A new contender in the luxury MPV segment could be making its appearance in the Philippines soon. The GAC E8 HEV was first previewed at the 2026 Manila International Auto Show, although not many details were revealed about it, as the spotlight was more focused on the launch of the GS8 HEV.
However, the Land Transportation Office has recently published homologation papers for the hybrid luxury MPV. The E8 listed on the papers is confirmed to be the hybrid model, not the plug-in hybrid seen in China. Additionally, according to the Department of Energy’s list of recognized EVs, the E8 HEV could arrive in the country with two variants: GL and GX.
The E8 HEV has a seven-seat layout. It measures 4,920mm long, 1,928mm wide, and 1,760mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,930mm. It’s powered by a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle engine paired with an electric motor. The engine produces 138hp and 180Nm of torque, while the electric motor delivers an additional 180hp and 300Nm.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
First impressions: The 2026 Mitsubishi XForce GLX is the base variant we needed from the start
Hot gear: The new Samsung Galaxy A27 5G will drop with an P18,990 starting price
Range has not been specified, but with an average fuel consumption of 17.9km/L and a 60-liter fuel tank, we can expect around 1,074km of range when driving in mixed conditions.
Other features include PVC leather seats, dual-zone climate control, an electric sunroof, a 14.6-inch touchscreen display, seven USB ports, a 360-degree panoramic parking camera, and third-row seats with ‘tea break’ mode, which flips the rearmost seats to face the back of the van with the tailgate open, used for picnics or lounging outdoors.
The higher-spec GX variant comes with advanced driver-assist systems such as adaptive cruise control, traffic-jam assist, automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, and high-beam assist.
GAC Motor Philippines has not announced the E8 HEV’s official launch yet. So, we’ll have to wait a bit before we get confirmation on the variants and their prices. What do you think of the E8 HEV? Do you think it could be competitive with the Kia Carnival Turbo Hybrid, the Toyota Alphard HEV, or the Denza D9?
