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Australia was made for road trips. From winding coastal roads to limitless country highways, there’s something uniquely Australian about packing the family into an SUV and heading off.
The destination almost becomes secondary. It is the journey that matters. And it’s for journeys like these that the all-new Jaecoo J8 SHS feels perfectly suited.
As Jaecoo’s recent flagship seven-seat SUV, the J8 SHS has been designed to deliver something Australian families increasingly expect from a contemporary family automotive: real comfort, premium appointments, impressive efficiency, and the boldness to cover serious distances with ease.
To find what it’s really wish to live with, I pointed it towards certainly one of my favourite stretches of coastline – the spectacular Latest South Wales South Coast. Specifically, the delightful boutique Motel Molly in picturesque Mollymook.
It is the type of drive that quickly reveals whether an SUV genuinely delivers on its guarantees.
Premium without the premium price
First impressions matter, and the J8 SHS actually makes a powerful one.
Measuring almost five metres in length, it has real road presence without looking oversized. The daring waterfall grille, slim projector LED headlights, retractable door handles and stylish full-width rear light bar mix to create a design that is sophisticated relatively than showy.
Even the small print have been properly considered.
The handsome 20-inch alloy wheels are wrapped in Michelin tyres – certainly one of those subtle premium touches that enthusiasts immediately notice. It’s one other indication that Jaecoo hasn’t simply focused on appearance, but on using quality components throughout.
The general design is clean, well-proportioned and refreshingly restrained. Slightly than trying too hard to face out, the J8 SHS simply looks like a far costlier SUV.
An interior that exceeds expectations
Open the door and that is where the largest surprise begins. The cabin feels more luxury hotel than mainstream family SUV.
Beautiful quilted real-leather seat trim immediately creates an inviting atmosphere, while the dual 12.3-inch high-definition digital displays dominate the dashboard without overwhelming it.
Ambient lighting subtly lifts the cabin after dark, while the panoramic glass roof floods the inside with natural light.
One in every of my favourite details is the suede-like trim that extends across the headliner, dashboard, and door panels. It is a finish normally reserved for premium European brands and immediately elevates the general ambience.
Then there are the features you will appreciate each day.
The front seats are heated, ventilated and include a superb massage function that is surprisingly effective after several hours behind the wheel.
A crisp head-up display keeps your eyes where they belong, while the 14-speaker Sony sound system, with speakers cleverly integrated into the driving force’s head restraint, delivers an immersive soundtrack that makes every drive feel just somewhat more indulgent.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, together with a formidable 50W wireless phone charger that truly keeps pace with modern smartphones.
There’s even an integrated fragrance system, adding one other subtle touch that reinforces the premium feel throughout the cabin. Great when you’ve got four-legged pets which may like rolling in you realize what…
Collectively, these aren’t simply features for the brochure. They genuinely improve on a regular basis life behind the wheel.
Built around family life
Perhaps the largest point of difference with the SHS is the addition of real seven-seat practicality. For growing families, flexibility matters.
Whether it’s children, grandparents, friends or sporting commitments, those extra seats could make all of the difference from a practicality standpoint.
Even with all seven seats in place there’s still usable luggage space for on a regular basis errands and grocery shopping, while folding the third row transforms the cargo area right into a genuinely huge load space for holidays, more shopping, or sporting equipment.
USB-A and USB-C charging ports throughout the cabin ensure everyone’s devices stay powered, while the spacious second row provides excellent comfort for adult passengers on longer journeys.
Must tow a camper trailer, small caravan, box trailer, or a jet-ski on the weekend? Easy, the J8 SHS offers a practical 1600kg braked towing capability, further reinforcing its credentials as a real family touring vehicle.
The Super Hybrid difference
In fact, the largest story lies under the bonnet.
Jaecoo’s recent Super Hybrid System combines a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a minimum of three electric motors to supply impressive combined outputs of 315kW of power and 580Nm of torque.
While those numbers actually grab your attention, what impressed me more was how naturally your complete system behaves.
Around town, the J8 SHS feels remarkably EV-like. Mostly, I couldn’t tell if the petrol engine was running or not. The easy response from the electrical motors makes it smooth and effortless away from traffic lights, while overtaking requires little greater than a delicate squeeze of the accelerator.
