I’ve been testing the2025 Chery Tiggo 8 Plug-in Hybrid (which Chery calls Super Hybrid) with my family. At $45,990 driveaway for the entry-level Urban, it is Australia’s most-affordable the seven-seat plug-in hybrid. Let’s find out how it goes as a BabyDrive…
Quick Overview
✓ Fits three child seats across the second row
✓ Driveaway pricing from $45,990 undercuts all seven-seat hybrid competitors
✓ 95km electric range for daily commutes, 1,200km combined range for road trips
✓ Silent boot door won’t wake sleeping babies
✓ Cooling vent in centre console box
✓ Front passenger seat controls accessible from the driver’s seat
✗ No child seats can be installed in the third row (no top tether or ISOFIX anchors)
✗ Rear-facing legroom is tight — only a 162cm driver fits in front
✗ No air vents in the third row
✗ No airbag protection for third-row passengers
✗ Climate and mirror controls are buried in the touchscreen
Key Specifications
Feature
Specification
Price (Driveaway)
$45,990 (Urban) / $49,990 (Ultimate)
Warranty
7-year/unlimited km
Safety Rating
5-star ANCAP (tested 2025)
Powertrain
1.5L turbo-petrol PHEV + 150kW electric motor
Electric Range (NEDC)
95km
Combined Range
1,200km
Combined Fuel Consumption
1.3L/100km (NEDC)
Transmission
1-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT)
Drive
Front-wheel drive (FWD)
Seats
7
Child Seat Capacity
3 (second row only)
Boot Space (Shopping Bags)
15 bags (2 rows) / 4 bags (3 rows)
Airbags
9 (no third-row coverage)
Towing Capacity
750kg (non-braked)
Review conducted by Tace Clifford. Vehicle tested: 2026 Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid Ultimate. Testing month: October 2025.
How much does the 2025 Chery Tiggo 8 Plug-in Hybrid cost?
The Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid comes in two variants, both with driveaway pricing which makes the buying process nice and simple.
Variant
Price (Driveaway)
Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid Urban
$45,990
Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid Ultimate
$49,990
The Tiggo 8 pricing is competitive. The entry-level Urban comes in at $45,990 drive-away, which makes it comfortably the most affordable seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV you can buy in Australia. For context, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV starts from $57,290 before on-road costs, and the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid (not a PHEV) starts from $57,650 but is the only one here that has third-row airbags. Even the non-hybrid Kia Sorento kicks off at $51,630. Then again the Hyundai and Kia have more space and third-row child seat anchors.
The Tiggo 8 Urban base model is well equipped too, with 19-inch alloy wheels, a 15.6-inch touchscreen, 10-speaker Sony sound system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 360-degree camera, synthetic leather seats, dual-zone climate control, and a full suite of driver assist systems. The Ultimate spec I tested also has a head-up display, heated and ventilated front seats, front passenger seat massage, panoramic sunroof, privacy glass, and a power tailgate for $4,000 more.
Both are backed by Chery’s seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which also includes seven years of capped price servicing and up to seven years of roadside assistance.
The Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid is available in five colours: Azure Blue (no extra cost), the Lunar White you see here (premium), Aurora Green (premium), Space Black (premium), and Bamboo Grey (premium).
How big is the boot of the 2025 Chery Tiggo 8 Plug-in Hybrid?
The boot door of the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid opens and closes without beeping, which is great for not waking little ones if they’ve fallen asleep in the back.
When using two rows of seats, the boot of the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid will hold 15 shopping bags, which means you are not losing any boot space to batteries for the hybrid system compared with the regular Tiggo 8 Pro Max. That’s on par with the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (15 bags) but fewer than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid (17 bags) and the Kia Sorento Hybrid (18 bags).
I measure the boot space in freezer shopping bags, prams and dogs. Not because I think all there is to a mum’s life is food shopping, prams and dogs. (Although it can feel like it sometimes!!) But because these are visually measurable items we can all associate with. For me, the car company boot measurement of litres is not an amount I can easily visualise and 400L in one car may differ in usability to that in another due to the configuration or shape of the space.
A multi-configuration pram with a single seat will fit in the boot of the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid with six shopping bags.
The multi-configuration pram with two sibling seats will fit in the boot with six shopping bags.
The multi-configuration pram with a single seat and the bassinet will fit stacked in the boot with six shopping bags.
The single running stroller with the back wheels on fits easily in the boot with four shopping bags.
The double running stroller with the back wheels removed fits easily in the boot with three shopping bags.
