Jaecoo 8 PHEV review (UK): price, electric range, running costs, verdict

The Jaecoo 8 is a large plug-in hybrid SUV that costs £45,500 with seven seats or £47,500 with six in November 2026, and it gives 83 miles of official electric range, 428 PS and a long standard equipment list. It is strong value as a big four or five-seater, but all three UK reviews we cite found its third row fit only for children.

The Jaecoo 8 is the flagship of the Jaecoo range, and first UK deliveries began in May 2026. It pairs a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with electric motors in what Jaecoo calls its Super Hybrid System (SHS), sold here as the SHS-P plug-in hybrid with all-wheel drive. EV Compared has not driven the Jaecoo 8. This review rests on Jaecoo’s published data, government tax and grant rules, and the findings of three named UK road tests.

Verdict: who should buy the Jaecoo 8, and who should not?

The Jaecoo 8 suits a family of four or five that can charge at home, covers most weekday miles locally and wants a big, quick, well-equipped SUV at a fair price. Its 83-mile electric range is long for a plug-in hybrid, so a driver who plugs in every night could run on electricity for most commuting and school runs.

It does not suit a family that needs seven adult-sized seats, a big boot with every seat in use, or the Electric Car Grant. It also suits you less if you change cars every three years: the Jaecoo 8 has only been on sale here since May 2026, so nobody knows yet what a three-year-old one will be worth. If you rarely plug in, it becomes a heavy petrol SUV, and the testers’ economy figures below show what that means.

How much is the Jaecoo 8 in the UK, and what do you get?

The Jaecoo 8 costs £45,500 as the Luxury and £47,500 as the Executive in November 2026, on the road, according to Jaecoo’s UK price list. There is one engine and two trims; the main difference is the seat layout.

Trim	List price (Nov 2026)	Seats	Kerb weight	What it adds
Luxury SHS-P	£45,500	7 (5+2)	2,260 kg	Synthetic leather, folding second-row bench, ventilated and powered front seats, 14-speaker Sony audio, panoramic sunroof, head-up display, 540-degree camera
Executive SHS-P	£47,500	6 (4+2)	2,252 kg	Genuine leather, powered reclining and massaging second-row chairs, second-row blinds, suede headliner, heated steering wheel, powered opening for all four doors

Both trims share 20-inch alloy wheels, dual 12.3-inch curved screens, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 50 W wireless charging pad, dual-zone climate control and heated and ventilated second-row seats, Jaecoo’s specification sheet shows. A Cognac interior is a £1,000 factory option on either trim.

Dealers already discount. Carwow reported an average saving of £3,289 off list through its network in July 2026, with cash prices from £42,200. Our Jaecoo 8 price, specs and trims guide lists every option and figure in one place.

On our own measure of value, the Luxury costs £548 of list price per mile of electric range, and the Executive £572. That is the list price divided by the 83-mile WLTP electric range; our methodology explains how we work out every figure on the page.

What is the Jaecoo 8 like inside?

Inside, the Jaecoo 8 is the most upmarket Jaecoo yet, by Carwow’s account, though its controls draw criticism. Carwow’s reviewers called it the nicest interior of any Jaecoo so far and compared its design to a Mercedes GLE, while Auto Express found that it looks upmarket and avoids scratch-prone piano-black plastic.

Both found faults. Auto Express noted that some surfaces feel hollow and the build is not as sturdy as a Hyundai Santa Fe’s. Carwow criticised too many small, awkward onscreen buttons, and Auto Express found that swiping up for the climate controls on the touchscreen often took more than one attempt. Autotrader’s Dan Trent added that the heating controls require you to leave Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

The standard Sony sound system has 14 speakers, including headrest speakers. Jaecoo also fits a panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting and a cooled front armrest to both trims. In the Executive, the four main seats are heated, ventilated and massaging captain’s chairs, and Jaecoo adds an extendable thigh support for the driver.

How does the Super Hybrid System drive?

The Jaecoo 8 produces 315 kW (428 PS) and 580 Nm from its 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine and electric motors, driving all four wheels through a 3-speed dedicated hybrid transmission. Jaecoo quotes 0 to 62mph in 5.8 seconds and a 112mph top speed.

