Chery Set to Make Official Malaysian Re-Entry at Malaysia Autoshow 2023

Beyond the new car launches and product previews, the upcoming Malaysia Autoshow (MAS) 2023 will also welcome a newcomer to the Malaysian automotive market foray. However, this ‘newcomer’ is not exactly new per se, as this brand was already in our market, before its sudden demise.

Yes, we’re talking about Chery, the renowned automotive brand hailing all the way from Mainland China, set to make its re-entry into our local market in the MAS 2023. Prior to this revelation, the automaker has previously showcased a slew of SUV models, with two of them – the Omoda 5 and Tiggo 8 Pro – set to make their first public appearance at this upcoming motor show.

Mind you, this is not an official launch for both the models, as that will take place later in this year. Instead, visitors to the MAS 2023 can finally get their eyes and hands close to these two China-made SUVs, set to shake things up in the ever-competitive local SUV market space.

Starting off with the sportier of the two models, the Omoda 5 posits itself as a B-plus SUV segment fighter, poised to go against the likes of the Honda HR-V, Toyota Corolla Cross, as well as the recently-launched Hyundai Creta. Unlike the latter two, however, the Omoda 5 stands as a slightly sportier offering, primed with a more rounded and curved body style with sharp angles and edges here and there.

Chery has taken the HR-V route in powering up the Omoda 5, as it harnesses a 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbocharged mill that sends all its 145 HP and 230 NM guts to the car’s front wheels (FWD) via a CVT gearbox. This powertrain setup, plus Chery’s 10-year or 1,000,000 KM vehicle warranty for the Omoda 5 will make this sporty B-SUV stand out against its segment rivals, albeit the automaker has yet to announce its price tag.

Moving on to the next model, the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro is a three-row SUV that served as the marque’s flagship SUV, before they introduced the posher and more luxurious Tiggo 9 in China. Featuring a seven-seat layout, the Tiggo 8 Pro will go against the likes of Mazda CX-8, Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, and even the soon-to-be-launched Proton X90 in the growing local three-row, D-SUV market.

As we previewed before, the Tiggo 8 Pro comes in both pure-ICE and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) configurations, with the former coming in two flavours – either the 1.6-litre TGDI, or the bigger 2.0-litre TGDI, both paired with a seven-speed DCT gearbox. The smaller 1.6-litre engine outputs about 194 HP and 290 NM, while the 2.0-litre mill puts out 254 HP and 390 NM.

As for the PHEV variant, it is powered by a slightly smaller 1.5-litre turbocharged ICE that works in-tandem with a dual electric motor setup to deliver a total system output of 241 HP and 510 NM – making it the outright most powerful D-SUV available out there.

And just like their twins back in homeland China, both the Malaysian-bound Omoda 5 and Tiggo 8 Pro are primed with a myriad of premium amenities and equipment on board – enough to make them viable and competitive against their segment rivals.

As we reported earlier, Chery will commence local assembly (CKD) for the Omoda 5 model, followed by the rest of the Tiggo SUV family, possibly starting with the Tiggo 8 Pro. Through this effort, we can expect both models to match or even be priced lower than their fellow competitors, with the Omoda 5 possibly ranging from RM130,000 to RM150,000, and the Tiggo 8 Pro starting from RM170,00 up to RM180,0000. But don’t take our words for it, as we may have to wait until its June debut to find out the exact prices.

Still unsure about these two Chinese SUVs? Well, fret not, as Chery offers visitors of the Malaysia Autoshow 2023 a chance to test drive both models, so you can finally find out yourselves whether they are on par with fellow segment rivals.