I love this car so much. My friends test drove it at the SA festival of motoring and bought one the very next week. It's so damn impressive. They thought that they couldn't get a big SUV with 7 seats for that price. They were looking at used older German cars. They couldn't believe what you get for the price. I had a Mercedes GLB on a long loan from Merc while my car was in for a repair. The GLB costs double, literally double, this Tiggo 8. Yet the Tiggo 8 feels more premium. The Chery has better interior materials and build quality and better and more features for literally half the price. The GLB I had was R1.3 million. The Mercs wireless charger just made my phone hot and didn't even charge the phone. It just kept the charge it had. My friends Tiggo 8 not just charges my phone wirelessly but does so very fast since they didn't use a cheap wireless charger like Merc, but they used a fast one. The 360 cameras on the chery are also just as clear as those on the GLB. This car has shown me that the prices of premium brands is simply not justified. I have driven Mercs for the last several years. I have also test driven new models to see if I should replace my 2014 E350. But their new models have really poor build and material quality and have minimal to no nice features for an astronomical price. And this is why I love this chery so much. It really put things into perspective for me. Premium brands are simply overrated and charge for the badge. And it is especially embarrassing for Merc for example when a car from China at half the price of their cheapest 7 seat SUV is better in every way.
China accounts for 1/3 of the world's car production and sales. Chinese car companies have only begun to pay attention to export business in recent years. Due to the gradual improvement of auto parts and services, it will not be long before more Chinese car companies will provide more brands of products to countries around the world.
Merc have lost the plot decades ago . They're still riding on the laurels of the cars they brought to market up to the mid 90's . Everything after that , except possibly the S class is pretty disappointing when one considers the price one has to pay .
The indicator sound is the same as an old Renault Logan rental I used many years ago. I would definitely buy this car if I had a need for all the space. A lot of tech for the price and super comfortable from what I've heard.
Hi @julietmcguire, thanks for the awesome review, but how does the car drive? I drove a Tiggo 4 pro, and it was bad. Yes, it came with a lot of extras and it's big for you money you paying. However, the brake felt like they decided, hmm... let's use those wooden brakes from an ox wagon. Steer had no feel, so there was no connection to the road. Like a cheap video game controller. There was body rolls in corners. All of these added up to a bad experience . Does the 8 Pro suffer from the same issues? It has alot of power, but do need to brake a week in advance and does it corner like over size elephant?
@@BjornCoetzee oh heeeey. Hmmm so I didn't experience these issues with the Pro 8, BUT if you are thinking of buying one I would definitely suggest taking one for a spin.
I just test drove this over the weekend (by chance - had come to the Kia dealership next door which was closed down 😅) and saw this Chery dealership. I thought it looked handsome so I went in n took a quick look at the spec sheet - “250hp 390nm 7 speed DCT” n I thought hang on a minute. Took a closer look and was blown away by the refinement of the interior and all the modern amenities/gadgets and safety on offer. Beautiful soft leather and beautiful padded seats (not hard/not mushy), just a beautiful and luxurious interior. Sales then let me have a short test drive and what a nice drive too. Couldn’t go full beans but I did drive over some badly surfaced roads and there was no problem. A MUCH more comfortable and refined ride than my 2020 Subaru Forester. For the money it beats the Japanese by a country mile. And for half the price of the equivalent European SUV there is no contest. If I wouldn’t lose so much on my Forester I would upgrade immediately. So glad to watch your review. Kind regards from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 🇲🇾 🇲🇾 🇲🇾
@julietmcguire this car drives like a dream but it will take the next 6 months to unpack all the features . I don't regret making this decision at all and it's absolutely beautiful .
It's a great PACKAGE for its price. I've also noticed that we're back using INCHES instead of CENTIMETERS. Has the METRIC system been banned? One has to always convert inches to centimeters
China accounts for 1/3 of the world's auto production and sales. In 2023, China sold more than 30 million cars, more than USA+ Europe combined. China is also the most competitive place among the major car companies in the world, so models that are not cost-effective will be eliminated quickly. Chinese car companies have only begun to pay attention to export business in recent years. Due to the gradual improvement of auto parts and services, more Chinese car companies will soon provide more cost-effective products to countries around the world.
