Chery’s sub-brand Jaecoo will launch in Australia in the second half of next year with its flagship large SUV, the Jaecoo J8.
Previewed alongside the smaller J7 model at the Beijing motor show earlier this year, the J8 is rumoured to be powered by the same 1.5-litre TGDI engine, albeit with larger electric motors on both axles.
It’s rumoured to deliver an output of about 451kW/915Nm to all four wheels, with a claimed pure EV range of 175km according to the lenient NEDC cycle. It will support DC fast charging capability in addition to vehicle-to-load functionality.
The fine line between off-road capability and premium ride quality is supposedly ensured on the J8 through continuous damping control technology which automatically adjusts suspension according to driving conditions.
It appears to be considerably longer and taller than the J7, evidenced by the larger 20-inch alloy wheels that come standard on the J8 opposed to 18-inches on the J7, though there are no official dimensions figures to quote as of yet.
It sports a vertically-striped ‘waterfall’ grille like the J7, although the J7’s rectangular design is overlooked for an octagonal shape on the J8.
Other standout design features include the J8's large LED headlights, sequential indicator signals, electronically retractable door handles, rear LED light bar and two-tone roof.
Inside, the J8 has a curved digital dashboard with twin 12.5-inch screens, one for digital driver’s gauges and the other for touchscreen multimedia functions. It comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.
There’s six seats in a 2:2:2 configuration, which includes two captain seats in the second row. Both the front seats and middle seats are heated and ventilated, while the front seats get integrated speakers in the head rests.
Air conditioning vents are mounted to the B-pillars for the middle row, while there’s also a rear window sunshade and a large panoramic sunroof.
It’s rumoured to have a suite of 19 active safety features, alongside 10 airbags. Standout safety features include an augmented reality head-up display which displays information to the driver on the windscreen, as well as a 540-degree blind spot camera.
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