The Chinese language new mannequin onslaught exhibits no signal of abating, and the following instalment of it should see Chery’s lifestyle-focused Jaecoo luxurious SUV sub-brand launch in Australia within the first quarter of 2025.
The primary mannequin it should roll out is the J7 mid-sized SUV, however the vary will steadily be fleshed out with each smaller and bigger choices within the J5 and J8, respectively.
The Jaecoo J8 is a medium-large seven-seat household SUV that’s additionally accessible with five- and six-seat configurations. It might conceivably be cross-shopped in opposition to the likes of the Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento and Mazda CX-80.
In case you’re questioning concerning the origins of the Jaecoo moniker, it’s an amalgamation of the German phrase Jäger (which means ‘hunter’) and ‘cool’. The place its sister model Omoda (offered right here below the Chery banner) is pitched primarily at a youthful viewers, Jaecoo targets a barely older demographic of which most could have a few children in tow.
We took the chance to get a sneak preview of the Jaecoo J8 in Dubai, the place the automobile is shortly due on sale.
Provided that Jaecoo is an offshoot is Chery, it’s no shock the J8 leverages current {hardware} – it’s primarily a rebadged Chery Tiggo 9.
As such, the Jaecoo rides on the Chinese language carmaker’s T1X monocoque chassis and options CDC suspension comprising electronically managed adaptive dampers that react inside milliseconds to details about the highway floor relayed by sensors and cameras.
The J8 is conventionally sized for a seven-seat SUV, measuring in at 4820mm lengthy, 1930mm large and 1710mm tall. By comparability, the Santa Fe is 4830mm lengthy, 1900mm large and 1720mm tall. The Jaecoo has a 2820mm wheelbase, whereas the Hyundai’s wheelbase spans 2815mm.
Regardless of its largish dimensions, the J8 is in no way excessively lardy because the FWD base mannequin suggestions the scales at a comparatively lithe 1764kg, whereas the totally loaded AWD Flagship weighs 1892kg.
The job of propelling this mass is shouldered by Chery’s ‘Kunpeng Energy’ 2.0-litre TDGi turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, which pumps out 195kW and 400Nm. Hooked as much as the turbo motor is a smooth-shifting seven-speed dual-clutch automated.
On paper, a four-pot engine might sound a bit weedy for a full-size SUV, however efficiency is decently sprightly and the transmission is comparatively seamless – extra on this later.
How a lot does the Jaecoo J8 price?
Actual pricing for the UAE is but to be nailed down, however an organization spokesman advised the entry-level, front-wheel-drive Consolation mannequin will price round AED125,000 (A$53,420), whereas the range-topping Flagship all-wheel drive variant that we examined shall be pegged round AED155,000 (A$66,240).
If comparable pricing have been to be mirrored in Australia, it might put the Jaecoo in a aggressive worth bracket in opposition to its logical rivals.
What’s the Jaecoo J8 like on the within?
Arguably, the Jaecoo J8’s most interesting aspect is its plush Nappa leather-lined cabin, however we should always after all level out that we examined the totally loaded Flagship variant.
Jaecoo’s inside designers have borrowed liberally from the Mercedes-Benz design guide, and that’s no unhealthy factor. For those who’ve sat in a latest Benz, you’ll discover familiarity within the expansive horizontal show panel that homes each the digitised instrument cluster and the infotainment touchscreen.
Additionally distinctly Mercedes-esque – in each fashion and performance – are the column-mounted transmission shifter, door-panel-mounted seat adjustment knobs and squared-off rotary vent shops.
The extent of match and end is exemplary and there’s good use of contrasting colors and supplies. Our check automotive featured beige Nappa leather-based upholstery and fake brushed aluminium trim on the dashboard, door panels and centre console, with some piano black inserts thrown in for good measure.
There are just a few laborious plastic bits (together with the fake aluminium trim), however these don’t overly detract from a cabin that in any other case has a genuinely premium atmosphere. Consequently, the J8 might even make sense for consumers who may fancy a Merc or BMW however can’t fairly make the stretch financially.
There’s not a lot to fault by way of ergonomics both, as all-around visibility is usually good, whereas the seats are fantastically snug – this goes significantly for the captain’s chairs within the second row with their ample adjustability and therapeutic massage capabilities.
That stated, entry to the small third-row seats (appropriate just for youngsters) is cumbersome, because the occupants of stated pews have to clamber up after which navigate by the slim hole between the 2 second-row chairs to entry the rear.
Nonetheless, choosing the seven-seat model (which has a bench within the center row) ought to make life simpler for third-row dwellers because the second-row seats on this variant may be tilted ahead for easier entry to the again.
One other minor annoyance is the dearth of bodily buttons for the HVAC settings, however not less than there’s a everlasting tab on the underside of the infotainment display screen with fan and temperature settings – so that you don’t have to scroll by extra screens simply to show the fan up or down or notch, or to make the cabin hotter or cooler by a level or two.
There are a ample variety of storage cubbyholes within the cabin. Tucked below the floating centre console is a bit of shelf for keys and unfastened change, whereas a big lidded bin is housed behind the centre console. The door pockets, too, are generously sized.
Nonetheless, baggage area within the seven-seat model is a paltry 200 litres with the rear pews in place. The five-seat model gives a extra usable 717 litres, which may be expanded to 2021 litres by folding down the rear bench.
What’s below the bonnet?
The Jaecoo J8 is at present provided within the UAE with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that produces 195kW of energy and 400Nm of torque. Drive is shipped to the entrance wheels solely, or by an all-wheel drive system, relying on the variant.
A plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain is obtainable in different markets. It features a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and two electrical motors to provide complete system outputs of 450kW and 915Nm – which is numerous grunt.
How does the Jaecoo J8 drive?
If one have been to sum up in quite simple phrases what the Jaecoo J8 is wish to drive, it might be nice however unspectacular.
On the plus facet, the J8 feels a bit sprightlier than we’d anticipated, provided that its propulsion comes from a 2.0-litre engine, which appears a small displacement for a automobile that’s this huge.
Jaecoo quotes a 9.0-second 0-100km/h dash for the AWD J8 (the FWD mannequin is 0.2s faster) and, whereas this determine doesn’t sound significantly spectacular, there’s by no means a notion of sluggishness or lacklustre efficiency.
Rolling acceleration can also be adequately sprightly, because the seven-speed dual-clutch auto is fast to kick down whenever you stab the throttle. This implies overtaking slow-moving vehicles on single-lane nation roads is rarely an issue.
The engine and dual-clutch transmission group as much as ship seamless efficiency, and refinement ranges aren’t compromised by extreme noise or coarseness, even in the event you work the two.0-litre motor laborious.
Journey high quality and total noise ranges are additionally spectacular, so the J8 stands up as a reputable different to the Euro SUV brigade in the event you’re a value-conscious purchaser, or just don’t have the price range for the latter.
Minor irritations when mooching round city embrace a brake pedal that tends to be grabby in stop-start visitors. As well as, you’ll discover throughout back-and-forth parking manoeuvres the steering-column-mounted transmission lever wants a resolute nudge with the brake pedal firmly depressed, in any other case ‘D’ or ‘R’ gained’t have interaction – an off-the-cuff flick of the stalk gained’t do it.
Dynamically, the J8 is a middle-of-the-road providing as its agility and cornering behaviour are neither class-leading nor mediocre. Then once more, most potential consumers gained’t care an excessive amount of because the Jaecoo isn’t positioned as a sporting SUV by any stretch.
As for off-road skill, the J8 has at least seven drive modes (together with devoted modes for sand, mud and snow), and its torque-vectoring AWD system is provided by GKN, which additionally offers Land Rover with comparable tech. With two multi-plate clutches on the rear axle, every wheel may be pushed independently.
Even so, the very fact the J8 Flagship is supplied with road-biased 50-series Michelin Primacy tyres on 20-inch rims is a clue to its orientation as extra city warrior than an outback tamer. Method and departure angles of 20 levels and 17 levels respectively are nothing to jot down dwelling about in any case.
It hardly issues although, as the standard utilization patterns of potential homeowners will seemingly embrace the each day schlep to and from workplace, the varsity run and – probably – the odd tour for tenting, mountain biking and the like, which can entail nothing greater than light-duty off-road use, and for all of this the J8 will fortunately oblige.
What do you get?
Among the many Jaecoo J8’s USPs is a beneficiant quota of mod-cons and security options, so the automobile probably represents sturdy worth for cash vis-à-vis its rivals. After all, we’re but to see how the J8 shall be specced and priced within the Australian market.
2025 Jaecoo J8 tools highlights:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Auto LED headlights
- Auto excessive beam
- Energy tailgate
- Panoramic sunroof
- Twin-zone local weather management
- Leather-based seats
- Leather-based multifunction steering wheel
- 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
- Driver seat place reminiscence
- Heated and ventilated entrance seats
- Multicolour ambient lighting
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wi-fi charger
- Dashcam driving recorder
- 2 x 12V energy shops
- 4 x USB ports
- Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
- 12-speaker Sony sound system
Flagship AWD provides:
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- 6-seat format with captain’s chairs in second row
- Nappa leather-based upholstery
- 4-way electrical adjustment of second-row seats
- Ventilated second-row seats incl. therapeutic massage perform
- Black suede headliner
- Rear console with cupholders
- Steel pedals
- Head-up show with augmented actuality
- 14-speaker Sony sound system
Is the Jaecoo J8 secure?
No unbiased crash check outcomes can be found for the J8 but, however one might infer from the five-star ANCAP scores earned by its Chery Tiggo 7 Professional and Omoda 5 stablemates that the Jaecoo is more likely to fare nicely by way of security scores.
Normal security tools within the UAE contains:
- Twin entrance, facet and curtain airbags
- 540-degree surround-view digital camera
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Adaptive cruise management
- Entrance collision warning
- Lane departure prevention
- Site visitors jam avoidance assistant
- Entrance and rear radars
- Main automobile departure alert
- Clever avoidance
Flagship provides:
- Emergency lane-keep help
- Blind-spot detection
- Lane change help
- Driver monitoring system
- Rear collision warning
- Reversing lateral emergency braking
- Door open warning
- Automated parking help
How a lot does the Jaecoo J8 price to run?
Within the UAE, Jaecoo automobiles are backed by a seven-year/250,000km guarantee, however we’d count on Chery Australia’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre guarantee to use right here too.
That stated, we’ll watch for official affirmation nearer to the model’s native launch.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Jaecoo J8
All instructed, the Jaecoo J8 is a refined and well-rounded providing that ought to have the ability to maintain its personal in opposition to established gamers within the seven-seat SUV section.
Strong though unspectacular in its driving traits, the J8’s fortes lie in its premium cabin atmosphere (for its worth) and total refinement. We’ll ship a extra emphatic verdict as soon as Australian pricing and specs are recognized.
Click on the photographs for the complete gallery
MORE: All the pieces Jaecoo J8
