Chery Tiggo 8 Pro

Chery has done a commendable job in designing the cabin of the Tiggo 8 Pro, which has a very premium vibe to it, thanks to the dual-tone black and tan leather upholstery. The interior also has contrast silver accents on the door panels, soft-touch panels over the dashboard and a piano black finish for the entire lower centre console.

The flat-bottom, multi-functional steering wheel of the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro has a large rectangular cockpit behind it, which houses twin 12.3-inch screens for the full-TFT instrument console and touchscreen infotainment system. There is a sleek black layer across the entire width of the dashboard, which has thin chrome surrounds, while it houses slim AC vents within them. The middle layer of the dashboard below this blacked-out layer has a soft-touch tan finish, with a brushed aluminium finish for the sleek strip of buttons for the audio system.

The lower centre console has an angular design upwards, with the slanted panel here accommodating a touch panel for the dual-zone automatic climate control system. The gloss black horizontal panel between the seats has a transmission lever, drive mode controller and electronic parking brake, along with switches for other functions. The cabin of the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro also gets a powered driver’s seat, panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting, engine start-stop button, automatic tailgate, wireless charger, 8-speaker audio system and three USB charging ports.

The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro has the right stance for a three-row premium midsize SUV. While the overall styling is a bit understated given the segment in which it falls, the overall look and proportions of the SUV are decent enough to warrant one’s attention.

At the front, the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro has an octagonal grille in the middle, which has chrome surrounds and a diamond-studded design for the chrome3 inserts, just like in any other Chery SUV for that matter. The sleek looking trapezoidal headlamps have eye-catching dual L-shaped daytime running LEDs, while they also come with LED projectors. The front bumper, with the chrome touches for the LED fog lamp strip housings and satin silver finish for the skid plate in the middle, lends more premium appeal to the overall look of the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro at the front.

The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro has a good stance when viewed from the side, with this long SUV having a premium-looking finish for the 18-inch machined alloy wheels and chrome finish for the entire window surround. The slim wheel arch moulding, side door cladding and roof rails add a more premium touch to the overall side profile of the SUV.

At the back, the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro looks captivating with the long LED-connected light bar running between the combination tail lamps, while merging with their LED inserts. Here too, the bumper has a prominent silver cladding, which stretches along the width of the bumper at the bottom while engulfing the exhaust port surrounds.

Along with a suspension combination of McPherson struts at the front and independent multi-link at the rear, the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro also comes with four driving modes – Sport, Eco and Normal, which do alter the ride quality and power delivery of the SUV. That being said, the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro is not for someone who likes a spirited driving experience, as it gets a very light steering setup and soft tune for the suspension.

Powering the front wheels of the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission in this SUV. Here, this engine claims a maximum power output of 195 bhp, while the peak torque output is rated at 290 Nm.

The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro is packed to the gills when it comes to safety, with premium safety features on board including a brake override system, lane departure warning, front collision warning, lane keeping assist, autonomous emergency braking, traffic jam assist, door ajar warning, intelligent high beam control, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, rear cross-traffic alert and blind spot detection. Other basics offered in the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro include ABS with EBD and brake assist, traction control, hill hold assist, hill descent control, tyre pressure monitoring system, six airbags, front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree parking camera.

The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro is on point regarding interior appeal and features on board for its price. However, it can be a mild disappointment for driving enthusiasts for its inconsistent performance and not-so-great feedback from its light steering setup.