‘ENJOY your first class. Now in All-Wheel Drive’ is this variant’s slogan!
We’re talking the Chery range- Tiggo 8 Pro Max.
Had an opportunity to play with this new beau, and yes, it’s a ‘pants dropper’.
This seven-seater SUV has seen new variants and iterations have popped up since the vehicle’s inception in South Africa. Now we have an all-wheel-drive variant.
With no number plates, only the permit at the back window pasted, from Jozi to North West province, seemed a road less travelled.
Ahh, yes, it’s a four-pipe- typical toy for adults as well… it screams class ever so subtly!Exterior- The use of the diamond shape in the 3D hexagonal grille, LED head and taillights complete with lighting sequences and giant imposing stance are notable styling cues.
Styling is much the same when looking at the 2WD and AWD models side by side, with an ‘AWD’ badge denoting the difference between the versions. Despite that, the AWD variant arrived subsequent to the facelift the range received.
The styling cues are still pretty to look at. The ride height and ground clearance remain the same here, at 203mm, along with the machined 19-inch alloy wheels.
The styling suits the AWD motif more.On the interior front, it boasts leather with quilted and flowing handmade stitching graces the cabin and all 7 seats.
The mixture of tan seating, oxblood red door cards and interior trimmings have a nice touch to the cabin. Space still remains the same in vast amounts as the 2WD variant. The 7-seat arrangement isn’t compromised with the AWD system. A grand total of 1930 litres of boot space is available if you fold down both the 2nd and 3rd-row seats. The fit and feel are still great.
The redesigned suspension keeps the same refined comfort levels and NVH as the 2WD variant. Interestingly, a fragrance system with three different scents to choose from makes its way into the climate control system. This complements the PM2.5 Cabin Air Filter. The sound system gets an upgrade, too, in the form of a SONY 10-speaker system with a power amplifier, though the sound is questionable.
The climate control arrangement remains with the same touch panel but could still use a change in favour of haptic feedback or physical buttons. More translation and localisation are needed for the vehicle’s interfaces, as some terminology used can be confusing to understand. Despite those, the Tiggo 8 Pro Max with AWD is still a pleasant place to be in.
On the road, the same 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol is in use, churning out 187kW and 390Nm, and this is paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.
As for suspension, tuning has been performed to accommodate the AWD system, but some more adjustments could be used to tighten the handling further and give more agility.
Being off-road, it does perform superb.
The new Driver Monitoring System is interesting but can be quite sensitive, with plenty of audible and visual warnings for driver distraction even when the driver is focused on the road.
Traffic sign recognition is a mixed bag with recognising speed limit signs. The active driver assistance systems need the sensitivity to be dialled back. Nonetheless, there is a comprehensive safety feature set in this vehicle.
It claimed petrol fuel consumption rated at 8.70 /100km, having hovered around the 8.50 /100km mark.
Other features include:
• ABS, EBD, ESP
• Tyre Pressure Monitoring (TPMS)
• 10 Airbags – Dual Front, Front Side, Side curtain, Second-row seat bolster, Driver Knee, Far Side
• Speed Limit Reminder
• Front and Rear Park Distance Control (PDC)
• Around View Monitoring HD Camera (AVM)
• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
• Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
• Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
• Blind Spot Detection (BSD)
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
• Lane Keeping Assist (LKA)
• Traffic Congestion Assist (TJA)
• Driving View Recorder (DVR)
• Intelligent Evasion System (New)
• Lane Departure Prevention (New)
• Emergency Lane Keeping (New)
• Driver Monitoring System (New)
The Tiggo 8 Pro Max AWD purchase price comes with a 7-year /90 000km service plan, 5-year/150 000km warranty, 10-year / 1 million km engine warranty and 5-year/unlimited km roadside assistance.
Retailing price: R731 900
Verdict
Performance 1-10 (8)
Fuel 1-10 (7)
Image supplied (The Tiggo 8 Pro Max AWD comes in a sunroof and other features).
