Chery Tiggo 8 2026 News
Five cheapest seven-seat SUVs
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By Laura Berry · 21 Aug 2026
It has never been a better time to buy an SUV with seven-seats, with a range of options across all price ranges.But if you're looking for a seven-seater, but don’t want to spend any more than about $45K? We’ve got you covered.Here are the five most affordable seven-seater SUVs on sale in Australia.The MG QS is last on our list for affordability but first on our list for practicality thanks to its giant five-metre length, which offers more third-row room than the others here. The QS is a proper larger SUV, while the others here are on the smaller side of large.The price of $46,990 is a drive-away offer too, so the value is still outstanding. We have tested the MG QS and liked the roominess, the hefty list of standard features and the 10-year warranty. Things we didn't like include the fairly small petrol engine, which has to work hard to carry this big car around. We also felt the cabin stying looks great, but some of the materials felt a bit cheap. The Mitsubishi Outlander has been around for decades and has been a stalwart in driveways of Aussie families. A low list price of $42,540 for this entry grade is also good to see. We tested the Outlander and liked its value for money and good looks, but found the third row to be cramped and the CVT transmission to offer lacklustre performance. The Nissan X-Trail is not only one of the original mid-sized SUVs that’s been around for more than 25 years but for a long time it was one of just a few that offered seven seats.The new X-Trail is one of the best SUVs here and it's wonderful to see it priced so affordable at a list price of $41,305.Of course we have tested it and liked the ride comfort and good handling, but we noted that the spare wheel is under the third row seats and little things like the sound system quality weren’t as good as some rivals.Chery has returned to Australia with an array of excellent vehicles and the Tiggo 8 is no exception. At just over 4.7m long the Tiggo 8 is classed as a large SUV, although that’s still not huge.We’ve tested it and liked the quality of the interior, the amount of features for this $41,990 drive-away price and the good ride. We prefer the super hybrid version of this SUV, which offers better fuel economy although the price tag is more than this petrol version.Indian car maker Mahindra makes a pretty compelling proposition here with the XUV 700, which is our cheapest seven-seater SUV at $36,990 drive-away for the AX7 entry grade.The AX7 is considered a mid-sized SUV at just under 4.7m long.We’ve tested it and liked the punchy 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine, the mountain of standard features for the price, but felt the interior quality could be better and the ride and handling wasn’t exactly great.
Secret to Chery's success
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By Laura Berry · 08 Aug 2026
Chery’s comeback from zero to hero in Australia is truly remarkable, but what has been the secret to its second-time lucky success? Did Chery stumble onto a genie’s lamp while it was lost in the wilderness and wish for sales success? Because somewhere between 2015 and 2026 the car company, which left Australia with a reputation for low-quality, unsafe vehicles, returned a decade later with a line-up of outstanding cars that have won over Australia.Australian sales until the end of July show Chery to be the eighth best-selling car brand in Australia, with 29,579 vehicles sold. The Tiggo 4 small SUV was the fifth most popular car in Australia last month.This means Chery has overtaken mainstream brands such as Nissan, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen, Honda and Subaru. It is even starting to creep into the Mazda (currently on 46,960), Hyundai (45,581) and Kia (48,399) bracket.Chery will get even closer to these brands, as they are losing sales and Chery’s market share is increasing. And its ute hasn’t even arrived.When the Chery Stockman arrives it won’t just be another ute, it’ll likely have the same success as BYD’s Shark 6 because it’ll offer the benefit of being a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). The edge the Stockman will have over the Shark 6 is it’ll be a diesel PHEV, not a petrol, which will make it popular for off-road use and towing. The addition of Stockman will increase Chery’s sales by at least 1000 per month. Whether it catches Hyundai, Kia and Mazda before the end of the year is yet to be seen, but Chery has come from a lot further back.This time last year Chery had sold only 17,272 cars, and the current year-to-date sales represent a doubling in market share to 4.2 per cent.Toyota