Chinese cars are many things but if there is one thing they deserve credit for is bringing technology to the masses.
There used to be a time when certain features were reserved only for the upper segment cars. You could never find suede trimming, massage seats or even captain seats in any car below RM200,000.
But the Chinese have completely changed that, specifically Jaecoo.
Jaecoo has only been in Malaysia for a little over a year, but it has already made an impact that other car makers have struggled to match despite their years of being in the market.
The first model launched in Malaysia was the J7, and it was an immediate success thanks to its design, interior trimming and advanced technologies. But more than anything else, it was a success because of its price.
Suddenly, Malaysians realised that they could have more for less. Much to the horror of legacy car makers who were getting too comfortable for too long.
But Jaecoo is not a company that sits comfortably, it is on a roll and has introduced more models such as the J8.
What is the J8?
The Jaecoo J8 is a d-segment SUV and is available in two variants, the two-wheel-drive model which is priced at RM178,800 and the all-wheel-drive variant which is priced at RM198,800. The latter is what we will be focusing on for this article.
It is currently the flagship model for Jaecoo Malaysia and like the J7, it is also locally assembled in Shah Alam.
It shares a lot of its underpinnings with its cousin, the Omoda C9. But since Jaecoo is the luxury division of the Chery umbrella, it has certain elements that make it more “upper class” than the Omoda.
What makes it premium?
Let’s first try to define what premium means to a car buyer. To a person driving a Perodua Axia, a Honda WRV will feel premium.
For the person driving a Honda WRV, a Civic will feel premium and to the person driving the Civic, a BMW 3-series is a premium car. It is all about perception.
But there is a noticeable trend here, every person who wants that premium feel must spend more money. And that is what makes the Jaecoo J8 different.
The J8 feels as premium as any sub-RM500k BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Volvo, and costs nearly half the amount. So with the Jaecoo J8 you don’t have to spend more to get a premium vehicle.
I recently drove the all-wheel-drive (AWD) variant and it is everything a car should be without breaking the bank.
The exterior is a safe blend of grace and style. But of course, beauty is always in the eye of the beholder and design is subjective. I like the way the Jaecoo J8 looks, more than the Omoda C9 though the two share a lot in common.
The vertical grille called waterfall grille gives it an imposing presence on the road while the 20-inch wheels give it an elegant stance as it is in proportion with the overall size of the car.
Moving on to the interior.
The interior is an entirely different story though. The door handles gently whir out to greet you when you walk up to the car, and the door opens with a solid feel.
When you take a seat, you sink gently into the plush nappa leather seats. Glance around and you will notice a lot of premium materials, and everything is wrapped in genuine leather. But opt for the two wheel drive variant and you get faux leather though.
The roof lining in the AWD variant is also finished in suede while the seats, door panels and parts of the dashboard are wrapped in plush leather.
The seats are heated and ventilated which may not be a big deal these days but the J8 comes with an advanced fragrance system like that of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
For this to work, you must install cartridges into a slot beneath the centre console. After you have done that, you get to select the type of fragrance you want after which it gently releases your chosen fragrance into the cabin. Personally, fragrances give me a headache, but it is undoubtedly a nice, unique touch.
What is even more unique are the rear seats. The two wheel drive variant gets a regular bench, but the AWD model gets individual captain chairs. These also have a massage function, are heated and ventilated, and they also come with a memory function as well, as do the front seats.
These captain chairs make the J8 a nice car to be driven in as well because you get plenty of legroom, and they are electronically adjustable as well. The latter being unheard of in a car of this price category just a few months ago.
The pillar mounted air-conditioning vents are a nice touch as well. And that is also a feature rarely seen in a car of this price tag.
If the photos have not given it away already, the Jaecoo J8 gets a lot of its influence from Mercedes-Benz. Particularly the W213.
The flowing dashboard offers wood trimming for the flagship AWD model and there is a 24.6-inch digital screen that is split into the infotainment system and the instrumentation cluster.
For entertainment, you get wireless Carplay, Android Auto, while music is channelled via a 14-speaker Sony sound system with two speakers embedded into the front headrests. Sound quality is decent.
If you like a car with neat tricks, you will like the 256 ambient light colour option, and you may also appreciate not having to spend money on a dashcam as the J8 offers a built in dashcam as well.
How does it feel like to drive?
The J8 is powered by a 2.0-litre, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine that puts out 249PS and 385Nm of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels through a slick-shifting eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.
But despite its power, the J8 never feels like it is in a hurry to get anywhere. It sees off the sprint to100kmh in nine seconds flat and tops out at 200km/h.
The J8 is not about power and speed though, it is about a premium feel and drive quality, and you get exactly that thanks to a clever suspension system called Continuous Damping Control, which is basically another word for adaptive suspension.
But this is not your regular adaptive suspension system that adapts to the selected drive mode. This is a suspension system that is capable of adjusting to road conditions in just 0.002 seconds.
It reacts so fast that you do not feel it working inside the cabin. All you feel is a plush ride. And when you do select Sport through the crystal drive mode selector (you have seven driving modes to choose from) the suspension is noticeably stiffer but not uncomfortable.
Refinement is brilliant as well, thanks to sound deadening materials and double glazed windows. You barely hear and feel anything of the world around the car.
In fact, I would go so far as to say that the ride quality of the Jaecoo J8 matches that of a BMW or Mercedes-Benz.
So, should you spend your money on one?
The Jaecoo J8 AWD is proof that you do not need to spend a lot of money to experience a premium car. It puts to shame cars in the RM300,000 – RM400,000 price category and more than anything else, it has forced car makers to improve their products or risk losing sales. And that is good for all car buyers.
Many have sent me private messages asking if Chinese cars like the Jaecoo J8 are worth it. My reply is always yes. It is either that or buy a sub-standard car for nearly twice the money.
It even comes with a Level 2.5 rated ADAS safety suite with over two dozen systems working in unison to keep passengers safe. Some cars that cost over RM300,000 don’t even come with a Blind Spot Monitoring system, relying instead on the brand to sell cars.
For that alone, the Jaecoo J8 AWD is worth every cent, simply because of everything that it has to offer and the price tag it comes with.
Specifications
Engine: 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged
Power: 249PS
Torque: 385Nm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch
Price (as tested): RM198,800
We like: Refinement, premium quality
We don’t like: Steering needs more feel
