TRIED AND TESTED
Lepas L8
Lepas, the latest brand from Chinese manufacturer Chery, launches with the new L8. By Pete Tullin.
TRIED AND TESTED
Lepas L8
Lepas, the latest brand from Chinese manufacturer Chery, launches with the new L8. By Pete Tullin.
Lepas has confirmed its highly specified L8 SUV will be available as an all-electric variant next year, but for now, a plug-in hybrid powertrain is the sole motivator.
Employing a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, allied to an electric motor and a rather modestly sized 18.4kWh battery, it offers strong performance but is only capable of traveling solely on electric power for up to 56 miles.
Reflecting a growing trend in hybrid transmission technology, the L8 conveys its power to its front wheels via a single gear. With super-intelligent software deciding whether to utilise the electric motor alone to drive the front wheels, while employing the petrol engine to either recharge the battery, or sync the two power supplies together to maximise performance, the upshot is a seamless, EV-like delivery with none of the gearshift pauses or jerkiness associated with more traditional transmissions.
This linear performance, along with superb engine noise, harshness and vibration exclusion, ensures everything is so well isolated, you’ll need to listen intently to identify any driveline signature whatsoever. Given this splendid isolation, it seems even more incongruous that the artificial sound chosen to warn pedestrians of your approach is akin to the screech of worn-out brake pads.
Although Lepas claims the L8 has been tuned to appeal to European drivers, it falls well short of the dynamic prowess of rivals such as the Volkswagen Tiguan. Body control issues and a choppy ride over anything less than perfect surfaces mar the overall driving experience.
Throw into the mix a steering wheel that offers only a distant, muted connection to the front wheels, and front tyres that break traction at the merest whiff of an enthusiastic accelerator, and it's clear more work needs to be done in honing the car to align more with the expectations of UK fleets.
Inside, most of the materials are softly padded and feature some subtle highlights to lift the cabin’s overall ambience but the sight of a pair of flat screens plonked on the dash with very little thought to integration, does present the driver with a rather prosaic appearance.
As for usability, the infotainment screen responds swiftly and the icons are big enough to hit on the move, although we did find it quite a head scratcher trying to swap between the home screen display and our Apple CarPlay menus, without recourse to voice command.
One ‘wow’ feature is the advanced auto parking, which allows you to move an outline of the vehicle on the screen into the position where you want to alight, then leaving the autonomous software to take care of the manoeuvre. As with all these party piece parking systems however, you could always do it quicker yourself.
More positively, rear passengers are treated to limo-like legroom, a completely flat floor and a two-position reclining rear back rest, so if you’re the steward of a couple of gangly teenagers, this pacifying feature alone may be enough to swing the balance in the L8’s favour.
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VERDICT
Chery's new venture enters the market with a hybrid that prioritises mechanical refinement over road manners. While the single-speed drivetrain offers smooth acceleration and impressive cabin insulation, it lacks the composure found in many competitors, meaning its true strength rests in comfort and space rather than its driving dynamics.
