Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max 2024 Review
Chery expands its mid-size family SUV range with the new seven-seat Tiggo 8 Pro MaxOnly just into its second year back in Australia, Chinese brand Chery has introduced its third SUV – the new Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max. Joining the Omoda 5 small SUV and the Tiggo 7 Pro five-seater mid-size SUV, the Tiggo 8 Pro Max is also classified as a mid-sizer but is a bigger vehicle than the Tiggo 7 and has seven seats. That makes it a competitor for the likes of the three-row Honda CR-V, Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan X-TRAIL, with the Tiggo 8 Pro Max offering decent turbo-petrol engine performance, loads of equipment and sharp pricing. It also improves on other Chery models in areas such as driver safety system calibration and suspension refinement, but still has more work to do.
How much does the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max cost?
Arriving in three model grades , the 2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max range opens with the front-drive Urban at $41,990, rising to $43,990 for the mid-grade Elite (also front-wheel drive) and topping out at $47,990 for the all-wheel drive Ultimate reviewed here. All are national drive-away prices.
White is the only standard exterior colour, while choosing one of the seven optional premium paints adds $600 to the price.
Other Chinese mid-size SUVs such as the Haval H6 (from $33,990 drive-away) and the MG HS (from $29,990 drive-away) would seem like natural competitors to the seven-seat Tiggo 8 Pro Max, however the Chery has an advantage in offering seven seats.
That makes it a closer rival to three-row medium SUVs such as the Honda CR-V (from $46,800 drive-away), Mitsubishi Outlander (from $39,540 plus ORCs) and Nissan X-TRAIL (from $40,290 plus ORCs).
The slightly smaller five-seater Chery Tiggo 7 Pro mid-size SUV has a similarly three-tiered model range, spanning $39,990 to $45,990, so effectively the Tiggo 8 carries a $2000 premium.
For the record, the Tiggo 8 Pro Max measures 4720mm long, 1860mm wide, 1705mm high and rests on a 2710mm wheelbase. The Tiggo 7 Pro, by comparison, is shorter from end to end at 4513mm, closely matched on width at 1862mm, stands 1696mm tall and has a truncated 2670mm wheelbase.
Chery’s aftersales offer is among the best in the business, with a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and seven years’ ‘free’ roadside assistance – it’s free for a year, then topped up with each annual dealer service.
The Tiggo 8 Pro Max also has a seven-year capped-price servicing scheme available, costing $2160.69 for the 2WD models and $2309.16 for the AWD over that period. Services are due at 12-month/15,000km intervals.
What equipment comes with the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max?
The 2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max opens with the Urban that is very well equipped for a base model.
Standard features include 18-inch alloy wheels, roof rails (with 50kg capacity), keyless entry/start, heated and ventilated front seats with electric adjustment (six-way driver/four-way passenger), synthetic leather upholstery, power-folding/dipping exterior mirrors, an air quality management system, three drive modes and ambient interior lighting.
The mid-series Elite adds a power tailgate, heated exterior mirrors, a built-in dashcam, third-row air vents with fan speed control, illuminated ‘Tiggo’ door sills and a retractable cargo blind.
At the top of the range, the Ultimate moves up to 19-inch alloys and, with its inclusion of all-wheel drive, adds three extra driving modes for off-roading (Snow, Mud, Offroad, in addition to the standard Eco, Normal, Sport).
It also comes with an interior fragrance system, puddle lamps, a panoramic sunroof, 10-speaker Sony sound system, privacy glass and the no-cost option of brown (instead of black) interior.
How safe is the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max?
The 2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max is fitted with an extensive array of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) including front/rear autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and collision warning, rear cross traffic alert, emergency lane keeping, lane departure warning/keeping, blind spot warning and driver fatigue monitoring.
Other driver aids include speed sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, door opening warning, LED exterior lighting with auto high beam, a 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors and tyre pressure monitoring.
There are 10 airbags, including dual front, driver’s knee, front-centre, side (front and second row) and side curtain airbags, although the latter don’t extend to the third row.
The Tiggo 8 has undergone ANCAP testing, but the results have not yet been published. Chery expects ANCAP to deliver the outcome soon.
What technology does the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max feature?
There’s nothing old-school about the tech in the 2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max, starting with its 12.3-inch touch-screen infotainment system and 12.3-inch digital instrument display.
These combine with satellite navigation, AM/FM radio, phone connectivity for Apple and Android devices, ‘Hello Chery’ voice command and an eight-speaker Sony sound system.
Digital radio is the only glaring omission.
Smartphones can be recharged using the 50W wireless charging pad, while USB-A and USB-C ports are located in the front and second rows. There are also 12-volt outlets in the front and third rows, but no USB ports for the rearmost seats.
