Chery doubles down on value with the new Tiggo 8 Pro LS
Very few 7-seater SUVs have disrupted South Africa’s family SUV segment quite like the Chery Tiggo 8. Since its release in 2022, it has become the poster child for how much SUV you can buy without having to shell out the monthly premiums of its European competitors.
Fast forward to 2026, and Chery isn’t about to abandon that approach. Enter the new Tiggo 8 Pro LS, which replaces the outgoing 1.6 TGDI 290T Executive+ and doubles down on the brand’s “more for less” philosophy by adding even more standard equipment without venturing into premium pricing.
To begin with, the Tiggo 8 Pro LS is priced at R499,900, and for that money, you get a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and touchscreen infotainment with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, front and rear USB ports, and a 50-watt wireless smartphone charging pad. You also get synthetic leather upholstery, electrically adjustable front seats with memory function, 4-way electric lumbar support, heated and ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, and an air-conditioning outlet for the second and third rows.
It’s this generous level of comfort and convenience equipment that has always impressed us about the Tiggo 8, helping it feel far more premium than its price tag would suggest.
Visually, the Tiggo 8 Pro LS is different, thanks to a new sportier front-end with a 3D diamond-pattern mesh, flanked by slim automatic LED headlights and daytime running lights, while the rear features new full-width LED taillights. It’s available in three exterior colours: new Khaki White, new Carbon Black and Tech Grey.
Powering the Tiggo 8 Pro LS is a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 137kW and 275Nm sent to the front wheels via a 7-speed DCT.
As for safety, Chery has strengthened the list to include a total of seven airbags, a 540-degree HD panoramic camera system, front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, door-open warning and rear collision warning. Additional driver assistance features include adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, traffic congestion assist, ESC, ABS with EBD, brake-assist, and ISOFIX child-seat anchors.
The Tiggo 8 in general has always impressed us by offering far more than its price tag suggests. And now it builds on an already compelling package that continues to make the Tiggo 8 one of the smartest buys in its segment.