Great review thx. Some personal experience my tiggo 7 gave suspension issues at 26 000km. Couldn’t fix it. Brother got a 4Pro and last week “gearbox failure” poped up. Luckily fixed but took a week without a car. No real explanation…very cagey. Hearing of more problems. Sad because I loved mine
Peeps Listen: does Chinese cars have reliable R&D early adopters will write the rest of this story.. I'm really watching with interest cause both my sisters have top of the range Tiggo SUV and P series Bakkie.. I'm a Toyota man never been let down, not once.
Yes, Isofix seems to be quite a mystery to a lot of these manufacturers. I have a Duster and I find it to be the most annoying thing next to the indecisive auto gearbox
@@siyabulelamatiwana2102 so we can say they look good for someone else but when it comes to owning them no, the big brands that we know will continue to dominate the SUV market.
Please find an alternative word for "LIKE". It's like, I'm like, She's like, like, like! Try equal, equivalent, match, etc., etc. Otherwise, a good narration :)
Went and looked at it...Chery very clever with their creative accounting. Cars have to get a 5000km service, essentially making your service shorter. It's just an oil change. There are other snags you need to check carefully. My suggestion is study a car and the offer for a week before you buy. Regardless of all that, you cannot beat the value...just remember a car dealer is a snake.
Must agree with your comments @27degrees! Juliet, I love your reviews but also noticed how many times you used the word "like".............why?? You're cool enough without having to adopt this horrid "Americanism".........🙏🙏❤
I had such a sad experience when I wanted to purchase a Tiggo 4 at the Century City branch that I vowed not to ever look at Chery again. The agent just never responded even after I brought my vehicle in for an assessment. No news no response no results and no purchase. However, I always loved the Tiggo 8 Pro Max and particularly the Black Badge version. Will Chery introduce an HEV or Hybrid into SA and when otherwise I am strongly leaning towards the Haval H6 HEV?
I have a question unrelated to this video. I'm looking for a budget car is the SUV space and came up with the new Toyota UC and Suzuki GV as 2 viable options. However, I now see that the entry level corolla cross is actually cheaper than these 2 new cars. Would it be advisable to go with the cross as it's bigger and more powerful?
UC rebadged Suzuki. Stiffer ride than CCross test drive the CCross before deciding it's also more family friendly..had UC for a year. Still driving CCross it's just a great performer.
@@darryljansen7364 will do, I did a test drive on the GV GLX and thought it was okay. Not the biggest though and the price is over R400k for an auto which is ridiculous if a cross entry level is going for around R350k.
Quality? Surely you jest. In 3 years it's a paperweight. It's designed to present nicely, not to last. Have you seen any Chinese car older than a couple of years?
@@stilloutside Interior still good while it's standing at the local mechanic trying to figure out why the engine won't start. Not very useful. You can simply look on the roads - how many old Chinese cars do you see? There are none because Chinese cars are made from cheap materials. It's not a secret. Cheap materials don't last.
@@BrendenEngelbrecht bro almost everything is made in China.. when it comes to cars I've been driving a 128k mileage Honda fit import now at 300k for 5 years I ain't worried..but here we talking a car which will have warranty and service plan now why would you take it to a local mechanic instead of the dealership🤦♂️🤦♂️... also bottom line is any car you take care of will last 10years+
@@stilloutsideThat's a silly retort. There's a vast difference between a product made in China with foreign oversight. And a Chinese product made with Chinese values. Did you really just say your drive a Honda in defence of Chinese products. O no, that's really unfortunate. Honda is Japanese. You may not know this, but Japanese and Chinese culture are as paradoxical as you can get. You shouldn't worry if you have a Japanese brand, lol!
