No one expected the new Tiggo 8 Plus to come with two front face versions. The first version, which was officially announced and appeared at the Beijing Auto Show, is indeed the most stylish. The other version is essentially a refined version of the existing Tiggo 8 Plus. It has a commanding presence but lacks a certain sense of agility, which the new design captures. At first glance, the pictures might not make a big impression, but seeing the actual car (though the author didn’t have time to visit the Beijing Auto Show) brings a strong desire to purchase. This applies to both the actual iCAR V23 and its photos, which look more appealing than the original new generation 212, let alone its refinement—it’s a completely different class of product.
The first sight of the actual car, seen from a slightly crouched angle, gives off an imposing aura. The encounter was coincidental, so there was no time to take out the camera. Fortunately, most of it was captured in the frame, with the daytime running lights on. Since the car has already appeared at the Beijing Auto Show and the catalog declaration image is out, there are no secrets about the exterior design. However, most people have not seen the actual car at the show, so viewing its raw photos is still valuable.
Another photo, taken from a normal angle, also looks good. This wave of design is well-executed, significantly improving the original Tiggo 8. Of course, it’s not just about major exterior modifications; the structural aspects have also been updated.
▲ The above picture is a spy shot of the T18FL4 white body exposed in February.
From the spy shots, it’s clear that the focus is on the improvement of the front cabin module, officially adopting Chery’s patented dual transfer path design, mainly targeting the 25% offset crash. The collapse box uses a single box design but is wider and thicker. There’s no doubt that the front anti-collision beam is aluminum alloy since the old Tiggo 8 models also used aluminum, so there’s no reason to save on this aspect.
The known dimensions of the car come from the new vehicle access catalog: length, width, and height are 4730, 4715/1860/1740mm, and wheelbase is 2710mm. There are two front face designs, clearly causing a length difference due to the tiger and leopard front faces. The current question is which body length corresponds to the spy shots. Given its more elongated front cabin design, the 4730mm length should refer to this one.
In terms of power, there’s nothing new: 1.6T and 2.0T direct-injection turbocharged engines. The powertrain is expected to remain unchanged, including the transmission. However, in the future, Chery might focus on its own 8AT, gradually phasing out the dual-clutch. As for the new energy version, no need to rush—it’s coming soon. Test cars have been running around for a while, with rumors that the Fengyun T8 project might be replaced by the Tiggo 8 Plus C-DM, though this isn’t confirmed yet.
Another noteworthy sighting is the spy shot of the near-production iCAR V23, released before the Beijing Auto Show. The showcased car is silver, while this one is pure black. The black paint gives it a more subdued and stable appearance. The lights weren’t on, but it would be quite striking if they were.
The key aspect is the details. The front face design is quite complex, aiming to retain all the essence of the old 212, paying homage to the classic. It currently does this better than the new generation 212, demonstrating a deeper understanding of design integration. Despite the intricate lines, this isn’t the final production version, yet the gap control is very uniform.
Also note the front windshield with a strip sticking to the fixed glass, indicating it was recently assembled. This is not the final SOP version. Now in June, there’s still time before the year-end launch, at least one more quarter. From the early road test spy shots before the auto show to the current uncamouflaged appearance, the pace is very fast. The official mention of a year-end launch seems reliable.
There’s also a spy shot of the car in motion, presumably the same vehicle. It looks robust and more eye-catching than the silver version. At a glance, it could be mistaken for a JEEP Wrangler. According to early official information, the minimum ground clearance is 206mm/212mm (front two-wheel drive, rear four-wheel drive), with 19-inch and 21-inch wheels. The approach angle is 42°/43°, and the departure angle is 40°/41°, outperforming the iCAR 03 in terms of passability.
Unfortunately, the car isn’t very large, with overall dimensions of 4220/1915/1845mm and a wheelbase of 2730mm, promising good longitudinal space. The design maximizes space utilization while minimizing size, with a wheel-at-each-corner design suitable for urban Chinese road conditions, especially addressing parking difficulties.