A Chinese SUV Lifted Its Wheels Off The Ground In Sepang, The Journalists Were Driving

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The invitation said off-road experience.

The safety briefing said at least two of the four obstacles would put one or two wheels in the air.

Jaecoo Malaysia held a closed media drive for the J8 at Sepang Bay 13 on Saturday (12 Sep), giving journalists direct access to an off-road course designed to demonstrate the vehicle’s chassis technology under load.

The course was not a gravel car park.

It was divided into named stages, including Log Run and Elephant Steps.

The terrain included standing water deep enough to reach the lower body panels, dense jungle and palm oil plantation trail with canopy overhead, loose red laterite soil, and articulation obstacles that visibly compressed the suspension on the uphill wheel while the downhill side extended.

Elephant Steps, by its geometry, is the kind of obstacle that separates a wheel from the ground.

The terrain was the argument — four obstacles, at least two lifted a wheel, and the vehicle was composed throughout.

At the end of the session, Jaecoo issued each participating journalist a Certificate of Appreciation under its J-Club Malaysia programme.

Before the Mud, the Spec Sheet

In Malaysia, the Jaecoo J8 is officially priced between RM178,800 for the 2WD 5-seater variant and RM198,800 for the flagship AWD 6-seater variant.

It runs a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine producing 183 kW and 385 Nm of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission, available in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations.

The vehicle’s standout feature is an advanced power-steering system for the back wheels, which automatically shifts power between the left and right rear tires to help the car turn more smoothly and stay stable

It can send all of its rear power to just one wheel if needed—a high-tech feature usually found only in expensive European luxury sports cars.

A Continuously Damping Control adaptive suspension system adjusts damper stiffness in real time based on body sensors, road input, and selected drive mode.

The J8 offers seven drive modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, Snow, Mud, Sand, and Off-Road.

When you turn on off-road mode, the car manages its power to give you better control, while adjusting the gas pedal and tire grip to keep you from sliding on dirt, mud, or bumpy roads.

The approach angle of 25 degrees means the front won’t scrape when climbing a steep ledge, the departure angle of 30 degrees means the rear won’t drag when coming back down, and the 600mm wading depth means it can drive through floodwater roughly as deep as an adult’s knee.

What It Does on the Way Out, and What It Offers on the Way In

During the briefing, the event instructor noted that the torque vectoring system would manage wheel-lift situations automatically.

You just accelerate a bit and it quickly adjusts the torque among the four wheels and you can just come out.

The 0 to 100 km/h figure is 9 seconds; top speed is 200 km/h.

Fuel consumption is rated at 8.1 litres per 100 km under Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) — a internationally standardised test protocol designed to reflect real-world driving conditions more accurately than older testing methods.

The interior includes a Queen’s Seat for the front passenger with an extended leg rest, massage function, and a rear boss button.

The All-Wheel Drive (AWD) variant adds a 14-speaker Sony surround sound system, with dedicated speakers integrated directly into the driver’s headrest.

The suspension offers three manual settings — soft, medium, and firm — alongside an automatic mode.

Boot capacity runs from 110 litres with all three rows occupied to 2,201 litres with both rear rows folded flat.

The J8 carries a seven-year, 150,000 km warranty.