Chery returning to Malaysia in Q3 2022 - Jaguar Land Rover tech, rivalling Proton X50 / X70

After a long hiatus, Chery will be making a return to Malaysia. A source in China has confirmed that the Wuhu, Anhui-based Chinese marque will be re-launching in Malaysia in Q3 2022, three years after the brand folded its local operations here.

Chery was last represented by Chery Automobile (M) Sdn. Bhd., formerly known as Chery Alado Automobile Sdn Bhd. It’s a joint venture between Tan Sri Cam Soh’s Alado Corporation and Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT).

It sold a range of very forgettable cars, the QQ, the Eastar MPV and the Tiggo SUV. Its last new model launch was in 2015, the Chery Maxime, which replaced the Eastar.

But that was then. Today’s Chery is a very different company. Its range of cars are good enough that you might actually want to give them a second look, or even a test drive.

The Toyota Corolla Cross-sized Chery Omoda 5 that was previewed at last week’s 2021 Guangzhou Auto Show is one such example. Chery calls the Omoda as the first of its Chery 4.0 generation products, and it will go on sale in China in Q2 2022.

Power for the Chery Omoda 5 comes from a turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine that does 197 PS and 290 Nm. Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and battery electric (BEV) versions will be introduced in the near future.

Also read: Bold and brash, Chery Omoda 5 debuts in China: 1.6T with 197 PS and 290 Nm, global exports in 2022

If Geely products borrow heavily from Volvo’s suite of technologies, then Chery borrows from Jaguar Land Rover. Chery is JLR’s local joint venture partner in China, and its T1X platform which underpins its flagship Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 series models are co-developed with Jaguar Land Rover.

Our source did not confirm Chery’s product plans for Malaysia looking at Chery’s very SUV-centric range of products, there are only three models that are available / soon to be available in right-hand drive form, the Tiggo 4 Pro (also known as Tiggo 5x in China), Tiggo 7 Pro, and Tiggo 8 Pro (sold as Tiggo 8 Plus in China).

Also read: Spied: Chery Tiggo 5x spotted in Malaysia, another Chinese X50 rival arriving here?

The B-segment Tiggo 4 Pro / Tiggo 5x is about the same size as a Proton X50 and Honda HR-V. In China, the model is offered with either a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated (115 PS / 143 Nm) or a 1.5-litre turbocharged port injection (156 PS / 230 Nm) engine, both paired to a CVT-type automatic transmission.

The Tiggo 8 is a 7-seater SUV and is in the same class as the Geely Haoyue / (forthcoming Proton X90?), Hyundai Santa Fe, and Mitsubishi Outlander.

There’s also a higher range, 6-seater Tiggo 8 Pro (8 Plus in China). The difference is that the middle row seats are of the individual 'captain' seats type.

Both the Tiggo 8 and 8 Pro is powered either by a 1.5-litre turbocharged port injection engine (156 PS / 230 Nm) paired to a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, or a 1.6-litre turbocharged direct injection (197 PS / 290 Nm) engine paired to a 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission.

There’s also a Tiggo 8 Plus Special Edition that adds a 2.0-litre turbocharged direct injection engine that makes 254 PS and 390 Nm, also paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic.

A right-hand drive Proton X70 and Honda CR-V rivalling Chery Tiggo 7 Pro (Tiggo 7 Plus in China) is said to launch in international markets next year, so this could also be a potential candidate for Malaysia.

Powers come from the aforementioned range of 1.5-litre turbocharged port injection engine CVT combo, or a 1.6-litre turbocharged direct injection engine 7-speed dual-clutch automatic combo.

Local-assembly is crucial for a successful market launch here but Chery has yet to announce any CKD plans.

Previously, Chery vehicles were assembled at the Oriental Assemblers plant in Johor but that plant has since been sold to Berjaya group, renamed as Berjaya Assembly Sdn. Bhd. It now does contract assembly for Maxus and a few other local rebadged Chinese light commercial vehicles.

Chery won't be the only Chinese company looking to take a piece of Proton / Honda / Toyota / Nissan's market share. Great Wall Motor is also planning to re-launch its Haval brand here in Malaysia.

Like Chery, Great Wall too has been dormant for a few years. Great Wall has since confirmed that Malaysia will be among the export destinations for cars made at its Rayong plant. 

Also read: Haval Jolion debuts in Thailand, CKD at Rayong, export to Malaysia on the cards