The compact stroller fits in the boot with nine shopping bags.
You can also fit one 90-litre, one 40-litre, and two 70-litre duffel bags in the boot.
Or a large family dog.
When using all three rows of seats in the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid, the boot will hold four shopping bags. In the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max I fitted three bags but by arranging them slightly differently this time I managed to get one more into the hybrid) but less than a 7-seat Outlander (five bags) the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid (six bags) and the Kia Sorento Hybrid (five bags).
The compact stroller fits in the boot with one shopping bag when using all seven seats.
You can fit a two 40-litre duffel bags in the boot with all seats up.
Or a very small dog!
The boot space and its functionality are really important. I like to have a big boot space and little side wells or areas I can divide things into. So something I don’t want to move around while I’m driving such as my daughter’s lunch bag or her wet swimming gear can be sectioned off in a little well where it’s not going to spill or get squashed by the rest of the things in the boot.
How good is the storage in the 2025 Chery Tiggo 8 Plug-in Hybrid for families?
The front of the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid has a big dividing central console, so you definitely have your own personal space up front. There are hardly any physical switches or dials, almost everything is controlled through the media screen. I would prefer the air conditioning and wing mirror controls to still be buttons, but if you own the car I think you’d get used to it.
There are two cup holders in the central console that will hold a reusable or disposable coffee cup. In front of those are two phone pads, only one of which seems to have a wireless charger (and vent to keep the phone cool which is a good idea).
Behind the cup holders is an enormous centre console storage box with a vent inside, so you can turn it on to chill the box. That’s a really useful feature for keeping drinks and snacks cool on long drives with kids.
Underneath the central console bridge there’s a huge space, perfect for popping a handbag or an iPad and wallet, and there are charging sockets in there too.
The glove box is a good size and will hold an iPad with the manual.
The door bins in the front are a good size too. They’ll hold a large refillable water bottle and an iPad and wallet, and there are handle storage wells as well.
In the third row there are cup holders and a phone holder on both sides. The cup holders will hold a reusable or disposable coffee cup and a kids’ drink cup fits in them too. On the left-hand side there is also a drink bottle holder for a refillable water bottle.
In the second row there’s a fold-down armrest in the central seat back with cup holders that will hold a reusable or disposable coffee cup and a kids’ drink cup.
There’s also a phone holder in the back of the centre console, and map pockets on the back of both front seats that will hold and conceal an iPad.
The door bins in the back are a good size and will hold a refillable water bottle with a bit of extra storage space. There’s also storage in the handle wells in the back.
How many child seats will fit in the 2025 Chery Tiggo 8 Plug-in Hybrid?
I could fit three child seats across the second row of the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid. It is quite a tight fit, which was surprising for a car of this size, but they do fit. You can fit forward-facing or rear-facing seats depending on what your family needs.
There are ISOFIX points in the two outer second row seats. They are within plastic guides and really nice and easy to connect to.
There are top tether anchorages on the back of all three second row seats, and they’re easy to connect to as well — you can either slide the second row seats forward to access them or go through the boot.
The two seats in the third row do not have ISOFIX or top tether anchorages, so you can’t install any child seats back there.
Legroom is minimal in the Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid. With a rear-facing child seat, only about a 162cm driver can fit in front but with forward-facing child seats, a taller 180cm driver can fit in front. The second row seats do slide forwards and backwards and they’re split 60:40, so you can distribute the legroom however your family needs it.
To access the third row seats you do need to remove a child seat from the second row to bring one of the seats forward and get through. That’s something to keep in mind if you’re regularly loading passengers into the third row while child seats are installed.
The footwells are almost flat throughout the rear of the Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid, which makes access for passengers nice and easy. The rear doors also open quite wide with big entryways, which helps when loading kids in and out.
How comfortable is the 2025 Chery Tiggo 8 Plug-in Hybrid for families?
The front seats are very comfortable.
On the side of the front passenger seat there are buttons so you can move that seat forward and backwards from the driver’s seat position, really handy for school pick-up and drop-off when kids are getting in and out, and it’s helpful for elderly passengers in the front too.
There are four air vents across the front dash and the air conditioning does a good job of cooling the front cabin.
There are also air vents in the back of the central console box to keep second-row passengers comfortable.
However, there are no air vents in the third row, so those passengers don’t get that comfort. Worth thinking about if you’ll be using all seven seats regularly, particularly in an Australian summer.
