Jaecoo J8: What makes it the ultimate urban off-roader

Malaysia has recently welcomed a new bold and luxurious SUV, the Jaecoo J8, that embodies the “Off-Road First Class” philosophy. Positioned as a flagship offering, the vehicle blends design sophistication with top-tier performance and offers both rugged capability and refined comfort.

Omoda Jaecoo Malaysia offers the Jaecoo J8 in two variants - 5-seater 2WD and 6-seater AWD, priced at RM 178,000 and RM 198,800, respectively. 

Let’s dive deeper to know what makes the Jaecoo J8 an ultimate urban off-roader -

Rugged exterior with premium appeal

The Jaecoo J8 stands out in both cityscapes and rugged terrain thanks to its sleek urban styling and off-road-ready design elements such as chunky wheels, high ground clearance, and skid plates

Measuring 4,820 mm in length, 1,930 mm in width, and 1,710 mm in height, the SUV is built on a generous 2,820 mm wheelbase, offering a spacious interior with a visually striking silhouette. It has a golden-ratio body with a strong upright stance and sleek waistline.

Upfront, we can see a bold, rounded interpretation of the brand’s signature waterfall grille (inspired by the Grand Waterfall), edged by striking projector-style LED headlights and sweeping LED daytime running lights. Adding to the vehicle’s head-turning look are 20-inch machine-finished dual-tone alloy wheels, hidden door handles, blacked-out D-pillars and full-width tail lights with Jaecoo lettering running from one end to the other.

Powerful performance

The J8 is a powerful and capable vehicle and the credit goes to its robust 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that either comes mated to a front-wheel drive or a sophisticated Torque Vectoring all-wheel-drive system.

With a high thermal efficiency and low fuel consumption, the engine churns out a maximum power of 249 PS and a peak torque of 385 Nm of torque. The turbo mill comes paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission allowing the AWD trim to complete the century sprint in 9 seconds and a top speed of 200 kmph. 

Terrain-ready features

Targeting thrill seekers, the Jaecoo J8 is fitted with terrain-ready features such as - 

Torque Vectoring AWD system: This intelligent system incorporates two clutches that distribute torque between the rear wheels independently. And thus, ensures superior traction across a variety of road conditions with improved handling in corners.

Continuous Damping Control (CDC) suspension: The suspension features electronic shock absorber stiffness control and can automatically adapt to road conditions, offering comfort and stability on any surface.

Selectable drive modes: With the AWD variant comes 4 additional modes - Sport, Mud, Sand, and Off-road modes, along with the Eco, Normal, and Sport ones. These modes allow the driver to adjust the SUV's performance based on surface type; this flexibility can enhance grip, throttle response, or traction control as per the situation at hand.

Urban comfort and luxury

Inspired by natural light and shadow, the J8 features a luxurious cabin with a sculptural, wraparound design and rich textures that feels like a mobile living room. It offers the comfort of luxury air travel, with seating configurations tailored to diverse lifestyles -

• J8 AWD - Six-seater (2+2+2) layout with premium rear accessibility
• J8 2WD - Five-seater layout with extra luggage capacity

The dashboard houses dual 12.3-inch LCD displays for the infotainment and instrument console along with a wide-format head-up display. Adding to the luxury vibe is a microfiber headliner and 256-colour colour selectable ambient lighting stretching from front to back.

The AWD trim also features Nappa leather upholstery and Queen Seat available for the front passenger with leg support and HVMM (Heated, Ventilated, Massage, and Memory) seats for all front and second-row occupants. There is also a premium 14-speaker surround sound system that fills the cabin with crystal-clear audio. 

Also part of the kit are wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 50W wireless smartphone charger with built-in cooling, automatic fragrance dispenser, and NFC-based keyless entry.

Advanced safety and driver assistance

With a robust body structure, the SUV features a caged energy-absorbing design made of 85% high-strength steel. It comes packed with 10 airbags, a 540-degree surround view camera system, a tyre pressure monitoring system and Jaecoo’s latest suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including:

• Adaptive cruise control 
• Driver monitoring system
• Lane change assistance
• Autonomous emergency braking 
• Forward distance monitoring 
• Rear cross-traffic alert 
• Rear collision warning
• Emergency lane keep assist 
• Lane departure prevention

Summing up

Built for both city streets and rough terrains, the all-new Jaecoo J8 is not just head-turning, but it also delivers immersive comfort on every adventure. It’s definitely worth checking out if you want comfort, tech and toughness all wrapped in one package.

Also read: Omoda C7: What to expect?