All three testers found it quick. Auto Express said the acceleration took its tester by surprise; Carwow said it will outsprint its rivals away from the traffic lights; Autotrader found it glides more like an electric car than a partly petrol-powered one.

The handling is weaker. Carwow’s testers found the body leans on twisting B-roads and the steering gives little feedback, and judged it less composed than a Hyundai Santa Fe or Volkswagen Tayron. Auto Express found the steering vague at speed and the ride fidgety on uneven surfaces, with noticeable tyre roar on the motorway. Autotrader described the ride as soft and relaxed. Jaecoo fits lockable differentials and an adaptive all-terrain mode, and quotes a 600 mm wading depth and 162 mm of ground clearance.

How far does the Jaecoo 8 go on electricity: WLTP versus real world?

The Jaecoo 8 has an official WLTP electric range of 83 miles from a 34.46 kWh battery. Jaecoo does not publish a separate usable battery figure. Carwow’s testers estimate about 70 miles on battery power alone, about 84% of the official figure.

With the 70-litre tank full as well, Jaecoo quotes a combined range of more than 700 miles. Carwow and Autotrader both put the realistic figure at more than 600 miles between stops.

Once the battery is flat, the car runs as a hybrid. Jaecoo’s specification sheet gives 50.5mpg combined in that state. Testers got close: Carwow reports about 45 to 50mpg with a discharged battery, and Auto Express averaged 43.5mpg over its last 31 miles in hybrid mode.

The official CO2 figure is worth checking if you are a company car driver. Jaecoo’s launch release gives 14 g/km, while its specification sheet lists 47 g/km. Either way, the car sits in the 1 to 50 g/km band that sets its tax.

If you are deciding between a plug-in hybrid and a fully electric car, our guide to electric versus hybrid running costs compares the two on UK prices.

How long does the Jaecoo 8 take to charge?

The Jaecoo 8 charges at up to 6.6 kW on AC, which takes about 5.5 hours from empty to full, and up to 70 kW on a DC rapid charger, where Jaecoo quotes about 20 minutes from 30 to 80%. Jaecoo does not publish a 10 to 80% time.

The DC rate compares with 40 kW in the smaller Jaecoo 7. Even so, rapid charging costs far more per mile than charging at home, as the table shows. The car also has vehicle-to-load at up to 6.6 kW, so it can power appliances or tools from its battery.

Jaecoo 8 charging	Figure
AC (home wallbox) maximum	6.6 kW
AC, 0 to 100%	about 5.5 hours (Jaecoo)
DC rapid maximum	70 kW
DC, 30 to 80%	about 20 minutes (Jaecoo)
Vehicle-to-load	6.6 kW
Full charge at home, 6.5p/kWh	£2.24
Full charge on the price cap, 26.32p/kWh	£9.07
Full charge on a rapid charger, 82p/kWh	£28.26

Charging costs are EV Compared calculations: the 34.46 kWh battery multiplied by the price per kWh, ignoring charging losses. The home rate is Intelligent Octopus Go’s 6.5p/kWh off-peak price, the price cap rate is Ofgem’s 26.32p/kWh for October to December 2026, and the rapid rate is Zapmap’s October 2026 average of 82p/kWh.

A 7 kW wallbox charges the car at its 6.6 kW limit, so Intelligent Octopus Go’s six-hour off-peak window, 23:30 to 05:30, covers a full charge. Best Chargers covers which home charger to fit.

What does the Jaecoo 8 cost to run?

On electricity, the Jaecoo 8 costs 2.7p per mile charged at home on a 6.5p/kWh off-peak tariff, 10.9p per mile on the standard price cap rate and 34.0p per mile on a public rapid charger, on our figures. Those are the full-charge costs above divided by the 83-mile WLTP electric range. Driving 8,000 electric miles a year at home would cost about £216 at 6.5p/kWh, or about £874 at the price cap rate. Our guide to what it costs to charge at home compares tariffs.

Vehicle tax. The first-year rate for a car emitting 1 to 50 g/km is £115. From the second year, the Jaecoo 8 pays the £200 standard rate plus the £440 expensive car supplement, because its list price is above £40,000. That is £640 a year for five years. The higher £50,000 threshold only applies to electric cars, so a plug-in hybrid does not benefit.

