With Japanese sedans dying in Asia, can Chery fill in the gap with this Arrizo 8?
Well, we asked this question once before but there was no basis for this then, now this has all changed. The question is will Chery bring in the Arrizo 8 sedan into Malaysia? The change that drove us to ask this question again is the fact that popular large Japanese sedans are retiring in the ASEAN market. Let’s explore once again.
Okay, so by now, we should all be aware that Japan will be retiring the Toyota Camry nameplate soon and Honda has announced it will NOT be bringing in the next generation Honda Accord sedan. Yeah, things are not looking good for D-segment sedans in the ASEAN market.
Moreover, sedans in general have been losing favour among new car buyers over the last decade and SUVs and pickup trucks have become the default car on the roads. Well, Chinese cars have also crafted a new image for themselves as of late and are no longer seen as low quality so will Chinese sedans fill in the gap now?
Enter the Chery Arrizo 8, a stylish and rather sleek looking large sedan which, if brought into Malaysia, will have at least one buyer rushing over to their showroom to pre-order one. Yes, I am indeed talking about myself, but can you blame me when the car looks this good?
For many decades, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord have been the top dogs of Malaysian car sales so having fresh competition in the segment may finally save the sedan as a whole as these days only compact sedans (aside from the Honda Civic) make impressive sales so a large sedan selling in bulk will turn this around.
On top of that, with two variants to choose from, one sportier and the other more luxury oriented, the Chery Arrizo 8 could appeal to a very large demographic despite having a large 2,790mm wheelbase. Not to mention with an interior that looks this classy and tech packed, it will surely attract customers from all walks of life.
The Chery Arrizo 8 is also powered by either a 1.6 litre turbocharged inline 4 making 197hp or a 1.5 turbocharged straight 4 option which is also in the works and will be making 156hp so it will not only be able to undercut Japanese rivals in Malaysia in terms of price, but also in terms of yearly road tax payments. Need I say more?
Well, I think I have made a pretty good case for the Chery Arizo 8 so, Chery, if you are reading this, please bring the Arrizo 8 to Malaysia, and if you wish to thank me, I will gladly accept one unit in blue in the sportier trim and the 1.6 litre engine. Jokes aside, what do you guys think? Should Chery bring in the Arrizo 8 to Malaysia?
