With such a big influx of new Chinese SUVs in the UK, it takes a lot to stand out – and the Chery Tiggo 8 does so with its ludicrously low price tag.
It’s a seven-seater with a premium look and shedloads of standard equipment, and it starts from just £28,500. That’s the same as an entry-level Volkswagen Golf, and you can even have a plug-in hybrid version for less than £34,000.
All versions are well-equipped, but I reckon it’s worth spending the extra £3,000 to go for the top-spec Summit model, because it gets you luxury features like interior ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof and seat heating and ventilation in both the front and the middle row.
A plug-in hybrid seven-seater with all this kit for under £40,000 is bonkers in 2025. I spent a week driving the Chery Tiggo 8 to see what it’s like to live with. Here are five things I loved about this car, plus a few things which annoyed me. For a full, in-depth look at this car, check out the video below or read my full review.
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Five things I loved about the new Chery Tiggo 8
Let’s kick off with the positives, because there’s plenty to like about the Tiggo 8.
1. The interior is lovely
I’m not joking when I say the Chery Tiggo 8’s interior is a really close match for BMW and Mercedes, and it’s almost half the price of an equivalent model from those brands. All the materials feel nice and posh, and the switchgear is all nicely damped as well.
It’s only when you venture lower down that things get scratchy, but that’s the same in modern Mercedes and Audi models as well. It feels way more expensive in here than the price tag suggests.
2. There’s impressive tech on board
There are plenty of toys to play with in the Tiggo 8. You get a massive central touchscreen which is lovely to use thanks to clear, crisp graphics and logical menu layouts. There is one thing which annoyed me about the screen though, and I’ll get to that in a bit.
I also like the fact you get a 50-watt wireless charging pad, and it’s cooled by the air conditioning so your phone doesn’t overheat. The 360-degree camera system is great as well – the image is really crisp and clear – and I love being able to programme a shortcut on the steering wheel to bring it up.
3. Interior space is great
Getting comfortable up front in the Tiggo 8 is easy, and there’s plenty of cabin storage space as well thanks to the big door bins and deep centre console. Your passenger can also enjoy the business class-like relaxation mode for the seat, which reclines it all the way back and extends a legrest.
Moving into the middle row, there is loads of kneeroom and plenty of headspace as well. I like the way these seats recline, too. It makes kicking back on long journeys that bit nicer. You even get a decent amount of room in the very back. I wouldn’t fancy doing 200 miles in these seats, but a 50-mile trip would be doable.
4. It looks smart
Okay, so the Tiggo 8 won’t turn heads in the same way a Peugeot 5008 might, but I reckon it still looks like a properly premium product from the outside. You can see a bit of Audi-ness in the massive grille, and the fact it’s a new badge means people won’t necessarily know it’s a cheap car just by looking at it.
5. Clever air conditioning
The Chery Tiggo 8 has a clever cabin filtration system which will stop nasty pollutants getting into the interior, and it even has an ionisation feature which can stop things like pollen getting in as well. Ideal if you suffer from hayfever.
Three annoying things about the Chery Tiggo 8
No car is perfect, and there were a few annoying things about this Chery which you may want to consider before buying one.
1. The way it drives
I keep benchmarking this car against models from BMW and Mercedes based on the interior quality, but out on the road is where you can tell that this is an affordable car. It doesn’t feel anywhere near as planted through corners as some European rivals, nor is it as refined on the motorway.
The steering also feels way too light and there’s almost no feedback through the wheel – unless you hit a bump in which case it shimmies around in your hand. It’s fine if you don’t care about driving that much, but something like a Skoda Kodiaq would be better if you do.
2. The boot
While the boot is a good size with the third row folded away, with it in place you only have 100 litres of space. That’s 250 litres less than a Peugeot 5008’s boot with all seven seats up, and it means I struggled to squeeze two carry-on-sized suitcases in there. It’s also annoying that there’s no underfloor storage for the charging cables in the plug-in hybrid model.
3. Android Auto
While I love the fact that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto display in full screen, it’s annoying that the shortcut buttons are obscured by the steering wheel. I also don’t like the way you have to exit your smartphone mirroring to adjust the climate controls. Yes, I know that you can use the voice commands but I’d still just prefer a knob to twiddle.
My final verdict on the new Chery Tiggo 8
So then, what’s my final verdict on this car? Well if you’re after a big, spacious, plug-in hybrid SUV which looks and feels posh, but doesn’t have a premium price tag, then I reckon you should just go right ahead and buy the Chery Tiggo 8.
It may not be as nice to drive as something like a Skoda Kodiaq, but you just can’t argue with the amount of space equipment you get for the money. It’s fantastic value.
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