Why does everyone want the Jaecoo 8? I’ve driven it to find out

The Jaecoo 8 has been the most-read car review on Carwow since before it even launched in the UK. That’s unusual for a big plug-in hybrid SUV from a brand most people had barely heard of two years ago – but after driving it, I think I understand the appeal.

Everyone likes to think they’re getting a great deal, and companies like for their customers to think that too. Paying less but getting more is always the goal whether you’re furnishing a house or just buying lunch, but it’s especially the case with cars.

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That’s one reason why Chinese car manufacturers are doing so well in the UK. Their price tags are low, but for what you pay you always get a lot. The list of standard equipment on most Chinese cars reads like War and Peace, while some European alternatives barely get the wordcount of the Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Enter Jaecoo, which has become so popular that in March 2026 the Jaecoo 7 SUV was actually the best-selling car of any type in the UK. The new Jaecoo 8, though, promises even more – and takes the brand into a more upmarket space ideal for social climbing car buyers. It also offers up to seven seats, so anybody who wanted a Jaecoo 7 but just had too many passengers now has somewhere to spend their hard-earned.

So what’s the Jaecoo 8 actually like?

Well, first impressions are mixed. It doesn’t look like a carbon copy of a Range Rover, like the smaller Jaecoo 5 and 7 do, but instead it looks a bit blobby and anonymous – once you get past the bold front grille that is. Part of the appeal of the smaller Jaecoos is that they look like much more expensive cars, and while the Jaecoo 8 is more of its own thing, that might not be what existing Jaecoo fans are after.

The interior is a different story, though, because it’s clearly taken a lot of inspiration from the Mercedes GLE with its twin screen setup, square air vents and control positioning. Both of the available trim levels come with 20-inch wheels, full LED lights, heated and ventilated front and rear seats, a posh Sony sound system, wireless phone charging and surround-view cameras.

It’s by some margin the biggest car Jaecoo sells right now, and as a result you get three rows of seats. There are two layouts: Luxury, which has a three-seat bench in the middle, and Executive, which gets two big captain’s chairs instead, making it a six-seater.

Well, kind of. The truth is, the Jaecoo 8 isn’t particularly roomy for such a big car. The huge captain’s chairs in the Executive model don’t have the space you’d hope for, and worse yet they don’t actually move out of the way to allow access to the third row. You have to thread yourself through a narrow gap in the middle instead, which is inelegant at best and impossible if you’re broad-shouldered, carrying bags, or trying to load children into the back.

Opt for the Luxury model instead, which has a more sensible second row and proper access to the tight-but-usable third row. Both versions have huge boots with the third-row seats down.

Both versions also get an impressive powertrain. It’s a plug-in hybrid pairing a 1.5-litre petrol engine with three electric motors and a big battery pack. You get some really impressive numbers – 428hp, 83 miles of EV range, 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds and just 14g/km of CO2.

How does that translate out on the road? Well, it’s sort of the opposite of the Jaecoo 7, which is great to look at but not so good to drive. The Jaecoo 8 doesn’t look amazing but it’s really quite good on the road.

Obviously there’s no shortage of power, so it’s effortless getting up to speed on the motorway – and the way the car prioritises its electric motors means that most of the time, it has the instant response and smooth running of an electric car.

And unlike the majority of Chinese cars sold in the UK – trust me, I’ve driven nearly all of them – the Jaecoo 8 doesn’t fall apart when you show it a corner. It’s not as good as a Hyundai Santa Fe or VW Tayron in the bends, but it’s still way more tied-down than an Omoda 9, Chery Tiggo 9 or MG S9.

The real draw is that the Jaecoo 8 – with its laundry list of equipment, 400+bhp and super-duper electric range – costs from £45,500, or just over £44,000 with Carwow discounts. That’s less than a Volkswagen Tayron eHybrid in ‘Match’ trim – which gets fabric upholstery, manual seats and a whole load of other stuff which feels positively Victorian compared to the high-end Chinese upstart.

If the way it drives doesn’t bother you too much, and you don’t mind parking a Jaecoo on your drive instead of a Volkswagen or a BMW, then the Jaecoo 8 is worth shortlisting – and that’s why I’m not surprised it’s the most popular reviews on our site right now.

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