3 owners explain their choice of Chery’s flagship model as their newest ride
By Tessa R. Salazar
If Chery were a showbiz personality, then it sure knows how to put on a show. The Chinese carmaker’s flagship mid-size 7-seater SUV Tiggo 8 PRO comes in as among the most sophisticated SUVs in the market—both in design and tech features. It also boasts an industry-defining warranty coverage for all Tiggo 8 PRO models (The 1.6, the 2.0, and the top-of-the-line PHEV plug-in hybrid): 7 years for engine and general warranties, three years free periodic maintenance service (PMS), and three years free roadside assistance.
I recently took the Tiggo 8 PRO 1.6T out for a spin on the rolling hills of the Sierra Madre mountain range in Rizal province, and I can confirm that I did have a lot of fun enjoying the ride via the responsive turbocharged engine, stable suspension and firm steering, and, of course, that panoramic sunroof.
The luxurious amenities accorded by the faux leather seats (thank God the leather isn’t made from animal skin!) and dual climate controls (with rear vents) made my three passengers feel comfortable while they ooh-ed and aah-ed their way through the fantastic views.
From the driver’s POV, every control is now electronic, state-of-the-art. The screen monitor is an imposing 12.3-inch LCD touchscreen with Bluetooth, and that’s where its most “mesmerizing” feature (well, for me, at least) is showcased. The vehicle is installed with so many view cameras, and my surroundings are displayed in vivid detail on the monitor every time I make a turn (yes, even when I don’t use the turn signal!) and when I’m backing up. I could even choose what I see in “back view”, “2D”, “3D”, and “front view”. My front passenger was surely entertained by that, as well.
The Blind Spot Detection system alerted me every now and then, when other vehicles were coming in too close. There were also alerts when I was veering from my lane.
Every hour or so, the dashboard reminded me to take a coffee break, and I obliged once we found a suitable spot in Baras to enjoy the chilly air and the sunset.
I enjoyed all these, and more, on just one trip on the Tiggo 8 PRO. Imagine the wealth of experiences actual owners of this SUV have accumulated. And that’s exactly where we’re going next.
Definitely not boring
Since 1998, retired Voc-Tech teacher Ricco Raymundo, 53, had owned several generations of a Japanese-branded compact SUV. But last December, Ricco did the “unthinkable,” and bought a Tiggo 8 PRO from Chery’s Bacoor dealership.
Why the shift? Ricco answered that though his beloved Japanese brand was a “clear winner” when it came to pricing and interior build, the company itself “had not moved with the times.”
“The company has been repeating the same formula for three decades, to the point of being boring and stagnant, in the name of reliability.”
So, in order to make his shift as well-informed as could be, Ricco said he did his own thorough research on new SUVs. He watched YouTube videos about the Chery Tiggo 8 PRO, and he got interested. He eventually found out that, point-by-point, the Tiggo 8 PRO outshone the other SUVs he was considering—from the design, to the engine, to its safety features (especially the Adaptive Cruise Control, his favorite), and even for the fact that the Tiggo 8 PRO is an SUV built for seven.
To seal the deal, Ricco stressed that “Chery had made the actual effort of establishing a local parts warehouse (and filling it with parts, not with empty promises) to make parts replacement and repairs faster.”
With all that the Tiggo 8 can offer, Raymundo said that Chery could still manage to price its SUV “at least P200,000 cheaper than its competitors, then still offer the longest aftersales warranty in the Philippine market.”
At this point, I could imagine Ricco screaming in his mind: “Saan ka pa!?”
Delivery delay leads to better ride
A delay in the delivery of another Chinese SUV model, plus its abrupt price increase, drove 42-year-old Dennis Remolacio, a quality systems manager, to ditch his reservation for that unit and go for the Tiggo 8 PRO instead. And for the past seven months and 6,100 kms, Dennis has been quite satisfied with his decision.
“I couldn’t accept the price increase of the brand I initially chose without any changes in its model’s features. Good thing the Tiggo 8 PRO came out in time, with better reviews and great features,” Dennis shared.
Dennis disclosed that he works in the automotive industry, and going against the perceived “conventional wisdom” is sometimes the best decision.
