Brand Spotlight October 2026

A Scale That Builds Trust

Chery Automobile was founded on 8 January 1997 in Wuhu, China, with backing from the local government. Its first car, the Fengyun (sold abroad as the Fulwin), rolled off the line in December 1999. Since then, the company has grown into one of China's largest manufacturers: over 2.8 million cars sold in 2025 alone, and more than 20 million cars sold in total, a milestone it passed in July 2026.

Chery has been China's largest car exporter every year since 2003, 23 years running, and in July 2026 became the first Chinese manufacturer to export more than 200,000 cars in a single month. Listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange since September 2025, Chery Automobile entered the Fortune Global 500 in 2026 at number 383. It runs eight R&D centres worldwide, including one near Frankfurt. It's also been Jaguar Land Rover's manufacturing partner in China since 2012, through a 50/50 joint venture.

None of this makes Chery a known name to most European buyers yet. But it does mean the company behind your stock has been building cars, and exporting them, for over two decades.

Chery, Omoda, and Jaecoo: One Family, Three Brands

This is where the market gets confused, and where it's worth being precise. Omoda (launched 2022) and Jaecoo (launched April 2023) are not competitors of Chery. They're export brands owned by Chery International, and neither is sold in China. Think of it as similar to how Toyota built Lexus for markets outside Japan.

Each brand targets a different buyer: Chery's Tiggo range aims at mainstream families, Omoda goes after younger buyers with sharper design, and Jaecoo targets a more rugged, premium-leaning SUV buyer. In several markets, Omoda and Jaecoo actually launched before Chery itself, so the parent brand arrived last.

Underneath, it's one family. The Jaecoo 7 and the Tiggo 7 plug-in hybrid use the same drivetrain, down to the 18.3 kWh battery pack, and the Tiggo 8 shares that plug-in system too. Knowing this helps explain why three brands can show up in the same segment with near-identical hardware.

Warranty and the European Rollout

Chery first reached Europe in 2023, via Omoda and Jaecoo. The Chery brand itself debuted in the UK in September 2025, and has since rolled out in markets including Spain, Poland, Czechia, and Greece. The Netherlands follows with an official launch in late October 2026, and Germany in the first half of 2027, run from a new headquarters in Frankfurt.

Chery backs its cars with a long warranty: depending on the market, up to 7 years on the car and up to 8 years on the battery. That's a strong number to lead with when a brand is still new to European buyers.

Chery is also building local production: in 2024, a joint venture with Ebro restarted a former Nissan plant in Barcelona, with more than €100 million invested and a target of 200,000 cars a year by 2029. In April 2026, Chery opened its European operations centre in Barcelona, alongside an R&D institute focused on European regulations and electrification.

The Lineup: Tiggo 4, 7, 8, and 9

All four models are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, and that's a deliberate choice, not a coincidence (more on that below). Here's how they compare:

*Chery splits its range by market: in some countries the Tiggo 7 is sold as a plug-in hybrid only, while others also get a non-plug hybrid version. Always confirm the powertrain per market before pricing a car.

The Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 share the same engine, transmission, and battery, and both offer 90 km of electric range. The main differences are 17 cm of extra length, a longer wheelbase, and a third row of seats on the Tiggo 8.

The Tiggo 9 is a genuinely different car: all-wheel drive, a bigger 34.5 kWh battery, and around 147 km of electric range (WLTP). That's more than double what Korean seven-seat rivals like the Kia Sorento PHEV or Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV offer, while still keeping all seven seats and four-wheel drive. Several competitors, including the Škoda Kodiaq and VW Tayron, lose their third row entirely in plug-in hybrid form.

Across the segments, the Tiggo 4 goes up against the Toyota Yaris Cross, Renault Captur, Ford Puma, and VW T-Cross. The Tiggo 7 PHEV competes with the Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Ford Kuga, VW Tiguan, and BYD Seal U. The Tiggo 8 and 9 take on seven-seat rivals like the Škoda Kodiaq, Peugeot 5008, Kia Sorento, and VW Tayron.

Chery Super Hybrid: How It Works

Chery's hybrid system, called Chery Super Hybrid, is built from three components made specifically for hybrid use: the engine, the transmission, and the battery. In practice, the electric motor does most of the driving, with the petrol engine mainly acting as a generator.

At the heart of the plug-in models (Tiggo 7, 8, and 9) is a 1.5-litre engine with a thermal efficiency of 44.5%, among the highest in the industry, paired with a dedicated hybrid transmission.

With fuel prices as topical as they are, that efficiency is a strong selling point. The Tiggo 7 plug-in combines 90 km of electric range with a total range of around 1,200 km (WLTP) on a full battery and a full tank. And when the battery runs empty, the system simply keeps working as a full hybrid, which makes it a practical choice for drivers who can't always plug in.

Charging and range

The Tiggo 7 and 8 fast-charge at up to 40 kW, reaching 30-80% in about 20 minutes, with 3.3 kW vehicle-to-load. The Tiggo 9 charges faster, at up to 71 kW, going from 30-80% in around 18 minutes, with up to 6.6 kW vehicle-to-load. The Tiggo 4 doesn't plug in at all; its battery charges while driving.

Our Offer

We currently stock the Chery Tiggo 7, Tiggo 8, and Tiggo 9. The Tiggo 4 is temporarily sold out, but new stock is on its way. With a proven export track record, a strong warranty, and a hybrid-focused lineup, Chery is a solid addition to what you can offer your own customers.