There are grab handles above both second-row doors, so you can hang a toy on there to keep little passengers entertained on long journeys. There are lights above both rear doors as well, so you can see what you’re doing putting kids in and out at night.
There’s also a light in the ceiling in the third row so those passengers can see, and it helps when loading things in and out of the boot.
I have found our daughter does not like travelling in the dark in the car so if it gets dark whilst travelling then I reach back and turn the interior light on for her. So it’s really important for me that I can reach the rear ceiling light.
The Ultimate version I tested also has heated and ventilated front seats, a massage function for the front passenger, a panoramic sunroof with powered sunshade, and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. Driver headrest speakers are also exclusive to the Ultimate.
How safe is the 2025 Chery Tiggo 8 Plug-in Hybrid for families?
The Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid has a five-star ANCAP safety rating (tested 2025), scoring 82% for adult occupant protection, 86% for child occupant protection, 80% for vulnerable road user protection, and 82% for safety assist. You can read the full ANCAP report here.
Tests were based on the 5-seat Tiggo 7
This rating applies to all Tiggo 8 variants built from March 2025, including both the Pro Max petrol and the Super Hybrid PHEV models. The rating is based on testing of the closely related Chery Tiggo 7, with ANCAP confirming the results are applicable to the Tiggo 8.
Tests were based on the 5-seat Tiggo 7
There are nine airbags in the Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid: dual frontal, front side, curtain, a front centre airbag, and second-row side airbags. However, they do not extend to third-row passengers, which is something to consider if you’re regularly carrying passengers back there.
Tests were based on the 5-seat Tiggo 7
ANCAP also notes that a child presence detection system is fitted to all passenger seats, but the system did not meet ANCAP’s requirements and was not rewarded in testing.
The Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid comes with a long list of safety technology as standard across both variants. Autonomous emergency braking is fitted with car-to-car, pedestrian, cyclist, motorcycle, junction, crossing, and head-on detection, along with forward collision warning. Adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist is standard, as are lane-keep assist with emergency lane keeping and lane departure warning. Blind spot detection with lane change assist is fitted, along with rear cross-traffic alert with rear cross-traffic braking. A driver monitoring system that can detect both drowsiness and distraction is standard, as is tyre pressure monitoring. Parking sensors front and rear (four each) are fitted, along with electronic stability control, brake assist, anti-lock brakes, a speed limit information function, a 360-degree around view monitor, hill descent control, hill start assist and seatbelt reminders for all seating positions.
Some of these safety features are also features that drive me crazy as a mum! Like the lane departure and forward collision alert or the parking sensor beeping sound. I want all the safety technology AND to be able to mute the sound when Bub’s asleep!
The media system in the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid is on a 15.6-inch central touchscreen. It’s nice and large and has a lovely campfire ambient display setting.
It’s reasonably easy to navigate using the on-screen controls. You’ve got built-in satellite navigation, which is straightforward to use.
In the car settings menu there’s a lot you can customise, including switching between EV and HEV power modes and choosing between Eco, Normal, and Sport drive modes — handy for adjusting to different family driving situations.
You can also go in and turn on or off your driver assistance features, adjust the head-up display (Ultimate only), and change the brake feel, which is another good option for families as it can affect travel sickness.
The climate controls sit along the bottom of the screen. They do disappear, but a swipe up brings them back.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on both variants, so you can access your phone’s navigation, music, podcast and messaging apps while driving.
When you put it into reverse, the camera images are really nice and big — they fill the whole screen and are clear. The 360-degree cameras let you change the view easily as well.
When you slow to a junction and indicate, a camera view comes up on the media screen. I found it’s not always in the most helpful position since it’s off to the side and not in your peripheral vision, but it’s handy to have.
The 10-speaker Sony sound system is standard on both variants and sounds good. The Ultimate version I drove even has two driver headrest speakers to help drown out the whining from the back!
What is the 2025 Chery Tiggo 8 Plug-in Hybrid like to drive?
The Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid is a pretty solid car to drive. It feels comfortable and settled, though I did notice quite a lot of road and wind noise on the highway.
The steering is nice and light and the turning circle is very small, so parking and manoeuvring is really easy. This is also a compact car for a seven-seater, which makes school drop-offs, supermarket runs, and car park navigation simpler than in larger SUVs.
The acceleration and braking can feel quite sharp in the default setting, but you can change those settings in the media screen to suit your preference, which is good for families who want a smoother ride with kids on board.