Power delivery is seamless but, more importantly for a South Coast trip like this, high-speed overtaking is unexpectedly impressive. I mean, it’s properly quick and swallows up steep hill climbs with uncanny ease.
The transition between electric and petrol power is virtually imperceptible, making a level of refinement that is often difficult to realize in electrified vehicles.
Intelligent electric all-wheel drive constantly manages traction between all 4 wheels, giving the J8 reassuring confidence whether conditions are dry, wet or somewhere in between. It was pouring on the way in which home to Sydney and yet grip was rock-solid.
It is a plug-in hybrid drivetrain that never feels complicated. It simply works – flawlessly.
Designed for real-world Australia
Where the SHS system really shines is how easily it suits into on a regular basis family life.
The big 34kWh battery provides around 114km of electric-only driving range (WLTP), meaning many Australians could complete their every day commute entirely on battery power alone.
Charge the vehicle overnight at home and chances are you’ll never must visit a petroleum station in the course of the working week, which is a excellent thing.
When it is time for a family holiday or interstate road trip, the petrol engine seamlessly extends total driving range to greater than 1000km.
That combination removes the range anxiety still related to fully electric vehicles, while still allowing owners to benefit from the quiet, smooth character of electrical driving at any time when possible.
Charging has also been thoughtfully integrated into the ownership experience.
Using an AC wallbox installed at home, the battery might be conveniently recharged overnight, ready for the following day’s driving. When travelling further afield, DC fast-charging enables the battery to charge from 30 to 80 per cent in around 25 minutes, adding  roughly 85km of electrical driving range whilst you stop for lunch or a coffee.
It is a system that feels remarkably well suited to Australian lifestyles.
Comfort engineered into every kilometre
Long-distance comfort is not simply about comfortable seats. It’s as much about how an SUV behaves once the road becomes lower than perfect.
The J8 SHS features Continuous Damping Control (CDC), an electronically controlled suspension system that continuously adjusts damper stiffness in line with road conditions and vehicle movement.
The technology works quietly within the background, but the outcomes are seriously impressive.
Over broken country roads it delivers impressive ride comfort, helping isolate occupants from rough surfaces. Through faster corners it improves body control and reduces unwanted roll, while under braking it minimises nose-dive, making the vehicle feel noticeably more composed.
This level of comfort over potholes, broken roads and course-chip surfaces isn’t what I used to be expecting. It exceeds the comfort levels of some European luxury models. And I don’t say that flippantly.
Combined with excellent cabin insulation and the sleek characteristics of the hybrid drivetrain, it creates an SUV that is genuinely relaxing to drive over long distances.
After several hours behind the wheel, that is something you actually appreciate.
Confidence comes standard
The J8 SHS also arrives comprehensively equipped from a security perspective.
Ten airbags are fitted as standard, supported by adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, emergency lane-keeping assistance, and a wide selection of advanced driver-assistance technologies designed to cut back your workload behind the wheel.
The 360-degree camera system also makes manoeuvring this substantial SUV remarkably straightforward, whether it’s parking on the local shopping centre or reversing into a good holiday accommodation.
Peace of mind for the long run
Buying a brand new vehicle is about greater than today’s features. It is also about tomorrow’s ownership experience.
Jaecoo backs the J8 SHS with an eight-year, unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty, an eight-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty for the high-voltage battery, eight years of capped-price servicing, and as much as eight years of roadside assistance.
For buyers considering their first electrified vehicle, that is a reassuring level of long-term support.
The decision
The family SUV segment has never been more competitive, but from time to time a brand new model arrives that genuinely shifts expectations.
The Jaecoo J8 SHS appears like certainly one of those vehicles.
It combines real seven-seat practicality with a beautifully finished interior, an impressively refined and powerful Super Hybrid drivetrain, intelligent electric all-wheel drive, and the sort of long-distance comfort that makes Australian road trips something to sit up for.
Most significantly, it delivers all of that at a price that can have many established rivals looking over their shoulder.
At $59,990 before on-road costs, the Jaecoo J8 SHS doesn’t just represent strong value, it has all of the ingredients to turn into certainly one of Australia’s most compelling large family SUVs.
For families wanting premium comfort, on a regular basis efficiency and the liberty to explore further, it is a package that is very difficult to disregard.
This Article First Appeared At www.carexpert.com.au