Company car tax. With 83 miles of electric range and CO2 in the 1 to 50 g/km band, the Jaecoo 8 falls in the 7% benefit-in-kind band for 2026/27, HMRC’s tables show. On the Luxury’s taxable list price of £45,330 (the £45,500 on-the-road price less first-year vehicle tax and the registration fee), that is a taxable benefit of £3,173 a year: about £53 a month for a 20% taxpayer and £106 a month for a 40% taxpayer, on our sums. From April 2028 the rate for plug-in hybrids in this band rises to 18%, which would lift the 40% taxpayer’s bill to about £272 a month on the same list price.

Insurance. No insurance group has been confirmed for the Jaecoo 8. Auto Express estimated around group 44, based on the related Chery Tiggo 9, which it said would cost more to insure than a Kia Sorento or Hyundai Santa Fe plug-in hybrid.

Servicing and warranty. The Jaecoo 8 has a 7-year or 100,000-mile warranty. Its 8-year or 100,000-mile battery cover only holds if the car is serviced within the Omoda and Jaecoo network to the maintenance schedule, and on the same condition Jaecoo includes RAC Home Start for the length of the warranty.

Is the Jaecoo 8 really a seven-seater? Boot, seats and dimensions

The Jaecoo 8 Luxury has seven seats and the Executive six, but the third row in both is best kept for children. Jaecoo itself describes the layouts as 5+2 and 4+2, and calls the rearmost pair foldable seats for occasional use.

Auto Express found the third row too small for adults and difficult to reach. Carwow called it nearly useless, and noted that access is harder in the Executive because its middle chairs do not move out of the way. Autotrader found headroom limited and said the row suits smaller children rather than teenagers or adults.

Jaecoo lists the boot at 200 litres with all three rows up and 738 litres with the third row folded. Auto Express and Carwow both quote 110 litres with every seat in use, and Auto Express gives 2,021 litres with the second and third rows folded. Autotrader found the boot decent with the third row down, but shallow.

Jaecoo 8 dimensions	Figure
Length	4,820 mm
Width (excluding mirrors)	1,930 mm
Height	1,710 mm
Wheelbase	2,820 mm
Turning circle	11.5 m
Braked towing limit	1,600 kg
Unbraked towing limit	750 kg

At 4,820 mm long and 1,930 mm wide, the Jaecoo 8 is a big car to park. Jaecoo fits a 540-degree camera to both trims, and Auto Express noted limited rear visibility. ISOFIX points are on the second row.

What the testers say

Auto Express gave the Jaecoo 8 3.5 out of 5 in Shane Wilkinson’s review of 29 April 2026. He praised the competitive price, the performance and the upmarket look. His conclusion was that it is better thought of as a huge four or five-seater than a true seven-seater, and he criticised the reliance on the touchscreen, the vague steering and some hollow-feeling surfaces.

Carwow reviewed it through Tom Wiltshire, with input from Mat Watson, in a review updated 20 July 2026. Its testers called it the best Jaecoo yet, but judged it a good car and a poor seven-seater. They estimated about 70 miles of electric range, found the six-seat Executive not worth the extra money, and noted wind noise at speed and a driver monitoring system fitted wonky on both test cars.

Autotrader gave it 3.5 out of 5 in Dan Trent’s review, updated 16 September 2026. He found it a lot of car for the money, but the driver aids intrusive: lane-keeping interventions, speed limit alerts and emergency braking triggered falsely by parked cars. He concluded that a Skoda Kodiaq or Hyundai Santa Fe looks the safer choice.

All three agree on the performance and the weak third row. These are their findings, not EV Compared’s; we have not driven the car.

Is the Jaecoo 8 safe and reliable? Euro NCAP, recalls and warranty

The Jaecoo 8 has no Euro NCAP rating: it had not been assessed as of August 2026, The Car Expert reported. Jaecoo fits eight airbags, including a centre airbag and a driver’s knee airbag, plus autonomous emergency braking, emergency lane keeping and adaptive cruise control with lane centring, and claims a suite of 20 driver assistance features.

To check whether a specific car has been recalled, enter its registration on the government recall checker.

There is no long-term reliability data, because the first UK cars were delivered in May 2026. Carwow called it far too soon to tell whether the car will be reliable and raised some build quality concerns. The warranty runs for 7 years or 100,000 miles on the car and 8 years or 100,000 miles on the battery, with the battery cover subject to the servicing condition above.

