH in South Africa.

The CSH (Chery Super Hybrid) is the third hybrid SUV to be introduced by the Chinese automaker this year, following the recent debut of the Tiggo Cross CSH and Tiggo 7 CSH.

The new Tiggo 8 CSH is positioned as the flagship of the Chery hybrid family in South Africa, clocking in at a starting price of R729,900.

Each purchase comes with a 7-year/200,000km warranty, a 7-year/90,000km service plan, a 10-year/1-million-kilometre warranty valid for the first owner, and a 10-year/unlimited-kilometre hybrid battery warranty.

Powertrain

Like the Tiggo 7 CSH, the new Tiggo 8 is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) that can function as an electric car for short journeys.

It pairs a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor to achieve a combined output of 255kW and 525Nm, making it the most powerful model in the Tiggo 8 roster.

For comparison, the base 1.6-litre turbo units produce 145kW and 290Nm, while the 2.0-litre turbo Max generates 187kW and 390Nm.

The PHEV’s e-motor is powered by an 18.3kWh battery large enough to allow for 90km of electric driving.

Assuming you make extensive use of the electric mode, the SUV’s claimed fuel consumption will go as low as 1.3l/100km.

However, if you mostly rely on the petrol system, expect to average closer to 5.2l/100km.

Chery also claims that the PHEV has a total range of 1,200km when both the electric and combustion drivetrain are fully utilized.

The battery is protected by a high-strength steel underguard and an advanced thermal management system, and is designed to cut power within a millisecond in the event of a crash.

Also important to note is that the Tiggo 8 is front-wheel-drive and makes use of a dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT).

Features

The new CSH is exclusively available in a single “Apex” specification that entails a generous spec sheet.

It has seven seats arranged in a 2+3+2 pattern, all of which are wrapped in synthetic leather,

The front seats have heating and ventilation functions, lumbar support, and electronic adjustment.

Additionally, the front passenger chair, dubbed “the Queen Seat” by Chery, has a built-in massage function.

By default, the boot has a capacity of 117 litres, but this can be expanded to 494 litres when the two rear seats are folded.

If both passenger rows are placed down, the Tiggo 8 can take an impressive 1,930 litres of luggage.

Other standard fittings include automatic LED headlights, 19-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, a diamond-pattern grille, a sporty front bumper, a panoramic sunroof, and an electric tailgate.

It also features dual-zone climate control with rear vents, ambient lighting, cupholders and USB ports for the first two rows, a 12V socket, and a 12-speaker Sony stereo.

Up front, you’ll find a digital driver display and a 15.6-inch infotainment screen with voice commands and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support.

Lastly, the Chery is sold with an extensive safety and assistance suite, which includes 10 airbags, adaptive cruise control, hill assist, electronic stability control, traction control, driver attention alert, lane departure prevention, traffic jam assist, intelligent high beam control, automatic emergency braking, blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, and a door opening warning.

Chery Tiggo 8 CSH