That brown leather is giving 1992 Toyota Cressida vibes. No fanx! Also, I’d remove ALL those badges. A whole flippin sentence. And then … Pro Max… 🍏 ? 🙈
What you need to understand is that fundamentally Chinese cars are designed to superficially look good enough to sell. They are not designed with quality materials and with rigirious testing to ensure longevity. Having lived in China, all their local brands start falling apart after 3 years. You simply do not see Chinese cars that are 8+ years still on the road. They become so expensive to fix that's it's simply not worth it. If you want a car for the long term, get a Japanese brand.
interesting. i have driven a Hyundai for 10years and never had any mechanical issue. some weeks ago i went to see the Tiggo8ProMax and those synthetic leather seats don't feel like they are going to last; fabric seats would have been better
@@ToxxicMafia Hyundai is not Chinese, friend :-) Hyundai is South Korean. Same country that makes Samsung. They make very good cars - and currently is one of the leaders in innovation.
@@BrendenEngelbrecht lol. i was implying that Korean cars are probably built to last as well, guess i just ran out of English bundles. i know South Korea very well my friend, i hear K-Pop and Korean Drama series at every corner of my house :(
I've seen a few now with high kms and their interiors look great. The Tiggo 7, which is just a 5 seat version of this basically, got a 5 star crash test rating. The car's frame is definitely strong and robust otherwise it wouldn't have been able to achieve that. Maybe older gen Chinese cars had issues, but these new ones are tested just as rigorously as other brands. My friend has had her Haval H1 for years and it most certainly isn't falling apart. If you drive the Tiggo 8, the materials feels robust and the build quality is excellent. It's better than the GLB I had on long term loan from Merc when my own Merc went in for repairs there. My friends have the Tiggo 8 and it feels way more premium and solid than the GLB. You can tell when a car is masking poor quality with a veneer of nice looking things, but chery isn't doing that. It's actually built really well.
The new Tiggo 8 Pro Max is such a great product. Thanks for the fun review!
Thanks for the look Juliet, once you get used to the DCT (dual clutch transmission) it’s great-there’s no slip.
I love this car so much. My friends test drove it at the SA festival of motoring and bought one the very next week. It's so damn impressive. They thought that they couldn't get a big SUV with 7 seats for that price. They were looking at used older German cars. They couldn't believe what you get for the price. I had a Mercedes GLB on a long loan from Merc while my car was in for a repair. The GLB costs double, literally double, this Tiggo 8. Yet the Tiggo 8 feels more premium. The Chery has better interior materials and build quality and better and more features for literally half the price. The GLB I had was R1.3 million. The Mercs wireless charger just made my phone hot and didn't even charge the phone. It just kept the charge it had. My friends Tiggo 8 not just charges my phone wirelessly but does so very fast since they didn't use a cheap wireless charger like Merc, but they used a fast one. The 360 cameras on the chery are also just as clear as those on the GLB. This car has shown me that the prices of premium brands is simply not justified. I have driven Mercs for the last several years. I have also test driven new models to see if I should replace my 2014 E350. But their new models have really poor build and material quality and have minimal to no nice features for an astronomical price. And this is why I love this chery so much. It really put things into perspective for me. Premium brands are simply overrated and charge for the badge. And it is especially embarrassing for Merc for example when a car from China at half the price of their cheapest 7 seat SUV is better in every way.
The most disappointing thing about Mercedes Benz is the use of cheap materials in their latest models. I thought i was the only that picked that up.
I might have to agree with you! It can sometimes feel like one is paying for a badge and not quality.
China accounts for 1/3 of the world's car production and sales. Chinese car companies have only begun to pay attention to export business in recent years. Due to the gradual improvement of auto parts and services, it will not be long before more Chinese car companies will provide more brands of products to countries around the world.
Merc have lost the plot decades ago . They're still riding on the laurels of the cars they brought to market up to the mid 90's . Everything after that , except possibly the S class is pretty disappointing when one considers the price one has to pay .
@@rodneyemmerich8828 Rod the s class has worst depreciation of any MB due to highest running costs after factory warranty
The indicator sound is the same as an old Renault Logan rental I used many years ago. I would definitely buy this car if I had a need for all the space. A lot of tech for the price and super comfortable from what I've heard.
It's weird how important an indicator sound actually is, hey!?
