Chery Tiggo 8

After a successful UK debut with the Qashqai-rivalling Tiggo 7, Chery has its sights set on the Skoda Kodiaq

- Alastair Crooks [e-mail]

RANKING third in our recent rundown of the most important Chinese car brands – behind only BYD and MG - Chery is a company you should be paying close attention to.

Its new range of SUVs is targeting buyers with keen pricing, loads of standard kit, efficient engines and strong practicality. The formula was proved with its first UK offering, the Nissan Qashqai-rivalling Tiggo 7, and now the Tiggo 8 is looking to do the same in the seven-seat SUV category.

Pricing starts at £28,545 - nearly £10,000 less than the Skoda Kodiaq, as well as undercutting rivals including the Peugeot 5008 and Kia Sorento. That headline price is for the pure-petrol Tiggo 8, but if you want the plugin hybrid, it'll cost £33,545.

Standard equipment with entry-level Aspire trim is strong. It includes 19-inch alloy wheels, a 15.6-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 50W wireless charging pad, a 540-degree exterior parking camera system, LED headlights and an electrically adjustable driver's seat.

Pay an extra £3,000 for Summit trim and you get a panoramic sunroof, hands-free electric tailgate, 12-speaker Sony stereo, ambient cabin lighting, a heated steering wheel, heated, ventilated and massaging front seats, heated second-row seats, a head-up display and illuminated door sills.