Even though the ever-increasing sophistication of in-car tech makes you wonder if soon we’ll need certification to pilot them, the Chery’s set-up is not overwhelming in complexity or difficulty.
Chery Australia had some input with naming conventions, which makes the menu selection simpler and easier to use than some recent Chinese-brand efforts.
The climate control buttons are accessed on the infotainment screen but also have separate touch buttons below the screen for immediate temperature control access.
The busy array of rocker switches and buttons on the steering wheel does take some getting used to.
What powers the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max?
There’s just one engine and transmission for the 2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max – a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder linked to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
While the Urban and Elite are front-drive, the Ultimate uses an on-demand all-wheel drive system.
The 2.0-litre has reasonable step-off and strong, responsive acceleration when needed in the 1731kg (tare) Ultimate. It’s also a reasonably quiet and smooth engine.
With the turbo spooling there seems to be plenty of punch for a family SUV for overtaking or dialling up speed quickly on freeway on-ramps.
Aside from some shunting at parking speeds that is typical of dual-clutch autos, the seven-speed transmission works well in the Tiggo 8, with generally fast and decisive shifts.
How fuel efficient is the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max?
The manufacturer claims that the 2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max Ultimate uses 12.4L/100km in urban use, 6.6L/100km for extra-urban and 8.7L/100km combined.
The urban figure is a little on the thirsty side, but we need to get a vehicle for more thorough testing to see where the dust settles on fuel consumption.
The lighter front-wheel drive Tiggo 8 models return 11.1L/100km on the urban cycle, 6.6L/100km extra-urban and 8.1L/100km combined.
The fuel tank holds 57 litres, and the engine requires premium 95RON unleaded.
What is the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max like to drive?
There’s no doubt Chery has made some headway with local tuning of its advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), because the sometimes wheel-wrenching lane-keep behaviour of the Tiggo 7 Pro is largely absent in the new 2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max.
The ADAS suite seems a more benign, supervisory system. It’s not perfect, with some wandering within the lane with lane keeping (and a sometimes overzealous driver distraction warning), but overall it’s far less intrusive than Chery’s recent efforts.
Driver vision is quite good for a modern SUV, however the convex interior rear-view mirror takes some getting used to. While it’s good for parents to see what the youngsters are up to in the back, it is hard to gauge more distant traffic coming up fast from behind.
The Tiggo 8 has light steering that provides good turn-in precision at sane speeds but doesn’t give great feedback – pretty much in line with most SUVs.
While you don’t notice it much on smooth roads, the suspension could be better tuned for when bumps and potholes are in the mix, or even on some concrete freeways.
It feels as though initial suspension compression is too firm, and then with larger bumps, too soft.
More time behind the wheel is needed, but for now it’s clear the Tiggo 8 Pro Max isn’t the class leader for ride and handling.
What is the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max like inside?
Although the 2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max isn’t considered a large SUV, there is still a handy amount of interior space for up to seven occupants.
The front seats are supportive and comfortable, while the 60/40-split three-seat second-row bench is a little flat for support – but great for child seats.
This is also the only area available for child restraints, too, with three top tether strap and two ISOFIX anchor points provided. (There are none in the third row.)
The third row has two seats in a 50/50 split-fold arrangement and should be fine for occasional adult use – that is, if you’re under 180cm tall and can negotiate with the second-row occupants to slide their seat forward a little.
The main issue with the third row is access. The second row only has a tilt-forward function on the right-hand side of the car (the road side), whereas the kerbside seat portion needs the seatback dropped down before you can slide it forward – which is easier said than done.
It becomes more complicated if you have child restraints fitted in the second row.
With all seven seats in place, the Tiggo 8 Pro Max has a claimed 117 litres of boot space up to the seatback, increasing to 479 litres with the third row semi-folded (the third row doesn’t fold completely flat).
Only a space-saver spare wheel is provided.
Should I buy a Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max?
The 2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max is competitively priced, reasonably well packaged, has a high level of safety, tech and convenience features and offers good performance.
However, less appealing is the undeveloped suspension and lack of proper kerbside third-row access, while the calibration of its driver assist systems is needing polish.
2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max Ultimate at a glance:
Price: $47,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 180kW/375Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 8.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 285g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: To be confirmed
- Long list of standard equipment for a keen price
- Some nice-to-have features such as the integrated dashcam on Elite and Ultimate
- Decent, responsive performance from the turbo four-cylinder
- Active safety features such as driver distraction warning can be intrusive
- The suspension needs more work to better deal with poor road surfaces
- Third-row access can be difficult from the kerb side of the vehicle
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