Hi @julietmcguire, thanks for the awesome review, but how does the car drive? I drove a Tiggo 4 pro, and it was bad. Yes, it came with a lot of extras and it's big for you money you paying. However, the brake felt like they decided, hmm... let's use those wooden brakes from an ox wagon. Steer had no feel, so there was no connection to the road. Like a cheap video game controller. There was body rolls in corners. All of these added up to a bad experience . Does the 8 Pro suffer from the same issues? It has alot of power, but do need to brake a week in advance and does it corner like over size elephant?
@@BjornCoetzee oh heeeey. Hmmm so I didn't experience these issues with the Pro 8, BUT if you are thinking of buying one I would definitely suggest taking one for a spin.
I just test drove this over the weekend (by chance - had come to the Kia dealership next door which was closed down 😅) and saw this Chery dealership. I thought it looked handsome so I went in n took a quick look at the spec sheet - “250hp 390nm 7 speed DCT” n I thought hang on a minute. Took a closer look and was blown away by the refinement of the interior and all the modern amenities/gadgets and safety on offer. Beautiful soft leather and beautiful padded seats (not hard/not mushy), just a beautiful and luxurious interior. Sales then let me have a short test drive and what a nice drive too. Couldn’t go full beans but I did drive over some badly surfaced roads and there was no problem. A MUCH more comfortable and refined ride than my 2020 Subaru Forester. For the money it beats the Japanese by a country mile. And for half the price of the equivalent European SUV there is no contest. If I wouldn’t lose so much on my Forester I would upgrade immediately. So glad to watch your review. Kind regards from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 🇲🇾 🇲🇾 🇲🇾
Thank you for this video ,I'm sold . This is a value for money purchase in this economy
YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@julietmcguire this car drives like a dream but it will take the next 6 months to unpack all the features . I don't regret making this decision at all and it's absolutely beautiful .
Once you get used to the brown, it grows on you.
The black can be very somber, something diffeeent is nice.
I like different. I just don't like brown ha ha
Not as ugly as the pre facelifted fortuner brown?@@julietmcguire
I like the color scheme, both in and out. I also wear a brown leather belt... I like brown leather😅
Hahahaha ok, I think it is clear you are a fan of brown then! ;)
The colour on the car is beautiful
Tigoo8 Max unbeatable in it’s segment... same with Tiggo7 Max
The brown looks quite nice, but black interior is also available
Watched all the reviews ...at keast ten...huge pluses everywhere and for the price nothing comes close to it . I just bought it
It's a great PACKAGE for its price. I've also noticed that we're back using INCHES instead of CENTIMETERS. Has the METRIC system been banned? One has to always convert inches to centimeters
and that gearknob is better than a switch or dial that some use
This car is very good, from the drive , comfort, performance, everything
It sure is!
Beautiful car indeed..but I'm worried about fuel 😅
if chery would bring us a budget car , they would def dominate the market
You make a good point :)
China accounts for 1/3 of the world's auto production and sales. In 2023, China sold more than 30 million cars, more than USA+ Europe combined. China is also the most competitive place among the major car companies in the world, so models that are not cost-effective will be eliminated quickly.
Chinese car companies have only begun to pay attention to export business in recent years. Due to the gradual improvement of auto parts and services, more Chinese car companies will soon provide more cost-effective products to countries around the world.
Great review thx. Some personal experience my tiggo 7 gave suspension issues at 26 000km. Couldn’t fix it. Brother got a 4Pro and last week “gearbox failure” poped up. Luckily fixed but took a week without a car. No real explanation…very cagey. Hearing of more problems. Sad because I loved mine
Don't they have warranty for that? In our country chery has one the longest warranty among the car brands
That is a shame. But as @TheBlueFernando points out, we do have a fantastic warranty here.
This thing is quick, beats a lot of hot hatches on long highways
optioned brown leather is PIMP! so good.
Peeps Listen: does Chinese cars have reliable R&D early adopters will write the rest of this story.. I'm really watching with interest cause both my sisters have top of the range Tiggo SUV and P series Bakkie.. I'm a Toyota man never been let down, not once.
