Given its rapidly expanding dealer footprint and product line-up in South Africa, you might assume that Chery South Africa has enough on its plate, but the Chinese brand is also thinking about launching the Arrizo 8 business-class sedan in Mzansi.

The demise of the sedan market in South Africa – and, indeed, most of the world – has largely been attributed to consumers’ love affair with crossovers and SUVs of all shapes and sizes.

The Chinese brands, which are largely free from the shackles of legacy platforms, have been particularly swift in exploiting this trend, and many of their successes in export markets have been built on the back of expansive crossover and SUV ranges. Okay, so why is Chery considering a sedan for South Africa?

The vehicle in question is the new Arrizo 8. Much like Tiggo is Chery’s crossover nameplate, Arrizo is reserved for sedans, and there are a number of different variants on offer in China. The Arrizo 8 is the latest addition and I recently had time to experience the stylish fastback sedan (it looks like it has a liftback, but doesn’t) in China, where I also took it for a short drive.

See also: Chery showcases rapid progress in technology

Size-wise, the Arrizo 8 is about 70 mm longer and 20 mm taller than a BMW 3 Series, but its wheelbase is 60 mm shorter than that of its German counterpart. That’s not to say that it’s cramped in the back – far from it – I could sit very comfortably behind the driver’s seat when it had been set up to my driving position (for context, I am 1.8 metres tall). What’s more, the Arrizo’s boot is capacious and nicely shaped.

It’s an attractive car with sharp design details; in my opinion, the car’s rear end is particularly attractive.

The 2.0-litre turbopetrol derivative, which uses the same engine as the 2023/24 #CarsAwards category finalist – the Tiggo 8 Pro Max (which produces 187 kW and 390 Nm) – has a quartet of exhaust tips.

The cabin will really make jaws drop, however. It’s stunningly modern, beautifully crafted and awash with high-quality materials; there is plenty of Mercedes-Benz in some of the design details, but (and I say this with the utmost respect) it feels more solidly made than the Three-pointed Star’s latest offerings.

The drivetrain being considered for Mzansi is the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol mated with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and… all-wheel drive! I recently tested the Tiggo 8 Pro Max and was impressed with how much its driveability (and efficiency) has improved (along with the performance).

With its lower centre of gravity, figure-hugging driver’s seat and prompt responses to driver inputs, the Arrizo 8 proved quite impressive during my short stint behind its ‘wheel. No claimed performance figures are stated, but given its drivetrain, the sedan should have a 0-100 kph time of around 6.5 seconds.

But will the Arrizo 8 come to South Africa? And, perhaps more importantly, why? At the moment, Chery South Africa’s official feedback is that chances of the sedan being introduced in the Republic are slim, because it’s still under development and hasn’t been greenlit for production in right-hand-drive guise.

Speaking to a Chery spokesperson in China, however, I got the sense that the Arrizo 8 is, in fact, under serious consideration, even though its pricing may be relatively steep, and sales volume probably small.

The reason I say that is the Arrizo 8 is so well-resolved that it would be a great perception changer (as the Stinger sports sedan was for Kia), even if it doesn’t necessarily sell in great numbers. A loss leader, then… and a loss that Chery is more than willing to absorb – because it wants to make a statement.

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