Alongside the announcement of talks between Chery and Indonesia to discuss its new energy investment plans in the country, a brief mention in the accompanying press statement from the carmaker reiterated that it remains committed to re-establishing itself in the Malaysian market.
To that end, Chery said it is working closely with local partners to establish local assembly operations in the country. This will entail the setting up of a new, nationwide sales and aftersales network, and more details will be revealed in the near future, Chery wrote in its statement.
Initial news of the brand’s return to our market surfaced in December last year, and it has since stepped up its social media presence with the creation of official Facebook fan pages for the Omoda 5 as well as the Tiggo 8 Pro and the Tiggo 7 Pro. This means that three SUVs have been confirmed by Chery for market entry in Malaysia – the C-segment Tiggo 7 Pro, the seven-seater Tiggo 8 Pro and the B-segment Omoda 5.
Two engines are available for the Tiggo 7 Pro, and both are turbocharged four-cylinder units. The first is a 1.5 litre engine rated to produce 150 PS and 230 Nm driving the front wheels via a CVT with nine virtual ratios. There is also a version of this powertrain with 48-volt mild hybrid assistance for improved fuel efficiency.
The larger of the two engines is a 1.6 litre direct-injection unit, rated to produce 197 PS and 290 Nm of torque. This also drives the front wheels albeit with a seven-speed dual clutch automatic.
The seven-seater Tiggo 8 Pro, meanwhile gets drive from a 1.6 litre TGDI petrol engine with 200 PS and 290 Nm of torque, and this too is joined in its range by other engines – a 2.0 litre unit as well as a 1.5 litre engine with mild-hybrid electrification.
Entering the hotly-contested B-segment SUV category is the Omoda 5, which, like its rangemates, gets a 1.6 litre turbocharged petrol engine, rated to produce 197 PS and 290 Nm of torque in this application.
Which of these future arrivals are you most keen to see in the metal?
GALLERY: 2022 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro
GALLERY: Chery Tiggo 7 Pro
GALLERY: Chery Omoda 5
