The Jaecoo J8 is an odd car.
It’s hard to place exactly where it sits in the market. It’s premium, but very affordable. It's very big but only has five seats. And it’s petrol only, at least for now, in a world that is obsessed with hybrid or electric power.
You’ve probably never heard of Jaecoo. That’s alright it’s only new, but it’s a fresh Chinese brand with big ambitions. A more accurate description is it’s Chery’s premium sub-brand.
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And the J8 is its new flagship SUV that has found a little niche that's been left in Australia’s overflowing SUV segment.
It’s about the same size as the Kia Sorento or Hyundai Santa Fe family SUVs, but the J8 is five seats only and ditches the third row for a big boot.
The interior wouldn’t look out of place if it had a three-pointed star on the bonnet but the price tag will have you thinking you can buy two for the price of one.
Price and Features - Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with? 9/10
9 / 10
The J8 comes in two grades: the two-wheel drive Track variant and the all-wheel drive Ridge. The variant names are tied into the brand’s adventurous image.
The Track is priced at a national $49,990 drive-away, which is about $5000 and $8000 cheaper respectively than the base Kia Sorento or Hyundai Santa Fe.
Jaecoo has thrown everything at the J8, except a third row of seats.
The Track grade has 20-inch alloy wheels, heated and ventilated front seats wrapped in real leather and topped off with a massage function.
There are dual 12.3-inch displays, one for the multimedia and the other for the driver. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, sat nav and a 12-speaker Sony stereo are other highlights.
There are some clever functions too. When on a phone call it projects sound only through the two headrest speakers giving more privacy.
Three different scents can be diffused through the cabin, which might help override the drive-through food or old sports bag aroma in the boot.
It also has a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, power adjustable steering wheel, a head-up display (that projects vital information such as your travelling speed on to the windscreen in front of the driver) and a wireless device charger.
There isn’t much room left on the $54,990 drive-away Ridge AWD’s equipment sheet, but it manages to squeeze in a suede headliner, heated and ventilated rear window seats, privacy glass and electric door handles.
The Ridge also adds all-wheel drive grip with multiple drive modes such as 'Sport', 'Eco' and 'Normal' as well as 'Mud', 'Snow', 'Sand' and 'Off-Road' to best handle different conditions.
A more advanced active suspension system adjusts each wheel independently according to driving conditions to smooth out the ride.
In a win for buyers, both variants have a full size spare tyre hidden under the boot floor.
Design – Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10
7 / 10
The J8 looks familiar but it's hard to remember where you’ve seen it before. There are shades of Mazda, Mercedes-Benz and Range Rover scattered throughout.
The J8 looks more native Jaecoo than the smaller J7, but either way it's a handsome machine in the metal.
Its large, prominent front grille with thick vertical slats gives it presence on the road. This is paired with a big JAECOO badge on the grille and dynamic LED headlights and DRLs.
It has a sleek side profile and does away with gaudy panel creases and sharp edges, which helps project its premium persona. This design is highlighted by its hidden door handles, well integrated roof rails and rear spoiler.
There is a rear light bar, which is the current must have styling item, and connects the tail-lights
Inside is where the action is.
It looks proper luxe, with soft touch and textured inserts all over. We spent the majority of our time in the Ridge AWD and on top of the dash is a type of soft synthetic suede and there are wood veneer-type inserts that give it a touch of class as well as some piano black highlights and plenty of premium feeling materials.
Even in the back seat, where some brands can cut costs, the J8 has a quality feel to it.
It is an impressive space for circa-$50,000.
Practicality – How practical is its space and tech inside? 6/10
6 / 10
Having only five seats in a car this big feels like a waste of space, and in reality it is. You’re now driving a very big and bulky car without the people carrying pros.
Very rarely will you need to use the giant 738-litre boot, but the ability to carry children’s friends or extended family is probably a more useful and regular scenario.
Up front there are plenty of storage options with lots of nooks and crannies in the centre console, including a sizeable and deep bin and good size pockets on the doors. Cupholders for both rows are a plus, too.
USB charging points for both rows are great. If you like to connect to Apple CarPlay via a cord and not wirelessly the port is down near the front seat passengers right foot, which is hard to access.
Additionally the wireless device charger is on the passenger side of the console. Both are hallmarks of a car originally designed to be driven on the other side of the road.
The back seat is huge, there is ample leg, shoulder and head room and it can easily accommodate adults or large teenagers.
Under the bonnet – What are the key stats for its motor? 6/10
6 / 10
Power comes from a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine that makes 183kW and 385Nm, which is matched to an eight-speed automatic driving either the front or all four wheels.
That’s a decent amount of grunt and is on par with a Volkswagen Golf GTI, but the J8 weights about 1800kg in 2WD guise with AWD adding 100kg.
