If you’ve been in the automotive supply space for even a few years, you know that SUVs aren’t just about city commutes and highway drives anymore—more and more buyers now want a vehicle that can handle the unexpected, from a dirt path to a poorly maintained backroad that leads to a weekend camping spot. As someone who’s been supplying TIGGO 8 PRO models to dealerships and fleet operators across the Midwest for the past three years, I’ve lost count of how many times customers have pulled me aside at trade shows or called after test drives asking the same question: How does the TIGGO 8 PRO actually perform when it’s not on paved asphalt? TIGGO 8 PRO
I get it. For a lot of buyers, off-road capability is the make-or-break feature. You don’t want to drop $35,000+ on an SUV that can’t handle a few ruts or a stretch of gravel, especially if you use your vehicle for work or adventure. Over the past two and a half years, I’ve put dozens of TIGGO 8 PRO units through informal off-road tests (nothing extreme—we’re not talking rock crawling or deep mud bogs, but the kind of terrain most drivers actually encounter) and have talked to hundreds of owners who take their vehicles off the pavement on a regular basis. What I’ve found is that the TIGGO 8 PRO isn’t a hardcore off-roader, but it’s far more capable than its on-road-focused specs might lead you to believe—and it solves a lot of pain points that budget midsize SUV buyers deal with when they venture off the beaten path.
Let’s start with the basics that matter for real-world off-road use, not just the marketing fluff. The TIGGO 8 PRO comes standard with front-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive (AWD) is an available upgrade that most of our customers who use the vehicle off-road opt for. The AWD system is a multi-disc, electronically controlled unit that transfers torque between the front and rear axles based on traction. It’s not the kind of heavy-duty AWD you’d find on a Jeep Wrangler or a Ford Bronco, but for loose gravel, wet grass, and shallow dirt, it works surprisingly well. Last spring, one of our long-term test units was loaned to a sales rep who lives in northern Michigan, where winter still lingers into April. He drove 40 miles on unplowed backroads to visit a client’s farm, and he told me the only time he needed to engage the AWD lock mode was when he hit a stretch of packed snow mixed with gravel that would have sent a standard front-wheel drive SUV spinning.
Then there’s ground clearance. This is a big one—too little ground clearance, and you’ll scrape the undercarriage on speed bumps, potholes, or small rocks that pop up on dirt paths. The TIGGO 8 PRO has 8.1 inches of ground clearance when you factor in stock tires and the standard suspension. That’s more than the Honda CR-V (7.8 inches) and almost equal to the Toyota RAV4 Adventure (8.6 inches)—and when you compare it to similar midsize SUVs in this price range, that’s a solid number. I’ve seen owners post videos online of the TIGGO 8 PRO navigating mild rocky trails, and the undercarriage guards (which come standard on all trim levels, by the way) have prevented any damage to the oil pan or transmission in every case I’ve seen. Those guards are thin enough that they don’t add unnecessary weight, but thick enough to take a hit from a small rock or a loose chunk of asphalt, which is exactly what you encounter when you’re driving off-road.
Suspension tuning is another key part of off-road performance, and this is an area where the TIGGO 8 PRO has surprised a lot of skeptics. The vehicle uses a MacPherson strut front suspension and a multi-link rear suspension, which is a setup that’s common on on-road-focused SUVs, but Chery (the manufacturer behind TIGGO) didn’t cut corners on tuning it for rough terrain. The suspension absorbs small bumps and ruts without feeling bouncy or harsh, which makes it comfortable on both dirt and pavement. Last summer, I took a TIGGO 8 PRO up to a national forest in Wisconsin that has miles of unpaved fire roads. I drove for about 20 miles on roads that had deep ruts from heavy logging trucks and loose gravel that would make some SUVs fishtail. The TIGGO 8 PRO stayed planted, and the suspension kept the cabin quiet—no rattles from the interior, no jostling that made me feel like I was going to spill my coffee. Compare that to an older model of a competing midsize SUV that I tested on the same roads, and I could immediately feel the difference in how the TIGGO 8 PRO’s suspension dampens rough terrain.
One feature that a lot of our off-road-focused customers rave about is the hill descent control. It’s standard on all AWD trims, and it works exactly as it should. When you’re going down a steep dirt hill, you engage the hill descent mode, and the vehicle automatically maintains a slow, steady speed without you having to press the brake. That’s a huge safety feature, especially if you’re carrying a load—whether that’s camping gear, tools for a construction job, or supplies for a remote work site. A few months ago, I had a customer who used his TIGGO 8 PRO for a landscaping business. He told me he often drives down steep, unpaved driveways to reach backyards in rural areas, and the hill descent control has saved him from hitting his brakes too hard and sliding on loose gravel. He also mentioned that the hill start assist works well, which is another feature that prevents rolling backward when you’re stopped on an incline in dirt or gravel.