“I know where the trend is going, so I’m not going to belittle Chinese workmanship. I did my research, and I have learned that Chery has minimized owners’ risks by offering very good warranties that I don’t think any car brand in the Philippines can match.”
For a luxury-laden SUV that’s priced less than his maximum budget of P2 million, Dennis laughed, “The luxurious interior of this vehicle made my friends initially guess that I bought a Land Rover.”
YouTuber’s delight
Don Repato, 38, head of design of a Singapore-based software development company, initially bought his Tiggo 8 PRO 1.6T because of its seven-seat capacity. Now however, seven months and 2,700 kms into the ownership experience, Don has found so much more to like.
So much, in fact, that Don started his own YouTube channel @NotAProDrayber in the third month of his ownership, where he features all his raves (and probably some rants, too) about his SUV.
“The Tiggo 8 Pro has so many impressive features that it was surprising to find that its price was comparable to, or even lower than, other vehicles we were considering at the time. Even if it were slightly more expensive, it would still be great value for the features it offers. And it’s quite a looker. We’ve had bystanders and strangers complement the looks of the car numerous times,” Don explains.
For Don, the origins of a vehicle don’t really hold that much importance in a globalized world. “Whether it be Japanese, American, European, or Chinese, many cars and their parts are now manufactured in China. What matters is how each brand implements and tests the quality of these parts in their vehicles,” he reasoned.
Don likes certain features of his Tiggo 8 more than others, such as the Apple CarPlay, the luxurious brown faux leather seats, and the power tailgate. “The Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist has had a huge impact on my driving experience,” he added.
ACC for the fuel win
Asked what their most fuel-efficient readings with the Tiggo 8 PRO were, Ricco, Dennis, and Don gave slightly varying numbers. But they agreed on the Adaptive Cruise Control as a big help in achieving maximum fuel efficiency.
Ricco shared that he gets an average 8.54 kms per liter on his vehicle (combined city and highway). Dennis says his city drive usually yields 7 to 8 kms per liter, while his highway runs can result in up to 13 km per liter. Don discloses that he gets 8 to 10 kms per liter in the city, and up to 16 kms per liter on the highway, all on Eco Mode.
Dennis advises those who are “heavy on their feet” to use the Adaptive Cruise Control to make the SUV more fuel efficient in highway runs.
Could use a recording system
Taking note of how camera-laden the Tiggo 8 PRO is, Ricco remarks that Chery could perhaps install a recording device to complete the package. “I wish Chery would consider including a recording device for those cameras (even at an extra cost) so we don’t need to purchase a separate dash cam unit, because a separate dash cam unit means another extra screen to distract the driver’s attention, not to mention the extra wires and the risk of screwing up the electrical system,” he explains.
Ricco also suggests other features improvements, including an additional USB port in the black plastic overhead console, an expanded field of view of the rear camera, and the placement of the main start/stop ignition button at the front dashboard, at the lower right side of the steering wheel, to be strategically safer, “to avoid accidentally turning off the engine.”
“A full-sized spare wheel/tire would be more suited for an SUV in the practical sense,” Ricco adds.
Dennis wishes that the location of the aircon vents for the second row seats be improved.
For his part, Don has something to say about the infotainment system’s user interface: “It’s not user-friendly for beginners like myself. The abundance of acronyms and lack of clear descriptions for the options make it confusing to understand their functions initially.”
Memorable trips
It’s too early in his ownership experience for Ricco to recall any memorable trip with his Tiggo 8 PRO. Nevertheless, he looks forward to long road trips with his SUV, in order to, in his words, “test its capabilities.”
On the other hand, Dennis’ unforgettable road trip with his Tiggo 8 PRO in Baler, a good 650-km epic joyride, is documented in his YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/rz6ygd44Z1M).
Repato shares that his first long ride with his Tiggo 8 PRO—to Tagaytay Highlands—has been his most memorable to date. “I was astounded by its performance on the steep roads, as it didn’t falter at all. I drove there a number of times before but that was the first time I did without worrying about the car giving out. I was already thrilled with the car’s capabilities, but I never expected it to instill confidence in tackling roads I’d usually be apprehensive about.”
Of course, you can expect to watch Don’s trip in his own YouTube channel.
