Name: Jaecoo 8 (2026 onwards) | Expert Rating | The Car Expert
Item: Jaecoo 8
Rating: 65.0

Jaecoo 8 (2026 – present) | Expert Rating

Summary

The Jaecoo 8 is a large six- or seven-seat SUV and the new flagship model in Jaecoo’s UK range. Now available to order, the SUV is currently only offered as a plug-in hybrid.

Powered by the same hybrid powertrain as the Chery Group stablemates like the Omoda 9 and Chery Tiggo 9, the Jaecoo 8 has received a lukewarm reception from the British motoring media, described by Parker’s Ted Welford as well-built and well-priced addition to the UK’s field of large hybrid SUV options that “falls short of the mark of its best rivals.”

Reviewers generally agree that, while the Jaecoo 8 isn’t the most practical seven-seater on the market – with reviewers often pointing buyers in the direction slightly more expensive rivals like the Hyundai Santa Fe and Mazda CX-80 – the Chinese SUV has several strengths worthy of praise.

Autotrader’s Dan Trent praises the Jaecoo for its “incredibly efficient” plug-in hybrid powertrain, RAC’s Lawrence Allan commends the SUV for its “genuinely upmarket interior” and despite having the same handling and driving “compromises” as the smaller Jaecoo 7, Electrifying.com’s Lucas Cochrane concludes that the “sheer amount of car you get for your money” makes the 8 a “pretty tough car to beat.”

“It’s high-tech, powerful and comfy”, says Carwow’s Tom Wiltshire, “but not very practical for such a big car.” While available with six or seven seats, the most common criticism levelled against the 8 is its tight third row seating, which Shane Wilkinson of Auto Express explains is “too small for adults.”

As of August 2026, the Jaecoo 8 holds a New Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 65%. Beyond the car’s fairly average set of review scores, this overall rating is bolstered by Jaecoo’s generous seven-year warranty.

More Jaecoo Expert Ratings, new car reviews, news and features

Jaecoo 8 highlights

Smooth and efficient hybrid powertrain
Tech-laden interior
Undercuts its key competitors on price
Class-leading electric-only driving range

Jaecoo 8 lowlights

Over-reliance on central touchscreen
Cramped third row seating
Rivals offer better ride quality and handling
Some cheaper interior materials

Key specifications

Body style: Large SUV
Engines: petrol plug-in hybrid
Price: From £45,500

Launched: Spring 2026
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Featured reviews

“The Jaecoo 8 is the brand’s poshest model yet, and its best to drive – it’s high-tech, powerful and comfy, but not very practical for such a big car.”

Model reviewed: Range overview

Score: 8 / 10

Read full review

Carwow

Tom Wiltshire

“Jaecoo’s biggest car boasts a competitive price, surprising performance and seven seats, but its appeal for large families is limited.”

Model reviewed: Range overview

Score: 7 / 10

Read full review

Auto Express

Shane Wilkinson

More reviews

Auto Trader

Score: 7 / 10
“The Jaecoo 8 pushes the brand’s value proposition to new heights in a premium SUV available in six- or seven-seat formats and powered by its signature (and incredibly efficient) Super Hybrid System. Big, somewhat brash looking and, on the face of it, apparently luxurious it’s literally a lot of car for the money. But the driving experience leaves something to be desired, the mithering driver aids irritating enough to make more conventional choices like a Skoda Kodiaq or Hyundai Santa Fe look safer bets.”
Author: Dan Trent
Read review

Car

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“The Jaecoo 8 is a welcome addition to this hugely successful Chinese firm’s line-up, with its generous pricing and impressive hybrid powertrain. But at this sort of price, we’d expect a more user-friendly interior and more polished driving manners than what the Jaecoo delivers, while it’s just too compromised in the third row to recommend it as a seven-seater.”
Author: Ted Welford
Read review

Electrifying.com

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“If you need space for seven, the Jaecoo 8 is a pretty tough car to beat. The features on offer are just as plentiful and enticing as the Jaecoo E5 and 7 but here, they come without the same compromises on ride and handling we encountered in the Jaecoo 7. I’m of very little doubt that the Jaecoo 8 will only accelerate the meteoric success Jaecoo has seen in the UK so far.”
Author: Lucas Cochrane
Read review

Honest John

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“If you’re after a seven-seat plug-in hybrid, it’s hard to ignore the Jaecoo 8. At £45,000 it undercuts all the competition yet comes with more equipment, accelerates faster and has a far superior EV range. The styling may be a bit generic but it’s extremely comfortable and quiet on the move. This is a family SUV you’ll buy with your head rather than your heart.”
Read review

Parkers

Score: 6 / 10
“The Jaecoo 8 is a welcome addition to the hybrid SUV line-up, but it falls short of the mark of its best rivals, such as the Hyundai Santa Fe, and its cramped third-row space means it fails to stand out as one of the best seven-seaters.”
Author: Ted Welford
Read review

RAC

Score: 7.3 / 10
“The Jaecoo 8 is a more convincing product than its cheaper siblings, with a genuinely upmarket interior, smooth and (mostly) comfortable driving experience and decent practicality. It also comes loaded with posh features that are usually optional extra in traditional rivals. It’s a shame that the seven-seat versatility isn’t better, though, while some elements of the driving experience lack finesse. Complex technology is still an issue, too, but for those willing to accept some compromises for a top value large SUV shouldn’t be disappointed.”
Author: Lawrence Allan
Read review

Regit

Model reviewed: Executive
Score: 8 / 10
“The Jaecoo 8 SHS-P is a spacious, tech-packed hybrid SUV offering premium comfort, strong value and six- or seven-seat practicality.”
Author: Tim Barnes-Clay
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

No safety rating

As of August 2026, the Jaecoo 8 has not been assessed by Euro NCAP.

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of August 2026, the Jaecoo 8 has not been assessed by Green NCAP.

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Fuel consumption	Average	Score
Plug-in hybrid models	543 mpg	A

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Plug-in hybrid models	14 g/km	A

Battery range	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Plug-in hybrid models	83 miles	C

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	42	E

The Jaecoo 8’s running costs are a bit of a mixed bag, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

The plug-in hybrid’s average fuel economy of 543mpg is excellent, but this is largely thanks to EU/UK government lab tests that are inadequate for plug-in hybrids. There is no way you will ever travel for 543 miles on a single gallon (4.5 litres) of fuel and some electricity. Nevertheless, the Jaecoo 8 is one of the most fuel efficient seven-seater hybrids on the market.

In addition, the SUV’s average electric-only battery range of 83 miles is more than competitive – for comparison the Hyundai Santa Fe can muster up to 34 miles of electric driving on a single charge.

On the other hand, the car’s insurance premiums are predicted to sit in a high bracket. While this is common for an SUV of this size, rivals like the Kia Sorento are estimated to be considerably cheaper to insure.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

No reliability rating

As of August 2026, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Jaecoo 8 to generate a reliability rating.

The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.

As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Jaecoo 8, we’ll publish the results here.

Warranty rating

Overall ratingA97%
New car warranty duration7 years
New car warranty mileage100,000 miles
Battery warranty duration8 years
Battery warranty mileage100,000 miles

Jaecoo’s new car warranty is better than average, and better than rival brands in a similar price bracket as the Jaecoo 8.

The duration is seven years, with a limit of 100,000 miles. In addition to the standard new car warranty, this plug-in hybrid version has an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components.

Recalls

Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Jaecoo 8

As of March 2026, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Jaecoo 8. However, recall information is updated regularly, so this may have changed.

You can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Jaecoo dealer.