is the final boss of the Australian car market and its year-to-date sales of 115,550 make everybody else’s results seem minuscule, even BYD that has reached 60,192. Chery is probably not gunning for the top spot right now, unless that was specifically wished for when it found the magic lamp.For Chery to even reach where it is today in the three years since it returned to Australia in 2023, with one car and no sales in almost a decade seems nothing short of magical.The truth is Chery’s stellar comeback is down to five factors: elevating quality perception through design but keeping retail pricing low; hiring outside automotive designers and engineers from European, United States and Korean car companies; investing big in next-gen electric and hybrid platforms, and mostly important and the reason for all of this - focussing on exports.That’s it! Oh, and just add excellent timing and money, lots of money.The importance of Chery’s export focus can’t be overstated. Exports bankroll the business. Not a lot of profit is made in Chery’s local Chinese market, while bigger than our Australian brains can comprehend, it’s so cut-throat that vehicle manufacturers are struggling to make a decent profit. So ruthless was the price war that in February this year the Chinese government banned car makers from selling below production cost, which they had been doing just to compete with each other. The stomach was eating itself.Chery realised this and put most of its energy into exports and this meant lifting the quality to a standard oversea markets had become accustomed to set by Japanese car makers such as Toyota, Honda and Mazda.This meant hiring designers and engineers from outside China, senior executives from European, Korean, Japanese and American car companies Steve Eum, Korean born but raised in the United States, is now Chery’s Vice President and General Manager of Global Design having worked for Kia, Hyundai, General Motors and even Ford where he was based in Australia and worked on the Falcon.Eum succeeded Kevin Rice, who had worked on the MX-5 and helped develop the BMW 3 Series and 4 Series.Keeping that premium feel but pricing the vehicles to be among the most affordable vehicles offered in a market is guaranteed to be a sales winning combination anywhere, especially in Australia.Chery’s been smart enough to add sub-brands such as Jaecoo, Omoda and Lepas, which bring more luxury, sportiness and premium electric choices. The Jaecoo J5 for instance is often mistaken for a Range Rover when spotted on the road. That the hybrid and electric technology is outstanding, was also important. Chery’s super hybrids such as the Tiggo 9 and Tiggo 8 are incredibly fuel efficient. Chery’s timing of having a wide range of affordable electric and hybrid vehicles at precisely the same time as Australian buyers were switching to EVs in record numbers was also key. The fuel crises caused by the war in Iran pushed EV sales to more than 23 per cent of all new cars sold in June and continued through July when it was above 21 per cent.In July 2026 Chery became the first Chinese car maker to surpass 20 million global sales. Sales in Europe for Chery were up by more than 200 per cent and in the UK Chery came in at No.2 for sales in July beating local favourite Ford.And the company hasn’t even started selling in the United States yet, but it will within the next two years.Chery has been very fortunate this time around, but luck is only when opportunity meets skill as they say.Or maybe Chery did find a genie’s lamp. In which case I wonder what its two other wishes were?
Urgent recall for 5000-plus Chery SUVs
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By Tim Gibson · 24 Jun 2026
A popular family SUV has just been subject to an urgent recall in Australia for a potential brake issue. There have been 5556 Chery Tiggo 8 units from the 2023 to 2026 model years recalled, according to a notice from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. "Due to a manufacturing defect, the brake pipe may chafe against the engine and become damaged. This could lead to a brake fluid leak resulting in reduced braking performance,” the notice read. “A reduction in braking performance could increase the risk of an accident, causing injury or death to vehicle occupants and other road users.”A spokesperson for Chery Australia said the brand was not aware of any reported incidents of the issue occurring in AustraliaThe brand will contact owners of recall-affected vehicles to schedule an appointment with a dealer to have the vehicle inspected and repair work carried out for free. The Tiggo 8 competes in the busy large SUV segment, priced from $41,990 (drive-away).It is available with petrol and plug-in hybrid set-ups.