The really big selling point of the Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid is the battery range of up to 95km of electric-only driving, it is possible to do all your everyday trips — school runs, supermarkets, extra-curricular activities — on electric power and save the petrol for longer road trips. In hybrid mode, the combined range is 1,200km, which is excellent for family holidays. The battery charges from 30 to 80 per cent in about 20 minutes on a DC fast charger, and above 30 per cent charge it can run as a pure EV up to 120km/h. So I could in theory drive from home on the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane without using any petrol, for example. In reality I might get to Ikea North Lakes and charge there for the trip home!
Visibility is good and even with three child seats in the back I could still see out of the rear windscreen.
The rear-view mirror does give a bit of a tunnel-vision view with a slightly warped perspective through the rear window, but you can see into the second row where the child seats are, which is really handy.
One thing I have noticed since being a mum is I hate it when I reach a destination or get home from being out and the kids have either done really well in the car or she is screaming her head off and I have done really well to keep it together for the entire journey (usually the latter!!) and it takes 10 minutes to park the car! It can be really stressful.
The small turning circle in the Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid does help with that stress.
Compare the 2025 Chery Tiggo 8 Plug-in Hybrid
Here’s how the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid stacks up against its key competitors for families:
Feature
Chery Tiggo 8 CSH
Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid
Kia Sorento Hybrid
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
Price From
$45,990 DA
$57,650
$56,630
$57,290
Seats
7
7
7
7
Powertrain
PHEV
HEV
HEV
PHEV
Shopping Bags (2 rows)
15
17
18
15
Shopping Bags (3 rows)
4
6
5
5
Child Seat Capacity
3
5
5
3
Three Across (2nd Row)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
ISOFIX Points
2
4
4
2
Top Tethers
3
5
5
3
ANCAP Rating
5 stars
5 stars
5 stars
5 stars
ANCAP Child %
86%
86%
85%
84%
ANCAP Adult %
82%
84%
82%
85%
Warranty
7 years
5 years
7 years
10 years
You could forgive a lot of the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid’s quirks for the price. It is so much cheaper than the other plug-in hybrid seven-seat SUVs on sale in Australia (and even several regular hybrids). At $45,990 drive-away, it’s around $11,000 to $12,000 less than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, Kia Sorento Hybrid, or Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Not many cars give you plug-in hybrid perks at this price, meaning you can do your daily driving on electricity alone, or do guilt-free drive the infant to sleep laps and sit with the aircon running when stuck with a napping Bub in the car without churning through fuel or polluting the local environment.
Where the Tiggo 8 falls behind is child seat capacity. The Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, Kia Sorento Hybrid, and Mazda CX-80 PHEV can both fit five child seats across the second and third rows as they have ISOFIX and top tether anchors in the third row.
The Tiggo 8 and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV are limited to three child seats in the second row only, with no child seat installation possible in the third row. For families with more than three children in car seats, look elsewhere.
Being a compact seven-seater like the Outlander, boot space is also a step backward. At 15 bags with two rows of seats, the Tiggo 8 is three fewer than the Sorento Hybrid (18 bags) and two fewer than the Santa Fe Hybrid (17 bags). With all three rows up it is still the smallest and beaten by the Outlander.
BabyDrive Verdict on the 2025 Chery Tiggo 8 Plug-in Hybrid
The Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid is all about value for money. At les than $50,000 driveaway, other seven-seat plug-in hybrids come nowhere close on price. The combination of 95km electric range for everyday driving and a 1,200km combined range for road trips makes it practical for family life too!
The boot space is good with two rows of seats, the compact pram fits even with all seven seats in use, you can fit three child seats across the second row, and the silent boot door is a nice touch. The driving experience is comfortable, the media system and cameras are good, and the safety is OK with five-star ANCAP rating (although no third-row airbags is a shame).
Where it loses points for families is the third row. No air vents, no airbags, and no child seat anchor points back there. The third row is really only suitable for occasional use by older children and smaller adults on shorter trips. Legroom is tight with rear-facing child seats too as only a 162cm driver fits in front, so if you have more than one child in rear-facing child seats and you’re average height or above, thing twice about the Tiggo 8.
For families who need a practical plug-in hybrid seven-seater on a budget and whose kids are past the child seat stage in the third row and past rear-facing stage in the second row, the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid is hard to beat on value. For families who need to fit child seats in the third row, the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid has third-row top tethers and airbags or Kia Sorento Hybrid has third-row top tether anchors but no third-row airbags, and the CX-80 PHEV is a much pricier option.
