The British car market has a new arrival, and it hasn’t come quietly. At the O2 in London – an arena more accustomed to dodgy ‘90s comeback tours and overpriced pints – Chinese giant Chery officially launched its self-titled brand into the UK. The target? Volkswagen. Yes, the people who gave us the Golf, the Tiguan, and dieselgate.

If the name sounds like it was plucked straight from a pick-and-mix bag, that’s because it is: Chery is supposedly derived from “cheery.” But behind the cutesy branding is one of China’s biggest carmakers, a company that shifted nearly 20,000 Omoda and Jaecoo SUVs in the UK already this year. Now, with Chery-badged cars, it’s going after the mainstream.

The Opening Gambit: Tiggo Time

First up are two SUVs: the Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8. The names sound like cheap Bluetooth speakers, but the pitch is serious.

• Tiggo 7: A family SUV gunning for the Volkswagen Tiguan. Its ace card? Being the UK’s cheapest plug-in hybrid at £29,995. Can’t be bothered with charging? The petrol kicks off at just £24,995 – a full fiver cheaper than a mid-spec iPhone.
• Tiggo 8: A bigger, seven-seat SUV. Price tag? Just over £28,500 for the petrol, or £33,500 if you want the plug-in hybrid. That makes it the cheapest full-size seven-seater in the UK. Yes, cheaper than buying seven train tickets.

Both land in September, fresh from 25 shiny new dealerships.

The Range to Come

Chery isn’t messing around. After the 7 and 8, there’s a smaller Tiggo 4 crossover (around £20k) and the Tiggo 9, a posh, PHEV-powered flagship SUV topping £40k. All were on display at the O2 launch, like some kind of Tiggo family reunion.

The line-up will eventually stretch from Golf-sized hatches to nearly £50k SUVs, with petrol, plug-in hybrid and full EVs all on the cards. No city cars, though – Chery says Brits don’t want them. (Tell that to every Fiat 500 driver in Shoreditch.)

Why Now?

According to Chery UK boss Gary Lan, the brand has spent two decades prepping for this moment – learning to build cars that pass European regulations, don’t fall apart, and hold decent resale values. The pitch is simple: value. With new cars under £40k now an endangered species, Chery reckons it’s spotted a gap big enough to drive an SUV through.

Dealers, Dealers Everywhere

Rather than share the 80-strong Omoda and Jaecoo network, Chery is setting up its own standalone dealers. Sytner Group is already on board – its first time partnering with a Chinese brand – and the plan is to grow to 120 outlets by 2026.

And profitability? Chery says its cars don’t need discounts or deposit contributions because the margins are already baked in. Translation: no desperate pre-reg bargains, but stronger residuals. If true, that’s not just cheery – that’s practically unheard of.

The Long Game

Chery isn’t ruling out building cars here, but don’t hold your breath. First comes a UK R&D centre, then maybe, one day, a factory. In the meantime, the brand’s betting on Brits’ openness to new names. And if nearly 20,000 Omodas and Jaecoos can already find homes, perhaps it’s not such a mad gamble.

Chery’s launch feels less like a cautious toe-dip and more like a cannonball into Volkswagen’s swimming pool. The prices are sharp, the dealer backing is strong, and the appetite for value is there.

So, is Chery about to become the UK’s next household car brand? Too soon to tell. But with a £25k SUV that undercuts the Tiguan, VW might want to keep a very close eye on who’s raiding the pick-and-mix aisle.

Source: Chery