How does the Jaecoo 8 compare with its rivals?

The Jaecoo 8’s closest rival on price is its sister car, the five-seat Omoda 9 plug-in hybrid, which costs £44,995 and has a longer 90-mile electric range and a 660-litre boot. If you need a third row on a smaller budget, the seven-seat Chery Tiggo 8 costs £11,955 less, but has 56 miles of electric range and a 117-litre boot with seven seats up.

Model and trim	List price (Nov 2026)	Battery	Electric range (WLTP)	DC charging	Boot	Seats
Leapmotor B10 67.1 kWh (electric)	£32,495	67.1 kWh	270 miles	168 kW	430 litres	not listed
Omoda E5 Knight (electric)	£33,065	61 kWh	267 miles	130 kW	370 litres	5
Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid Aspire (plug-in hybrid)	£33,545	18.4 kWh	56 miles	40 kW	117 litres	7
Jaecoo 7 Luxury SHS-P (plug-in hybrid)	£35,170	18.3 kWh	56 miles	40 kW	500 litres	5
Leapmotor C10 69.9 kWh (electric)	£36,500	69.9 kWh	263 miles	84 kW	485 litres	not listed
Omoda 9 SHS-P (plug-in hybrid)	£44,995	35.36 kWh	90 miles	70 kW	660 litres	5
Jaecoo 8 Luxury SHS-P (plug-in hybrid)	£45,500	34.46 kWh	83 miles	70 kW	200 litres	7
Jaecoo 8 Executive SHS-P (plug-in hybrid)	£47,500	34.46 kWh	83 miles	70 kW	200 litres	6

Boot figures are each maker’s quoted figure with all seats in use, and battery figures are gross capacity. The smaller Jaecoo 7 is a five-seat, front-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid with an 18.3 kWh battery, and costs £10,330 less than the Jaecoo 8 Luxury.

The Omoda 9 is quicker, at 4.9 seconds to 62mph, and has more electric range and boot space, but only five seats. The Jaecoo 8 makes sense in this group only if you need the occasional third row and want more power and electric range than the Tiggo 8 offers; our Chery Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 review covers that car in full.

Should you go fully electric instead?

If you can charge at home and rarely need a third row, a fully electric SUV costs much less to buy and to run. The Omoda E5 costs £33,065 with 267 miles of range and runs at 1.4p per mile on a 6.5p/kWh home tariff, on our figures. The Leapmotor C10 costs £36,500 with 263 miles of range at 1.7p per mile, and the Leapmotor B10 £32,495 with 270 miles at 1.6p per mile. The Jaecoo 8 costs 2.7p per mile on electricity at the same tariff, and more once the petrol engine takes over.

An electric car also pays less company car tax: 4% in 2026/27 against the Jaecoo 8’s 7%, and the gap widens in April 2028 when the Jaecoo 8’s band moves to 18%. Electric cars that meet the government’s conditions can also get the Electric Car Grant; no plug-in hybrid can.

The Jaecoo 8 makes more sense than an electric car if you tow up to 1,600 kg, regularly drive long distances where you cannot charge, or need the extra pair of seats now and then. None of the electric cars above has seven seats.

Should you buy a Jaecoo 8?

Buy a Jaecoo 8 if you want a large, fast and generously equipped plug-in hybrid for four or five people, can charge at home every night, and will keep the car for most of its 7-year warranty. On those terms its 83 miles of electric range keeps most daily driving on electricity at 2.7p a mile, and Carwow’s testers rated it the best Jaecoo yet.

Do not buy one if you need seven adult seats or a usable boot with every seat in place: all three testers found the third row fit for children only, and with every seat up the boot is between 110 and 200 litres, depending on whose figure you use. Look elsewhere too if you rarely plug in, want sharp handling, or plan to sell within three years, because the car has no UK resale record yet. For a company car driver, the 7% benefit-in-kind rate is attractive now, but the move to 18% in April 2028 makes a fully electric SUV the safer long-term choice.

Our verdict rests on published data and the named reviews above: the Jaecoo 8 is a good large plug-in hybrid at a fair price, and a weak seven-seater.