JETOUR, SOUEAST Put Three Hybrid SUVs Through Their Paces at Beijing Auto Show Media Drive

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — International media representatives got behind the wheel of three new hybrid SUVs from Chinese automakers JETOUR and SOUEAST at the sidelines of the 2026 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, as the brands made a push to showcase their electrified lineup to a global audience.

The test drive, held April 23 at Haidian Airport on the outskirts of the Chinese capital, featured the G700 all-terrain off-road SUV, the T2 i-DM travel hybrid and the SOUEAST S08 DM seven-seat family SUV — three models that form the core of what both brands are calling their "Travel+" strategy.

Journalists from markets across five continents cycled through the vehicles in groups throughout the day, putting each model through acceleration runs, handling assessments and emergency braking sequences. All three vehicles completed the evaluations without incident, with testers noting consistent chassis behavior, composed suspension tuning and well-calibrated electronic driver assistance systems.

On sections featuring sharp gradients and hard braking, the vehicles maintained stable system operation across the board, confirming a high level of safety and comfort for both driver and passengers — a result the automakers said validated the engineering foundation underpinning their hybrid platform.

G700: Off-Road Ambitions, Luxury Execution

The flagship of the lineup, the G700, is positioned as an all-terrain premium hybrid off-road SUV and carries the most overtly adventurous brief of the three. Its exterior was penned by a former Land Rover chief designer, with proportions drawn from the Himalayas — a design brief that translates into a commanding 5,198mm-long body on a 2,870mm wheelbase.

Under the hood, the G700 pairs a 2.0TD engine with a longitudinal two-speed hybrid transmission and a two-speed P4 electric motor. Total system output reaches 665 kW with 1,135 N·m of torque — numbers that translate to a 0–100 km/h sprint of 4.6 seconds, unusual performance for a vehicle tipping the scales at its dimensions. Wading depth is rated at 970mm.

The G700 is built on JETOUR's GAIA Architecture — a platform integrating the brand's iDM-O hybrid drivetrain, purpose-built off-road chassis and body structure — and comes standard with three locking differentials, a feature typically reserved for dedicated off-road hardware. The system monitors vehicle status 100 times per second, with an industry-exclusive automatic cross-axle mode that simplifies off-road operation for less experienced drivers.

A 34.13 kWh CATL battery powers the electric side of the drivetrain, while fuel consumption under depleted charge conditions is rated at 8.8 liters per 100 km. The battery is IP68-rated and has completed 16 consecutive high-power climbs in desert conditions without power degradation, according to the manufacturer.

Inside, the G700 deploys a Lexicon audio system co-engineered with Rolls-Royce — an 18-speaker, 900W setup — alongside a 35.4-inch digital instrument display, a 17.3-inch second-row entertainment screen and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8255-powered infotainment platform. Second-row passengers benefit from a 1,498mm hip room measurement and seats that recline to 145 degrees. The vehicle also supports 6.6 kW of vehicle-to-load power output and can tow up to 2.5 tonnes.

T2 i-DM: The Expedition-Ready Middle Ground

The T2 i-DM occupies the center of the JETOUR range, slotting between urban commuter and serious off-road capable. Marketed under the slogan "Think Future," the vehicle is built on JETOUR's C-DM high-efficiency hybrid system — a fifth-generation 1.5 TGDI hybrid-specific engine paired with a three-speed DHT transmission.

In combined output, the system produces 280 kW and 610 N·m. The high-specification variant carries a 26.7 kWh CATL battery delivering a claimed NEDC pure electric range of 139 km, with a combined fuel consumption of 0.8 liters per 100 km in dual-energy mode — figures that position the T2 i-DM among the more efficient offerings in the hybrid SUV segment. Combined range in dual-energy form exceeds 1,000 km.

At 4,785mm long with a 2,800mm wheelbase, the T2 i-DM is built large. Ground clearance of 220mm, an approach angle of 28 degrees, a departure angle of 30 degrees and a 700mm wading depth give it meaningful off-road credentials without crossing into the specialized territory of the G700.

The cabin features a 540-degree panoramic camera system — combining conventional 360-degree surround view with a 180-degree transparent underbody view — JETOUR's XWD fully automatic four-wheel drive system with a "7+X" driving mode suite, and a Snapdragon 8155 processor running a 15.6-inch central display. Up to 50 storage spaces are distributed throughout the interior. The body structure achieves 31,000 N·m per degree of torsional stiffness, with high-strength steel accounting for 80% of the body composition.

S08 DM: Family Practicality Meets Hybrid Efficiency

SOUEAST's entry in the test drive, the S08 DM, takes a different approach — one built around family functionality rather than off-road performance. The brand, established in 1995 and operating internationally since 2004, positions the S08 DM as a "Motorsuite" — its seven-seat layout and premium interior execution aimed squarely at families in the 30-to-40-year demographic.

The S08 DM shares the same 1.5TD hybrid-dedicated engine with a 1DHT transmission found across the platform, producing 255 kW and 525 N·m. An 18.4 kWh CATL battery delivers 89 km of WLTC pure electric range, or 108 km on the NEDC cycle. The 60–100 km/h overtaking increment is completed in 4.1 seconds.

At 4,810mm long on a 2,820mm wheelbase, the S08 DM offers generous interior volume. Second-row legroom is measured at 1,006mm, with 1,451mm of shoulder room. The seats offer four preset scene modes — Home Bed, Driver Bed, Travel Pallet and Parking Sofa — across 32 flexible configurations, all power-adjustable. A rear seat table rated to 30 kg load capacity and a 6.4-liter cooled and heated armrest refrigerator round out the passenger comfort package.

Technology features include a 15.6-inch tilting central screen with 10-degree intelligent swivel, Snapdragon 8155 processing, 50W wireless charging and a 12-speaker surround sound system. Safety is underpinned by a body constructed with 86% high-strength steel and 21% hot-formed steel achieving 25,000 N·m per degree of torsional stiffness, six airbags as standard, and a full L2 driver assistance suite including forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot detection and lane centering control.

"Travel+" and Global Expansion

The test drive was one component of a broader program organized around Auto China 2026, running 24 April to 3 May at the China International Exhibition Center. JETOUR used the event to formally unveil its "Travel+" strategy — a framework positioning the brand's product lineup across light off-road (JETOUR), urban mobility (SOUEAST) and premium off-road (G Series) segments.

The three-model test drive roster represents the first time JETOUR and SOUEAST have jointly showcased their lineups to international media at scale, with more than 200 journalists and content creators from across five continents in attendance for the wider event program.

JETOUR reported cumulative global sales of 2,269,536 units as of the end of March 2026, making it the only automotive brand globally to cross the two-million unit threshold within seven years of founding, according to company data. The brand currently operates more than 2,000 sales and service outlets worldwide, with a presence across the Middle East, Central and South America, Africa, Southeast Asia and the CIS region, as well as expansion into regulated markets including Europe, Australia and New Zealand.