Lekker, China!

"Enjoy your first class”. We know the propensity for hyperbole in advertising. We may be sceptical of such a bold statement by a Chinese brand but times have changed

- By Thys de Beer

CHERY TIGGO 8 PRO EXECUTIVE ETA: NOW

Price: R546 900 Engine: 1,6-litre, four-cylinder, turbopetrol Transmission: 7-speed, dual-clutch automatic Power: 145 kW Torque: 290 N.m 0-100 km/h: TBC Top speed: TBC Fuel consumption: TBC CO2: TBC Rivals: Haval H6, Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage, Nissan X-Trail, Volkswagen Tiguan

+ Interior space, practicality and perceived quality are good - Fuel consumption on the high side and the throttle is overly sensitive at times

Enter Chery South Africa's second new offering, the Tiggo 8 Pro seven-seater, mid-sized SUV in all its glory with bells and whistles. There are two models: the Distinctive priced at R496 000 and Executive priced at R546 900. Both are powered by a 1,6-litre TGDI turbo-petrol engine driving the front wheels through a Getrag-sourced seven-speed dual clutch gearbox, with a power output of 145 kW at 5 500 r/min and 290 N.m of torque between 2000 and 4 000 r/min.

Like its more compact sibling, the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, the Tiggo 8 has a standard features list as long as a State of the Nation address, only far more promising. Many of these features will be optional on their rival offerings, which pushes their prices even higher, easily adding R100 000 or more to the RRP. The Volkswagen Tiguan All-Space is a good example of this.