Those numbers are also short of the 206kW/422Nm delivered by the Santa Fe’s turbo-petrol motor but are better than the 200kW and 333Nm made by the Sorento’s non-turbo V6.
The lack of a hybrid option at launch, which is popular in rival machines, could prove to be a misstep.
Jaecoo said a plug-in hybrid version was under consideration, but is likely to come at a decent premium.
Efficiency – What is its driving range? What is its charging time? 6/10
6 / 10
Jaecoo claims on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle the J8 Track 2WD will drink 8.3L/100km and the Ridge AWD will gulp 8.6L/100km, which is better than its similar sized rivals. But those rivals also have hybrid options that are more powerful and drink less fuel.
It also requires premium unleaded fuel, while the others drink the cheaper stuff.
A 65-litre fuel tank gives it a theoretical driving range of 755km in its thirstiest guise.
We didn’t get to spend enough time behind the wheel to do a thorough real-world test, and the majority of our drive was spent on high-speed arterial roads or motorways where petrol cars are at their most efficient. So we’ll reserve judgement until we undertake a more comprehensive test drive.
Driving – What's it like to drive? 7/10
7 / 10
There is a clear line of demarcation between the Chery brand and Jaecoo, and the J8 drives substantially better than Chery’s line of budget-friendly Tiggo SUVs.
We spent most of our time in the Ridge AWD and the fancy active suspension makes a huge impact. It keeps the vehicle in check through corners, exerting excellent body control. It's a bit unnerving how flat the car sits through the bends with next to no body roll.
Despite riding on giant 20-inch wheels the J8 soaks up bumps and road imperfections with ease.
The Track 2WD falls off noticeably in this regard without the active damping.
The steering is light and a bit floaty, which saps confidence when entering corners as there isn’t a lot of feedback on what is happening underneath you.
The steering ratio seems a bit wide of the mark, the wheel needing more input than we'd like.
The engine delivers decent grunt and it's tuned for leisurely acceleration rather than performance.
There was the odd occasion when the transmission and the motor weren't quite in sync and you might get a bit of hesitation and then too much oomph all at once.
It has no problems getting up to speed on the motorway and handles overtaking with ease.
Jaecoo, and its parent company Chery, have worked hard on the safety tech calibration and it's much less intrusive on the J8 than some earlier models. This applies especially to the lane keep assist, which only steps in when needed. There are far fewer bings and bongs than before.
You sit up nice and high in the J8, which gives you a good view of the road ahead, but the sloped rear window restricts vision out the back compared to boxier shaped SUVs.
It is a big rig and you feel that on the road, even the Jaecoo team said you’d notice the width of the J8 on the road, which might be an issue if you live in compact inner city areas or deal with cramped car spaces.
Safety – What safety equipment is fitted? What is its safety rating? 8/10
8 / 10
The J8 hasn’t been tested by ANCAP yet, but it is expected to get the same five-star score as the J7.
One thing that jumps out is the AWD version gets two more airbags than the 2WD variant.
The Ridge AWD adds two side airbags to the rear row, while the Track 2WD makes do with curtain airbag protection only in the back seat.
It covers all the bases for active safety with auto emergency braking, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert with auto braking, blind-spot detection, speed recognition, active cruise control and door opening alert.
Ownership – What warranty is offered? What are its service intervals? What are its running costs? 8/10
8 / 10
Jaecoo backs its cars for eight years and unlimited km, which is one of the most comprehensive in the business. MG, Mitsubishi and Nissan all have 10 year warranties but are not unlimited km and Mitsubishi and Nissan need you to only service at their dealerships.
Jaecoo backs this up with an eight-year capped priced servicing program, which costs $2952 for the Track 2WD and $3452 for the Ridge AWD. That’s slightly on the expensive side but better than being at the whim of the mechanic after five years.
Keep in mind the fourth and eight year services are biggies, costing $699 and $799 in the Ridge AWD and $499 and $599 in the Track 2WD.
You also get eight years of roadside assistance if you service your car at the dealership.
Verdict
It is hard to argue with the sheer amount of stuff you get in the J8 for the price. And that long warranty and capped price servicing program remove the stress of buying into a new brand.
The J8 might be more car than most people need due to its size and lack of third row seating.
It’s okay to drive but isn’t class leading and no hybrid option will count it out for the ever increasing number of Aussies looking to petrol-electric power.
The J8 is a solid machine and well worth a look if you are after glitz and glamour on a budget.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.
Pricing Guides
Range and Specs
| Vehicle | Specs | Price* |
|---|---|---|
| Ridge | 8 SPEED AUTOMATIC | $51,990 |
| Track | 8 SPEED AUTOMATIC | $46,990 |
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