Verdict
At RM166,800, the Tiggo 9 is RM1,440 dearer than the RM165,360 CX-8, but brings 251 hp, 390 Nm and all-wheel drive against 192 hp, 258 Nm and front-wheel drive. Its 448-2,065-litre boot is vastly more useful than the Mazda’s 209 litres, and it adds autonomous braking, adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera. The CX-8 counters with a 7.9 L/100 km rating versus 8.3 L/100 km, a 72-litre tank and RM830 annual road tax versus RM439. For a Malaysian family carrying people and luggage, the Chery has the stronger case.
Pick the Chery Tiggo 9 if you want 251 hp, all-wheel drive, a 448-2,065-litre boot and a far fuller driver-assistance suite.
Pick the Mazda CX-8 if lower rated fuel use, a 72-litre fuel tank and a conventional six-speed automatic matter more than power and cargo capacity.
Key differences
- Price: Chery Tiggo 9 RM166,800; Mazda CX-8 RM165,360.
- Power and torque: Chery Tiggo 9 251 hp and 390 Nm; Mazda CX-8 192 hp and 258 Nm.
- Driveline: Chery Tiggo 9 all-wheel drive; Mazda CX-8 front-wheel drive.
- Rated fuel economy: Chery Tiggo 9 8.3 L/100 km; Mazda CX-8 7.9 L/100 km.
- Boot space: Chery Tiggo 9 448-2,065 litres; Mazda CX-8 209 litres.
- Annual road tax: Chery Tiggo 9 RM439; Mazda CX-8 RM830.
Tiggo 9
- 251 hp and 390 Nm from its 2.0-litre turbo engine.
- 448-2,065-litre boot and 20-inch wheels.
- Autonomous braking, adaptive cruise control and 360-degree camera.
- Rated fuel use is 8.3 L/100 km versus the CX-8's 7.9 L/100 km.
- It is RM1,440 more expensive and weighs 1,887 kg versus 1,781 kg.
CX-8
- Lower 7.9 L/100 km rated fuel economy and a 72-litre tank.
- RM830 annual road tax versus RM439.
- Longer 2,930 mm wheelbase and conventional six-speed automatic.
- 192 hp and 258 Nm trail the Tiggo 9's 251 hp and 390 Nm.
- 209-litre boot is much smaller than the Tiggo 9's 448-2,065 litres.
- No autonomous braking, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring or adaptive cruise control.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM166,800 | RM165,360✓ |
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Segment | D-Segment | D-Segment |
| Assembly | CKD | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM439✓ | RM830 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve DOHC with Turbocharger, Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing | 16-valve DOHC, Naturally Aspirated with Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing |
| Capacity | 1,998 cc | 2,488 cc |
| Horsepower | 251 hp✓ | 192 hp |
| Torque | 390 Nm✓ | 258 Nm |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Bore | — | 89 mm |
| Compression Ratio | — | 13 |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Dual-clutch Automatic (Wet) | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | 7-speed DCT | SkyActiv-Drive 6-speed Automatic with Manual Shift Mode |
| Gears | 7 | 6 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | — | Mazda |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 8 seconds | — |
| Rated Economy | 8.3 L/100 km | 7.9 L/100 km✓ |
| Top Speed | 210 km/h | — |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,810 mm | 4,900 mm |
| Width | 1,925 mm | 1,840 mm |
| Height | 1,741 mm | 1,730 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,800 mm | 2,930 mm |
| Weight | 1,887 kg | 1,781 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 65 litres | 72 litres |
| Doors | 5 | 5 |
| Seats | 7 | 7 |
| Boot Space | 448-2065 litres✓ | 209 litres |
| Front Tyre | 245/50R20 | 225/55R19 |
| Rear Tyre | 245/50R20 | 225/55R19 |
| Spare Tyre | Full Size | Space Saver |
| Factory Tyres | Kumho Ecsta PS71 | Toyo Proxes R46 |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Malaysia (CKD) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Strut | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-link |
| Front Wheels | 20" Alloys | 19" Silver V-spoke Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 20" Alloys | 19" Silver V-spoke Alloy |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | — | G-Vectoring Control Plus |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Rear Side, Front Center Airbag, Driver's Knee Airbag, Curtain Airbags | Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Electronic for Rear Doors | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 7 Three-point | 7 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | — |
| ISOFIX | Available for two outer middle row passenger seats, third row seats | Available on 2 Outer 2nd Row Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | — |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | No |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | — |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Automatic LED Projector with Auto High Beam | LED Projector |
| Taillamps | Full LED | LED Combination |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | — |
| Front Foglamps | — | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Powered Front Seats, Driver Side Memory with Heating, Ventilation & Massaging | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Driver's Side Lumbar Adjustment and Memory Function |
| Rear Seats | 60:40 Split-folding Middle Row, 50:50 Split-folding Last Row | 60:40 Split-folding, Sliding and Reclining 2nd Row, 50:50 Split-folding 3rd Row |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Rear AC Vents with Heating & Ventilation | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Sunroof | Panoramic Glass Roof | — |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 1 Wireless Charger, 2 USB Front, 2 USB Second Row | 1 Front, 1 Boot, 2 Front USB, 2 2nd Row USB, 2 3rd Row USB |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting | Map Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Middle Row, 2 Last Row | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | Panoramic Glass Roof Shade, Manual Rear Window Shades | — |
| Audio | 15.6" Touchscreen with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 14-speaker Sony Sound System | Mazda Connect Infotainment System with 8" Touchscreen, Commander Control Knob, Voice Control, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 6 Speakers |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation, with Proximity Sensor Auto Lock/Unlock | Keyless Operation with Walk-away Auto Lock |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control | Passive Cruise Control |
| Tiptronic | — | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | — |
| Boot Operation | Powered Boot with Remote Control Activation | Powered with Contactless Operation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, with 360-degree Camera | Yes |
| Auto Parking | Yes | — |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | — |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Digital/Analogue |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | 150,000 km✓ | 100,000 km |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 7 years✓ | 5 years |
| Warranty Notes | 10-year or one million km warranty for the engine | 5-year/100,000 km Free Service |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Used Tiggo 9 & CX-8 for sale
Tiggo 9 vs CX-8 FAQ
Is the Chery Tiggo 9 or Mazda CX-8 better?
The Tiggo 9 is the better-equipped and more versatile seven-seater, with all-wheel drive, 59 hp more, 132 Nm more torque and far more boot space. Choose the CX-8 only if its lower fuel rating, larger tank and conventional automatic take priority.
What is the price difference?
The Chery Tiggo 9 costs RM1,440 more than the Mazda CX-8: RM166,800 versus RM165,360. The Chery also has lower annual road tax, at RM439 against RM830.
Which has the bigger boot?
The Chery Tiggo 9 has the bigger boot by a huge margin: 448-2,065 litres versus 209 litres in the Mazda CX-8. Both seat seven, but the Chery is the more practical choice for luggage.
