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The latest SUV offering from the Chinese manufacturer Jaecoo will sport three rows, plug-in hybrid power, and nearly 400kW.
Jaecoo Australia will now offer a seven-seater option to its existing J8 nameplate with the announcement of the J8 Super Hybrid System (SHS) to head Down Under in the coming months.
The vehicle is confirmed to go on sale here in Q3 of 2026. While local specifications have not been announced, international specifications boast 395kW/650Nm from the 1.5-litre turbo three-motor plug-in hybrid system.
“Our customers have been asking for a seven-seat SUV and we’re more than happy to meet their demands with the compelling J8 SHS,” said Omoda Jaecoo Australia chief commercial officer Roy Munoz.
Further specifications likely to be shared with the existing Omoda 9 include the 34kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery with a claimed electric-only range of 145km WLTP.
The Jaecoo J8 SHS powertrain is also expected to share the Omoda 9's maximum DC charge rate of 70kW for a 30 to 80 per cent time of 35 minutes, or a 6.6kW wall charger 30 to 100 per cent time of 5.5 hours.
Grades are also yet to be announced, although the petrol-only existing J8 comes in a Track base variant and Summit flagship with additions of a sunroof, premium material interior, and other small changes.
However, the main changes between the two existing trims are the addition of all-wheel drive over front-wheel-drive Summit, which is not a choice for the current Omoda 9.
Early images show off a similar interior to what is currently offered for the J8 petrol, meaning a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, 12.3-inch instrument cluster, wireless phone charging, leather-like material, and coloured ambient lighting.
Omoda, Jaecoo, and Chery all sit under the Chery Group family tree, meaning the cars often share a lot with each other, but the J8 has a few key differences from the existing Omoda 9.
Namely, the addition of the third row in the J8 SHS, different exterior styling, and a different interior grading, although early looks at the vehicle appear to share a lot of similar design language.
It follows the initial plan to sell the three brands side by side with each other – Chery as the affordable entry, Jaecoo as the more “rugged” luxury offering, and Omoda as the modernised city SUV brand.
Pricing will likely sit between the existing J8 Summit for $54,990 drive-away, and the Omoda 9 for $61,990 plus-on road costs.
Any price below $60,000 plus-on road costs means the J8 will beat the Zeekr 7X performance for second spot of power per dollar, with the top spot currently taken by the 553kW MG IM5/6 at $141.03/kW.
Further information will be released regarding the Jaecoo J8 SHS closer to its Q3 launch date.
Zane Dobie comes from a background of motorcycle journalism, working for notable titles such as Australian Motorcycle News Magazine, Just Bikes and BikeReview. Despite his fresh age, Zane brings a lifetime of racing and hands-on experience. His passion now resides on four wheels as an avid car collector, restorer, drift car pilot and weekend go-kart racer.