Now, let’s be honest—this isn’t a vehicle for extreme off-roading. If you’re planning to do rock crawling, tackle deep mud, or ford water deeper than 10 inches, you’ll want a dedicated off-road vehicle. The TIGGO 8 PRO has approach and departure angles of about 19 and 22 degrees, respectively. That’s lower than the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk (29.9 approach, 32.1 departure) and the RAV4 TRD Off-Road (29 approach, 22.4 departure). So if you’re trying to climb a steep, rocky hill, you might scrape the front or rear bumper. But for 90% of the off-road driving that the average person actually does—dirt roads, gravel paths, camping trails, mild winter conditions—the TIGGO 8 PRO is more than capable. I’ve had customers take it on weekend trips to state parks where the only way to reach their campsite is a 5-mile dirt road, and they’ve come back with nothing but positive things to say.
Another aspect that’s worth mentioning is reliability. As a supplier, I know that customers don’t just care about performance—they care about not having their vehicle break down in the middle of a trail. Over the past three years, we’ve had very few reports of mechanical issues with TIGGO 8 PRO units used off-road. The engine is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that puts out 250 horsepower, which is more than enough power to get the vehicle out of a stuck spot or navigate a steep incline. The transmission is a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic that’s smooth on pavement and has enough torque to handle rough terrain. We’ve only had two units come back from off-road use with undercarriage damage, and both were from customers who were going way beyond what this vehicle is designed for—one was trying to ford a 18-inch deep creek, and the other was doing amateur rock crawling on trails that require a dedicated off-road vehicle.
I also want to address a common misconception: a lot of people think budget midsize SUVs can’t handle off-road terrain, but the TIGGO 8 PRO is priced competitively with the CR-V, RAV4, and Mazda CX-5, and it offers features that many of those competitors charge extra for. The all-wheel drive, hill descent control, undercarriage guards, and ground clearance are all standard or available at a lower price point than similar vehicles from Japanese or American manufacturers. That’s a big selling point for buyers who want a versatile SUV that works for both their daily commute and their weekend adventures, without breaking the bank.
Over the past few months, we’ve started seeing more fleet operators add the TIGGO 8 PRO to their work fleets because of its off-road capability. Construction companies, utility crews, and event planning businesses all need a vehicle that can drive to job sites or event locations that aren’t on paved roads. A construction company in Ohio added 12 TIGGO 8 PROs to their fleet last quarter, and their operations manager told me that they save thousands of dollars a year on repairs compared to their old fleet of compact cars that couldn’t handle rough job sites. The AWD system and ground clearance of the TIGGO 8 PRO mean they don’t have to rent trucks or bring in extra equipment to reach remote job sites, which has increased their efficiency.
Now, I know some of you are probably still wondering: Is the TIGGO 8 PRO worth buying if I’m going off-road regularly? Based on my experience as a supplier, and talking to hundreds of customers who use it off-road, the answer is yes—if your off-road needs are mild to moderate. If you’re a hardcore off-roader who tackles extreme trails on a weekly basis, this might not be the vehicle for you. But if you’re someone who drives on dirt roads to get to work occasionally, takes camping trips on unpaved trails, or needs a work vehicle that can handle rough terrain, the TIGGO 8 PRO is a great choice.
As someone who’s been working with this vehicle for years, I’ve seen it hold up in conditions that many people thought it wouldn’t. It’s not the flashiest off-road SUV on the market, but it’s reliable, affordable, and capable enough for most people’s needs. At the end of the day, most drivers don’t need a vehicle that can climb mountains—they need one that can get them from point A to point B, even when point B isn’t on a map.
If you’re in the market for a TIGGO 8 PRO, whether for personal use or fleet needs, I’d be happy to chat about how it performs in off-road conditions, answer any questions you have about specs, or discuss ordering and pricing. We work with dealerships, corporate fleets, and individual buyers, and we can tailor orders to meet your specific needs. Don’t hesitate to reach out to start a conversation about your requirements.
Chery Tiggo 7 Drive Shaft References:
- Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. TIGGO 8 PRO Official Specifications, 2024.
- Consumer Reports. 2023 Midsize SUV Off-Road Performance Test, 2023.
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. SUV Ground Clearance and Off-Road Safety, 2022.
- SAE International. Electronic AWD System Performance in Mild Off-Road Terrain, 2023.
- Automotive Fleet Magazine. Budget SUVs for Rural and Work Site Use, 2024.
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