Longest range hybrid cars in Australia
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By Laura Berry · 05 Jun 2026
We are now living in the age of the Super Hybrids - vehicles that can drive for at least 1000km on a tank of petrol. We’ve picked five of the best long haulers sold in Australia right now.Super Hybrid is the snazzy buzz word given to plug-in hybrids with large batteries, big fuel tanks and clever fuel-energy management systems, which ensure outstanding efficiency. They are better suited to cities and suburbs duties than interstate commutes. Super Hybrids allow for long distances between filling up the petrol tank - as long as you plug it in regularly to charge the battery.Here are the top five super hybrids currently sold in Australia.5. MG HS Super Hybrid - 1000kmThe MG HS mid-sized plug-in hybrid SUV has a four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor, a large 24.7kWh battery and a 55-litre fuel tank, which offer an electric driving range of up to 135km and 1000km combined range, both calculated via the more lenient NEDC test cycle. Combined fuel economy is 0.7L/100km, but this requires you to never let the batter run low and applies to all the cars listed here.4. GWM H6 GT PHEV - 1183kmGWM’s H6 GT mid-sized SUV is a plug-in hybrid, which uses a four-cylinder engine and two electric motors, a huge 35.4kWh battery and 55-litre fuel tank to deliver a long electric driving range of 183km and a combined range of 1183km (both NEDC). Combined fuel consumption is 0.6L/100km.3. Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid - 1200kmThe Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid is a large SUV, which uses a four-cylinder engine and a single motor driving the front wheels, an 18.4kWh battery combined with a 60-litre fuel tank to deliver 95km of electric driving range and up to 1200km (NEDC) of combined driving range. Combined fuel consumption is 1.3L/100km. The Chery Tiggo 9 and Tiggo 7 Super Hybrids offer similarly long ranges.2. Jaecoo J7 SHS - 1200kmThe Jaecoo J7 SHS mid-sized SUV is a plug-in hybrid cousin to the Chery Tiggo 8, and has a very similar driving range. A four-cylinder petrol engine and a single electric motor drives the front wheels, while an 18.3kWh battery and 60-litre fuel tank offer 90km of electric driving range and 1200km of combined driving range. Combined fuel consumption is 1.0L/100km. 1. BYD Sealion 6 - 1250km BYD’s Sealion 6 plug-in hyrbid is a mid-sized SUV and its the Dynamic Extended range variant, which uses a four-cylinder engine and a single electric motor, is the real long range hauler. Its 26.6kWh battery and 60-litre fuel tank offer 140km (NEDC) of electric driving range and 1250km (NEDC) combined driving range. Combined fuel consumption is 0.8L/100km.
Big price cuts for BYD, Chery and Kia
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By Tim Gibson · 22 May 2026
It is that time of the year again when car brands target a last flurry of sales before the end of the financial year. These deals often tell a story of what stock brands need to move, and in a time when electric vehicle sales are more important than ever there are some strong deals on show. Here is a look at some of the best ones going around in 2026.Kia is offering discounts across many of its models, with the most noticeable one being for its struggling Tasman ute. The range-topping X-Pro Tasman now starts from $64,990 (drive-away), equating to a more than $10,000 discount on before on-road costs pricing. The deal is available until the 30 June 2026. Kia’s strong-selling EV3 and EV5 have also picked up sizeable drive-away discounts ending 30 June 2026. The EV3 is available from $46,990 (drive-away), which equates to free on-road costs, as well as a further small discount.The EV5 has received an even more substantial discount, starting from $49,990 (drive-away), with it previously available from $56,770, before on-road costs. Hyundai has also put out some standout deals, especially on its electric range. But you'll need to move fast, with the offer ending on May 31, 2026.The brand’s Kona Electric range all have substantial discounts, with a starting price of $45,990 (drive-away).The recently-launched Elexio SUV is available from $57,990 (drive-away), with it previously on sale from $58,990, before on-road costs. The Ioniq 5 is another of Hyundai’s models being offered with a noticeable