Auto Shanghai 2025: Refreshed Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV Shown, Coming To Malaysia 'Very Soon'

Amongst a sea of new metal shown by Chery at Auto Shanghai 2025 is this face-lifted Chery Tiggo 8.

With no less than 16 new models – including this, this, and this – shown, some debuting for the first time too, it’s safe to say China’s largest auto exporter Chery is amongst the leading headline makers this week at Auto Shanghai 2025.

Amongst the myriad of new metal from the firm, here’s one that’s set to make landfall here in Malaysia soon. Effectively, the refreshed Chery Tiggo 8 featured here isn’t just a mere facelift, it also packs a new and electrified heart underneath.

Critically, this isn't just a mere face-lift as this popular three-row, D-SUV offering has been given a major revamp under its hood.

In fact, Chery has elected to ditch the previous powertrain seen in the Tiggo 8 Pro e+ PHEV and replace it with its new Chery Super Hybrid (CSH) powertrain tech. Central to which is a 1.5-litre turbo petrol mill boasting a thermal efficiency rate of 44.5%.

Said mill is paired with a new Stepless Super Electric Hybrid DHT three-speed box plus a pair (two) of e-motors, altogether outputting roughly 355 HP and 530 NM. These are some lofty output numbers indeed, especially for a three-row, D-segment SUV (D-SUV).

Underneath, this face-lifted Tiggo 8 model has adopted the Chery brand's new Chery Super Hybrid (CSH) plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain.

In contrast, the current Chery Tiggo 8 Pro model offered in Malaysia presently packs a seemingly 'traditional'  2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo petrol heart that puts out 256 HP and 390 NM. The Tiggo 8 Pro e+ PHEV model mentioned, on the other hand, puts out a combined 326 HP and 545 NM.

Besides peppier outputs, the new CSH plug-in hybrid (PHEV ) powertrain primed in this face-lifted Chery Tiggo 8 also promises enhanced efficiency, sipping as low as 3.8 litres/100 KM on average. Adding to which is its charged electrified side yielding up to 125 KM of electric range too.

Whilst exterior design changes appear minimal, there are some notable new bits like the adoption of 'flushed' door handles, and the revamped lower rear bumper's diffuser element.

Visually, the face-lifted Chery Tiggo 8 we sized up at Auto Shanghai 2025 this week sees several minor design tweaks too. Included here is the new Plug-in hybrid badge on the tailgate’s lower right, new ‘flushed’ door handles, as well as a revised lower rear bumper with restyled diffuser.

On board, the cabin appears largely unchanged from before. Closer inspection shows that the centre console in this left-hand-drive (LHD) version has been updated slightly to house a new vertically inclined wireless charging pad and restyled rotary gear selector dial.

Changes in the cabin are equally light, the most noticeable tweak being the centre console where it now sports a revised vertical wireless charging pad plus a redesigned hear selector dial.

Now, if all this seems pretty exciting to you, the good news here is that this refreshed Chery Tiggo 8 primed with the brand’s new CSH PHEV heart is coming to Malaysia, and 'very soon' at that too hints insiders at Chery Malaysia, though no specific timely was given.

Our best guess is that it could make a surprise early appearance during next month’s Malaysia Autoshow 2025 happening at MAEPS, Serdang from May 9 to May 15. However, don’t take our word on that just yet.

Nevertheless, given what we can size-up, this follow up to what we previously hailed a solid, value-for-money three-row D-SUV alternative appears very promising indeed. Wouldn’t you agree, folks? Share your take in the comments below…