Jaecoo has launched a new flagship SUV with the performance of a sports car.
The new Jaecoo 8 is set to hit the UK in May. It’s a seven-seat flagship that promises lots of space, lots of tech and lots of power.
Prices start from £45,500, putting the Jaecoo 8 within close range of the Peugeot 5008, Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe plug-in hybrids.
That’s for the seven-seat Luxury trim level, which features a 14-speaker Sony sound system, wireless phone mirroring, adaptive suspension, high-beam assist, heated front and middle-row seats, 50W wireless phone charging, a panoramic sunroof, a head-up display and a 540-degree surround-view camera for easy parking.
The £47,500 Executive trim swaps to a six-seat layout, with a pair of captain’s chairs in the middle row. It also brings auto-tilting door mirrors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, real Nappa leather upholstery, two-tone paint and electrically opening doors.
Both versions come with a plug-in hybrid powertrain that spits out a combined 428hp. That consists of a 1.5-litre petrol engine and a three-speed automatic transmission, plus powerful e-motors and a big battery.
The stats are impressive: a 0-62mph time of just 5.8 seconds, quoted CO2 emissions of just 14g/km (meaning low tax for company-car drivers), and an electric range of 83 miles. With a full battery and a full petrol tank, the combined range is said to be more than 700 miles.
It’ll fast-charge at 40kW, for a 30-80% top-up in 20 minutes, and it offers Vehicle-to-Load so the battery can power other electrical devices via an adaptor.
Alongside four-wheel drive, the Jaecoo 8 features drive modes for different terrains and lockable differentials to improve off-road ability. It boasts a wading depth of 600mm.
The Jaecoo 8 is 4.82 metres long, so we expect its third row seating to be best used for occasional short trips. Comparatively, the newly launched MG S9 PHEV is five metres long and promises seven adult-sized seats (and it’s £10,000 cheaper than the Jaecoo).
Make yours a Jaecoo journey
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