Chery arrives: are these new SUVs ready to cheer up the UK market?
China’s largest vehicle exporter has officially landed on British soil, bringing a whole family of SUVs with it. But are they ready to make a splash, or will they just be another ripple in SUV market pool?
Well, it seems we’ve got a new contender in the British car scene. Chery, pronounced cheery, has made its grand entrance into the UK with two of its four SUVS in tow – with the final pair set to arrive by early 2026.
A global giant's UK debut
Image credit: Chery
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While it might not be an automotive brand to jump to the top of the public mind, Chery International, which has been China’s top vehicle exporter for an impressive 22 years, is no small fry. It’s sold over 5 million cars worldwide since its foundation in 1997, so it’s not exactly starting from scratch.
For those who fear struggling to find replacements on British soil, Chery has prioritised repairability from the word ‘Go’ as part of its UK launch. And to add another notch to Chery’s belt, it’s the first Chinese OEM to develop its own powertrain and chassis, so you’re not getting another revamped skeleton either.
The Tiggo family gathers
Image credit: Chery
At the heart of the launch is Chery's SUV line-up, centred around the Tiggo name. We're seeing the Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 models already on offer, with both available in straightforward petrol and "Super Hybrid" versions. The Tiggo 7 comes in either Aspire or Summit trim levels and while it doesn’t offer any shiny numbers on 0-60, it gets the job done. And, if you plump for the Summit trim, you’ll get a 12.3-inch infotainment display, 540-degree camera system, and three driving modes.
The seven-seat Tiggo 8 offers 12-speaker Sony sound system and adaptive cruise control. We can also share that the Tiggo 7 will start at £24,995 and the Tiggo 8 starts from £28, 545 for the ICE model. It seems that Chery is making good on its word of ‘advanced tehcnology, safety and innovative features at an accessible price point’.
And what about the final Tiggo models, you ask? To complete this SUV family is the slightly larger, range-topping Tiggo 9 and the more diminutive and paired-back Tiggo 4 for the urban driver. The Tiggo 9 delivers affordable elegance with a wood grain panel and sudette interior, alongisde 187 kW of oomph with the 2.0T GDI efficient engine. So, there will be a Tiggo for most tastes, from compact to capacious.
What are your initial thoughts on Chery entering the UK market? Will you be one of the first to add your names to the Tiggo order books?
Hero image credit: Chery