Yes, Isofix seems to be quite a mystery to a lot of these manufacturers. I have a Duster and I find it to be the most annoying thing next to the indecisive auto gearbox
Drives me mad!!!!!!!
Would u consider doing a chery vs. Haval vs Omoda comparison sheet? Pro7/8 vs H6 vs Omoda. For those in the market?
I'm thinking of buying one here in Melbourne
Finally a car worth every rand youll pay no matter the range you pick🎉🎉🎉🎉...
So glad we have these on the market!
Loved the review Ms M - but would have wanted to see the walkabout that you normally do off Greenpoint Stadium Golf course area.
Over 400 pre owned in the market, just wondering if those owners upgraded to a new one or went for a another brand.
My personal theory is they chow Petrol and not long term sustainable
@@siyabulelamatiwana2102 so we can say they look good for someone else but when it comes to owning them no, the big brands that we know will continue to dominate the SUV market.
Is this model for global market?
Please find an alternative word for "LIKE". It's like, I'm like, She's like, like, like! Try equal, equivalent, match, etc., etc. Otherwise, a good narration :)
Went and looked at it...Chery very clever with their creative accounting. Cars have to get a 5000km service, essentially making your service shorter. It's just an oil change. There are other snags you need to check carefully. My suggestion is study a car and the offer for a week before you buy. Regardless of all that, you cannot beat the value...just remember a car dealer is a snake.
Ja that Isofix once you get that in it’s fine 😢
Black seats are also available
Only in 1.6L
The sound seems off in this video. Juliet - watch your over-use of the word "like".
I can confirm, as well
Must agree with your comments @27degrees! Juliet, I love your reviews but also noticed how many times you used the word "like".............why?? You're cool enough without having to adopt this horrid "Americanism".........🙏🙏❤
I had such a sad experience when I wanted to purchase a Tiggo 4 at the Century City branch that I vowed not to ever look at Chery again. The agent just never responded even after I brought my vehicle in for an assessment. No news no response no results and no purchase. However, I always loved the Tiggo 8 Pro Max and particularly the Black Badge version. Will Chery introduce an HEV or Hybrid into SA and when otherwise I am strongly leaning towards the Haval H6 HEV?
What about the iPhone 15 pro max ?
I have a question unrelated to this video. I'm looking for a budget car is the SUV space and came up with the new Toyota UC and Suzuki GV as 2 viable options. However, I now see that the entry level corolla cross is actually cheaper than these 2 new cars. Would it be advisable to go with the cross as it's bigger and more powerful?
The Corolla Cross is one of my most highly recommended cars. I love it!
@@julietmcguirei recommend the corolla cross as a VOETSEK NICE CAR😂😂good thing jules
UC rebadged Suzuki. Stiffer ride than CCross test drive the CCross before deciding it's also more family friendly..had UC for a year. Still driving CCross it's just a great performer.
@@darryljansen7364 will do, I did a test drive on the GV GLX and thought it was okay. Not the biggest though and the price is over R400k for an auto which is ridiculous if a cross entry level is going for around R350k.
I'm with you Jules, brown interior is a big no no.
Ya, gosh. Not my vibe!
@@julietmcguiresorry for saying the word voetsak in the corolla cross comment
This iPhone looks nice.
Hi Juliet how’s the sound system on the car
Ooooh I am not great with the sound systems to be honest, if I can sing aloud along with a song I am happy! ha ha
Excellent review
Thank you!
How can I get one I’m in USA 🇺🇸
25 years
Reduce your use of the word "like". Detracts from a wonderful presentation
😂😂😂Science ❤❤❤love you n your reviews... Don't mind science
Why is every second word you say, "like"
Eish Julia you are full of kak with your brown leather...
It is really amazing
If you're going to scold me, you can at least get my name right 😂
The value is unmatched the quality offered is of 1million rand plus cars
Quality? Surely you jest. In 3 years it's a paperweight. It's designed to present nicely, not to last. Have you seen any Chinese car older than a couple of years?
