Test Drive Chery Tiggo 8 CSH, An Alternative Gasoline Car with an EV Feel

On the Tiggo 8 CSH, external noises are very well suppressed. When the electric motor takes over to move the car at low speeds, the cabin feels very quiet.

Meanwhile, of the three hybrid modes available on the Tiggo 8 CSH (Smart, Initial, Force), we were required to activate the Smart mode option. 

Thus, the car adaptively alternates between using the battery or gasoline as the power source, according to the current conditions.

At low speeds, the battery is the main power source. Meanwhile, on the toll road, when the car is driven at a constant high speed, gasoline takes over.

Photo : KatadataOTO

Exiting the toll road, the 360-degree camera feature, a standard in Chery cars, helps the driver be more aware of the traffic conditions around the vehicle.

On the return trip to PIK 2, the toll road was more congested than on the way there. Here, the battery took over a lot and became the car's main power source.

This made the cabin atmosphere quieter without any engine noise. Consequently, fuel consumption could be more efficient in stop-and-go conditions.

The journey, covering a route of more than 384 km, concluded with a fuel consumption of over 25 km/liter, without refueling or charging the battery.

For context, the car was occupied by four adults with an additional load of four bags placed in the trunk.

Conclusion

In short, the Chery Tiggo 8 CSH offers an EV-like driving sensation while maintaining the flexibility of a gasoline car.

Photo : KatadataOTO

The cabin's quietness is an added value that helps enhance comfort during long-distance travel.

However, adjusting features like the hybrid mode and others such as the side mirrors is arguably quite complicated, as it can only be done through the head unit.

Furthermore, the steering correction of the Chery Tiggo 8 CSH when the car veers out of its lane with road markings is quite startling and can be considered rough.