discount, starting from $71,990 (drive-away) until 31 May 2026. MG is currently offering discounts across its range to conclude the financial year, with all deals running until 30 June, 2026. One of the biggest deals offered by the brand is a $6000 cashback offer on plug-in hybrid variants of its mid-size HS SUV.Petrol and plug-less hybrids examples are available with a $3000 cashback offer, which is also available on the QS large SUV and the U9 ute. Additionally, these $3000 cashback deals include five years of free servicing on the vehicles. There are also minor conditional discounts on the ZS small SUV and MG3 hatch currently. BYD is offering $3000 cashback on several of its models in Australia for vehicles delivered by 30 June 2026. The Premium variant of the popular Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute gets the deal, and is now available from $54,900 (before on-road costs). Both variants of the Sealion 5 PHEV mid-size SUV, are also eligible, meaning it starts from $30,990 (before on-road costs). The Sealion 6 and Sealion 8 PHEV SUVs are available with the $3000 cashback offer. Chery is another brand to get in on the end of financial year deals. Its Tiggo 7 plug-in hybrid large SUV has discounts of $5000, now starting from $34,990 (drive-away). The hugely popular Tiggo 4 small hybrid SUV and Tiggo 8 plug-in hybrid large SUV are being offered with a $2000 factory bonus discount. Offers run until 30 June 2026.Ford has substantially reduced the price of its plug-in hybrid Ranger lineup, with it now starting from $62,000 (drive-away) down from $71,990 (before on-road costs) until 30 June 2026. This price cut brings it closer to the price of the rival BYD Shark 6, which retails from $57,900 (before on-road costs).Some variants of the diesel Ranger are also being offered with sharp drive-away deals. Toyota’s full-size Tundra hybrid ute has received a more than $10,000 discount for models from 2025 as part of a deal to remove on-road costs and add a cashback offer. This means the ute is now available from $145,990 (drive-away). The offer lasts until June 30 2026.
The first of a new breed of Chery SUVs?
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By James Cleary · 03 Mar 2026
Chery has released the first official images of its new Tiggo 7L medium SUV and it represents a significant design departure from the Chinese brand’s existing Tiggo line-up.Four Chery Tiggo models are already on sale in Australia, from the compact Tiggo 4, through the mid-size Tiggo 7, to the full-size Tiggo 8 and Tiggo 9 seven seaters.All offer hybrid propulsion options and each has a distinct look; traits which continue with the 7L newcomer.In China, the Tiggo 7 range consists of four models - Plus, High Performance Edition, Premium Edition and C-DM. Again, each with an individual design personality.The new car’s slim, angular headlights sit either side of a large, tapered grille with extra engine and brake cooling ducts lower down.Dark B-, C- and D-pillars create a ‘floating roof’ effect, 19-inch rims fill the wheel arches and the tail-lights illuminate with a jagged wave-like treatment. The minimalist interior features a two-tier dash connecting with indented door panels and a high centre console. Separate driver information and multimedia screens sit proud of the dash.The Tiggo 7L already exists in Russia, with this next-gen version its more contemporary replacement. It will be offered for Chinese domestic sale this time around as well as export to other selected markets, potentially as the Omoda C7.A Chery Motor Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide the company was “excited” to see the Tiggo 7L release, but “as it has only been released yesterday, there are no confirmed plans for Australia at this stage.”Powertrain details are yet to be detailed but expect to see a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder and seven-speed automatic transmission in two- and four-wheel drive configuration, currently rated at 110kW/275Nm in the Russian market.Another likely option is the 150kW/310Nm 1.5-litre turbo-petrol plug-in hybrid four-cylinder used in the Tiggo 7 CSH ‘Super Hybrid’.
Chery plans new model assault on the Australian market
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By Tom White · 04 Dec 2025
Chery’s Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris said there were many more Chery models to come.