Verdict
At RM178,800, the Omoda Jaecoo J8 is only RM3,800 dearer than the RM175,000 smart #3, but they feel aimed at different habits. The J8 is the bigger D-segment petrol SUV, 4,820 mm long with a 2.0 litre turbo making 246 hp and 385 Nm, plus more rear climate control hardware. The smart #3 is the sharper sprinter: one rear motor, 268 hp, 343 Nm and 0-100 km/h in 5.8 seconds, while its 370-litre boot beats the J8’s 200 litres.
Pick the Omoda Jaecoo J8 if you want the larger D-segment SUV, petrol refuelling, more climate-control kit and a 7-year/150,000 km manufacturer warranty.
Pick the smart #3 if you want EV shove, rear-wheel drive, a bigger boot, lower RM260 road tax and 325 km of range.
Key differences
- Powertrain: Omoda Jaecoo J8 has a 1,998 cc turbo petrol with 246 hp/385 Nm; smart #3 has one electric motor with 268 hp/343 Nm.
- Acceleration: Omoda Jaecoo J8 does 0-100 km/h in 9.0 seconds; smart #3 does it in 5.8 seconds.
- Size: Omoda Jaecoo J8 measures 4,820/1,930/1,699 mm; smart #3 measures 4,400/1,844/1,556 mm.
- Boot space: Omoda Jaecoo J8 has 200 litres; smart #3 has 370 litres.
- Energy: Omoda Jaecoo J8 has a 65-litre petrol tank; smart #3 has a 49 kWh LFP battery and 325 km EV range.
- Road tax: Omoda Jaecoo J8 is RM439 a year; smart #3 is RM260 a year.
J8
- Larger D-segment body: 4,820 mm long and 1,930 mm wide
- Higher torque figure: 385 Nm versus 343 Nm
- Dual-zone front and rear climate control, plus head-up display
- Much slower to 100 km/h: 9.0 seconds versus 5.8 seconds
- Smaller boot: 200 litres versus 370 litres
- Higher road tax: RM439 versus RM260
#3
- Quicker 0-100 km/h time: 5.8 seconds versus 9.0 seconds
- 370-litre boot beats the J8’s 200 litres
- 22 kW AC and 150 kW DC charging
- Single-zone front climate control versus the J8’s dual-zone setup
- No head-up display; the J8 has one
- Lower top speed: 180 km/h versus 200 km/h
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM 178,800 | RM 175,000✓ |
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Segment | D-Segment | C-Segment |
| Assembly | CKD | CBU |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve DOHC with direct fuel injection, turbocharger and variable valve timing | — |
| Capacity | 1,998 cc | — |
| Horsepower | 246 hp | — |
| Torque | 385 Nm | — |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline | — |
| Timing Type | Chain | — |
| Fuel | Petrol | Electric |
| Compression Ratio | 9.5 | — |
| Number of Motors | — | 1 |
| Motor Horsepower | — | 268 hp |
| Motor Torque | — | 343 Nm |
| Battery Type | — | Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) |
| Battery Capacity | — | 49 kWh |
| EV Range | — | 325 km |
| Charger Type (AC) | — | Type 2 |
| Charging Rate (AC) | — | 22 kW |
| Charger Type (DC) | — | CCS |
| Charging Rate (DC) | — | 150 kW |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Single Ratio Automatic |
| Transmission Name | 8-speed Automatic | — |
| Gears | 8 | — |
| Driveline | Front Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 9 seconds | 5.8 seconds✓ |
| Top Speed | 200 km/h✓ | 180 km/h |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,820 mm | 4,400 mm |
| Width | 1,930 mm | 1,844 mm |
| Height | 1,699 mm | 1,556 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,820 mm | 2,785 mm |
| Weight | 1,892 kg | — |
| Fuel Tank | 65 litres | — |
| Doors | 5 | 5 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 200 litres | 370 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 245/50R20 | 245/45R19 |
| Rear Tyre | 245/50R20 | 245/45R19 |
| Spare Tyre | Full Size Spare | — |
| Factory Tyres | Maxxis Victra Sport 5 SUV | Dunlop SP Sport Maxx 060 |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Malaysia (CKD) | China (CBU) |
| Chassis | Unibody | Unibody |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Struts | MacPherson Struts |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-link |
| Front Wheels | 20" Alloys | 19" Flux Alloy Wheels |
| Rear Wheels | 20" Alloys | 19" Flux Alloy Wheels |
| Front Brakes | Ventilated Discs | Ventilated Discs |
| Rear Brakes | Solid Discs | Solid Discs |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver & Front Passenger, Front Side and Rear Curtain Airbags | Driver & Front Passenger, Side Airbags, Curtain Airbags and Driver's Knee Airbag |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Electronic for Rear Doors | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 5 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available For Second Row Seats | Available On Front Passenger Seat, Rear Outer Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, Front and Rear |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projectors | LED Reflector with Manual Levelling |
| Taillamps | Full LED | LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Driver & Front Passenger Powered Seats | Driver and Passenger Powered Seats |
| Rear Seats | 60:40 Split-folding and Reclining | 60:40 Split-folding |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Rear AC Vents |
| Sunroof | Panoramic Sunroof | Panoramic Glass Roof |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 1 Wireless Charger, 2 USB Front, 2 USB Rear | 1 Front, 2 USB-C Front, 2 USB-C Rear, 1 Wireless Charger |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights, Ambient Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Second Row, 2 Third Row | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | Panoramic Glass Shade, Rear Window Shades | Manual Sunshade for Glass Roof |
| Audio | 12.3-inch Touchscreen with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 12-Speaker Sony Sound System | 12.8" Touchscreen with Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless (Depress Brake Pedal) |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | — |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | — |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | — |
| Boot Operation | Powered Boot | Yes, Powered |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, 360-degree View Monitor | Yes, With 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | Yes | Yes |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | — |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | 150,000 km | Unlimited✓ |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 7 years✓ | 4 years |
| Warranty Notes | — | 8-year/200,000 km Battery Warranty |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM 439 | RM 260✓ |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
J8 vs #3 FAQ
Is the Omoda Jaecoo J8 or smart #3 better?
For family-SUV size and petrol use, take the Omoda Jaecoo J8. For pace, EV running and boot space, the smart #3 is better: it is 3.2 seconds quicker to 100 km/h and has 370 litres of boot space.
What is the price difference?
The Omoda Jaecoo J8 costs RM3,800 more. The gap is small beside the mechanical split: petrol front-wheel drive with an 8-speed automatic versus a rear-wheel-drive EV with 325 km range.
Which one has more boot space?
The smart #3 has the larger boot at 370 litres. The Omoda Jaecoo J8 is the bigger SUV outside, but its listed boot space is only 200 litres.