Lepas L8: What You Need to Know About the New Plug-in Hybrid SUV

If you've seen the name Lepas and wondered who they are, you're not alone. The brand only launched in the UK this year, and the L8 SUV is its first car here. We've now got a special lease offer on the L8 Elevate, so we thought it was worth explaining what the car actually is before you look at the numbers.

Who is Lepas?

Lepas is part of Chery Group, one of China's biggest car makers. Chery already sells cars in the UK under the Omoda and Jaecoo names, and you may have seen the Jaecoo 7 on UK roads. Lepas sits slightly above those two, aimed at people who want a bit more comfort and equipment for their money.

What is the L8?

The L8 is a large five door SUV. It's a similar size to cars like the Skoda Kodiaq, Kia Sorento and Toyota RAV4, and it's built with families in mind. There's plenty of space in the back seats and a 507 litre boot.

Every L8 is a plug-in hybrid. That means it pairs a 1.5 litre turbo petrol engine with an 18.4kWh battery and electric motor. Between them they produce 279bhp, which gets the L8 from 0 to 62mph in 7.9 seconds.

How far can it go on electric?

The official figure is up to 56 miles on battery power alone. That's a lot better than most plug-in hybrids from a few years ago, and it covers the average UK commute with room to spare. If you charge at home overnight, there's a good chance most of your weekday miles will be electric.

On longer trips the petrol engine does the work, and Lepas quotes a combined range of up to 745 miles. The L8 also supports DC rapid charging, which takes the battery from 30% to 80% in around 20 minutes. That's unusual for a plug-in hybrid and handy if you don't have a charger at home.

Essence or Elevate?

There are two versions. The Essence starts the range and still comes with a lot of kit, including 19 inch alloys, a panoramic sunroof and a 13 inch touchscreen.

The Elevate, which is the one on offer, costs £37,900 to buy outright and adds:

• 20 inch alloy wheels
• Front seats that are heated, cooled and have a massage function
• Hands-free powered tailgate
• Heated windscreen
• Sony eight-speaker sound system
• 540 degree camera and remote parking assist
• Acoustic glass on the front windows to keep road noise down
• Ambient lighting and a built-in fragrance system

Anything we'd flag?

No car is perfect, and we'd rather you hear it from us. Early reviews have said the touchscreen menus take some getting used to and some of the interior plastics don't feel as plush as the rest of the cabin. The steering is light rather than sporty. For most people buying a family SUV, none of that is a deal breaker, but it's worth booking a test drive at a dealer if you can.

On the plus side, Lepas backs the L8 with a 7 year or 100,000 mile warranty, and the battery is covered for 8 years or 100,000 miles. On a three year lease, you're covered for the whole time you have the car.

What does it cost to lease?

We have a limited number of L8 Elevates in stock with a special offer price. Based on a 36 month lease with 12 months upfront and 5,000 miles a year:

• Personal lease: £315.57 per month inc VAT, with an initial payment of £3,786.84
• Business lease: £262.97 per month ex VAT, with an initial payment of £3,155.64

You can change the upfront payment, contract length and mileage on the deal pages to see a price that suits you. Delivery to your door is included anywhere in mainland UK.

For company car drivers, the low CO2 and 56 mile electric range put the L8 in a far lower benefit in kind band than a petrol or diesel SUV of the same size. If you'd like the exact figure for your tax bracket, give us a ring and we'll work it out for you.