Chery targets Volkswagen in UK with four Tiggo SUVs from £20k

Chinese car maker Chery is targeting Volkswagen with the launch of its latest brand in the UK. 

Looking to build on the success of its Omoda and Jaecoo brands that have sold almost 20,000 cars between them in the UK this year, Chery will now introduce its own-badged cars - positioned squarely to take on Volkswagen.

Launched to the UK at an event at the O2 in London, the Chery brand, which is said to be derived from the word ‘cheery’, will start with two models: the Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8.

The first cars from the initial 25 dealerships will be with customers by the end of September.

The Tiggo 7 is a family SUV that lines up against the likes of the Volkswagen Tiguan. Its main selling point is that it is the UK’s cheapest plug-in hybrid, at £29,995, while the petrol version comes in £5000 cheaper, at £24,995.

The Tiggo 8 is a larger SUV that will be billed as the UK’s cheapest full-sized seven-seater, starting from just over £28,500 as a petrol. A PHEV version will add £5000.

The Tiggo name is applied to SUVs in the Chery range; the brand is planning a full range of models across different bodystyles, ranging from around £20,000 to just under £50,000, according to country manager Farrell Hsu.

Its range will start with C-segment Volkswagen Golf-sized models because it doesn’t see a market for smaller models in the UK at present, said product boss Oliver Lowe.

Lowe did confirm that Chery – which started out as an engine maker in China in 1997 before making its first car in 1999 – would offer a full range of powertrains, including electric, in addition to its initial petrol and PHEV offerings. 

The next two models to launch in the UK will be the entry-level, 1.6-litre petrol-only Tiggo 4 crossover (above), likely priced from around £20,000, and a range-topping Tiggo 9 SUV (below) that will come in at over £40,000 with a PHEV drivetrain.

Both of these models were on display at the O2 event alongside the Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8.