Jaecoo J8 AWD – Premium Off-Road SUV Tested at Sepang Bay 13!

In case you missed it, Omoda Jaecoo Malaysia (O&J Malaysia) recently launched its much-awaited flagship premium SUV, the Jaecoo J8. And just like its smaller sibling, the new J8 is billed as a premium luxury SUV that boasts some decent off-roading prowess.

We were recently invited to test out the off-road prowess of the newly-launched Jaecoo J8 AWD premium three-row SUV.

To test this out, we were recently invited by O&J Malaysia to the Sepang Bay 13 Off-Road Ranch to test out the off-road capabilities of the J8, particularly its flagship AWD variant.

So here’s how the Jaecoo J8 AWD fares against the gruelling off-road course at Sepang Bay 13…

THE CAR

Just like the smaller J7, the new J8 AWD underpins Chery’s proprietary T1X architecture, which is a modular platform designed with off-road capabilities and practicality in mind, drawing the automaker’s knowledge from being the contract assembler for the renowned off-road SUV brand, Land Rover.

The off-road capabilities stem from the platform’s design emphasis on tall ride height and decent approach, departure, and breakaway angles, with the J8 AWD in question boasting a decent approach angle of 30 degrees and water-wading depths of up to 450 mm.

Beneath the J8’s hood lies a familiar 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbocharged petrol engine rated at 245 HP and 385 NM, which is then mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission sourced from Aisin—the same powertrain setup used on its Omoda-badged twin, the Omoda C9.

Unlike the C9, however, the J8 AWD not only benefits from the automaker’s Continuous Damping Control (CDC) active damper tech with independent suspensions but also its proprietary all-wheel drive (AWD) system and torque vectoring control, with the latter allowing power to be sent to each individual wheel for better traction. Additionally, seven driving modes are available at the driver’s disposal, including Mud, Sand, Snow, and Off-Road.

On paper, it seems that this seemingly premium SUV boasts some decent off-road capabilities, but how does it truly fare in the field?

THE CHALLENGE

For this exercise, we’ve been tasked with six obstacles, all of which are designed to put the J8 AWD’s capabilities to the test. 

Obstacle 1: Rock Crawl

The course started with Rock Crawl, where it was intended to test out the slow-speed torque management and underbody clearance. Once we put the J8 AWD in the dedicated Off-Road driving mode, the SUV crawled through the rocky surfaces with ease, and passenger comfort was also quite decent—a testament to the J8 AWD’s decent torque vectoring control and CDC tech.

Obstacle 2: Side Slope

The next course was the Side Slope, and we were required to drive the J8 AWD through a one-sided hill slope. This obstacle was designed to demonstrate the lateral stability and body control of the J8 AWD, even with uneven traction and terrain surface. And again, the J8 AWD passed through this obstacle with no hurdle, thanks to its quick torque vectoring control, as well as both the electronic and roll stability controls.

Obstacle 3: Log Run

The exercise continued with the next obstacle, which was the Log Run. And as its name suggests, this obstacle simulated uneven terrain to highlight ride comfort and grip. To our surprise, the J8 AWD cruised through the Log Run almost effortlessly, and the ride was also surprisingly smooth throughout the course—and the J8 AWD’s CDC setup and torque vectoring control again shined.

Obstacle 4: Big Hill

We then continued the challenge with the Big Hill course, where the J8 AWD was required to climb up and down a steep hill to test its stable power delivery and hill-descent control. While the climbing process was done effortlessly, again thanks to its decent powertrain and AWD setup, as well as decent approach angle, we were asked to go downhill solely using the Hill Descent Control (HDC) function.

Counter-intuitively, we went downhill without applying the brakes, and the HDC system took over the control, and the J8 AWD glided down the hill in a surprisingly impressive and effortless manner.

Obstacle 5: Elephant Steps

Next in line was the Elephant Steps, and this was where the J8 AWD’s sturdy frames and axle articulation were put to the test. We crawled through the staggered steps in a smooth manner, and thanks to its torque vectoring control, there was still some traction even when the car was literally standing on two wheels.

Obstacle 6: Water Wading

The last obstacle, and perhaps the most dramatic one of the lot, was the Water Wading test. And to no one’s surprise, the J8 AWD cruised through the shallow water pool effortlessly, not only thanks to its decent ride height but also its high intake design and sealed underbody components, allowing it to be driven through water.

VERDICT

Despite its premium look, luxurious innards, and conventional unibody chassis setup, the Jaecoo J8 AWD proved to be quite a capable off-roader, which is evident in how easy and effortless it drives through all those obstacles at Sepang Bay 13 Off-Road Ranch.

Although we knew that most of its owners won’t dare to take their J8s for off-roading activities, we’d reckon that it is good to know the capabilities that this capable off-roader harnesses, and perhaps this could be a viable excuse for them to take their beloved SUVs onto the roads less travelled.

Proudly assembled (CKD) at Chery Corporate Malaysia’s Shah Alam facility, the all-new Jaecoo J8 SUV retails from RM178,800 for the baseline 2WD guise, whereas the top-spec AWD variant we tested is priced higher at RM198,800.

Included with said prices is the standard 7-year or 150,000 KM warranty, while early early bird buyers who placed bookings before July 21 and registered it by the third quarter (Q3) gain an upgraded 10-year, unlimited mileage engine warranty plus entry to an exclusive off-road driving experience.