@@BrendenEngelbrecht yes haval jolion 3 years old n the interior was still good n it's not the level of cherry quality
@@stilloutside Interior still good while it's standing at the local mechanic trying to figure out why the engine won't start. Not very useful. You can simply look on the roads - how many old Chinese cars do you see?
There are none because Chinese cars are made from cheap materials. It's not a secret. Cheap materials don't last.
@@BrendenEngelbrecht bro almost everything is made in China.. when it comes to cars I've been driving a 128k mileage Honda fit import now at 300k for 5 years I ain't worried..but here we talking a car which will have warranty and service plan now why would you take it to a local mechanic instead of the dealership🤦♂️🤦♂️... also bottom line is any car you take care of will last 10years+
@@stilloutsideThat's a silly retort. There's a vast difference between a product made in China with foreign oversight. And a Chinese product made with Chinese values.
Did you really just say your drive a Honda in defence of Chinese products. O no, that's really unfortunate. Honda is Japanese.
You may not know this, but Japanese and Chinese culture are as paradoxical as you can get. You shouldn't worry if you have a Japanese brand, lol!
7yrs/90000km.....!!! Why not 7yrs/120000km? Weeeeh.....
If you going to do a car review do some research on the car you driving. Fuel consumption will improve once the engine is ridden in.
Haha thanks for the tip! After 16 years as a motoring journalist I am so glad I still get to learn a new thing everyday ;)
Is she speaking English??
A version of I guess 🤷♀
I read Cheryl Tiegs😂
hahahahaha
@@julietmcguire go for a ride in my LC500 also in CT😎
That brown leather is giving 1992 Toyota Cressida vibes. No fanx!
Also, I’d remove ALL those badges. A whole flippin sentence. And then … Pro Max… 🍏 ? 🙈
THey are big apple fans in China, lol.
@@BrendenEngelbrechtthat explains a lot lol!
What you need to understand is that fundamentally Chinese cars are designed to superficially look good enough to sell. They are not designed with quality materials and with rigirious testing to ensure longevity.
Having lived in China, all their local brands start falling apart after 3 years. You simply do not see Chinese cars that are 8+ years still on the road. They become so expensive to fix that's it's simply not worth it. If you want a car for the long term, get a Japanese brand.
interesting. i have driven a Hyundai for 10years and never had any mechanical issue.
some weeks ago i went to see the Tiggo8ProMax and those synthetic leather seats don't feel like they are going to last; fabric seats would have been better
@@ToxxicMafia Hyundai is not Chinese, friend :-)
Hyundai is South Korean. Same country that makes Samsung. They make very good cars - and currently is one of the leaders in innovation.
@@BrendenEngelbrecht lol. i was implying that Korean cars are probably built to last as well, guess i just ran out of English bundles.
i know South Korea very well my friend, i hear K-Pop and Korean Drama series at every corner of my house :(
@@ToxxicMafia Korean dramas - hehe nooo don't go to dark side!
I've seen a few now with high kms and their interiors look great. The Tiggo 7, which is just a 5 seat version of this basically, got a 5 star crash test rating. The car's frame is definitely strong and robust otherwise it wouldn't have been able to achieve that. Maybe older gen Chinese cars had issues, but these new ones are tested just as rigorously as other brands. My friend has had her Haval H1 for years and it most certainly isn't falling apart. If you drive the Tiggo 8, the materials feels robust and the build quality is excellent. It's better than the GLB I had on long term loan from Merc when my own Merc went in for repairs there. My friends have the Tiggo 8 and it feels way more premium and solid than the GLB. You can tell when a car is masking poor quality with a veneer of nice looking things, but chery isn't doing that. It's actually built really well.
Drama queen
Thank you
But it's Chinese .....
Rather purchase a second hand Japanese vehicle it'll last longer.. cheaper on fuel and better resale value.
Everything made in China now ..don't have any issues with my tiggo
@@Bebe_Mo as the saying goes, you gonna learn.
@@BrendenEngelbrecht lol if u say so 🤣
Go and buy your Japanese overpriced crap and cry when you sit in one of these and understand you were ripped off!!
These things are absolutely worthless when you want to trade them in.
You going to lose more than 50% of the purchase price in 1 year