Lepas L8 Super Hybrid arrives in the UAE, from Dh1,886 a month

Lepas, the newer brand from China's Chery group, has added a plug-in hybrid to its biggest SUV in the UAE. Al Ghurair Mobility, which sells the brand here, lists the L8 Super Hybrid from Dh1,886 a month on its own offers page, next to the petrol L8 from Dh1,533 a month.

The motoring site ArabWheels, which reported the launch on 28 October, puts the L8 range at Dh140,000 to Dh150,000 in the UAE. Al Ghurair Mobility's own pages show monthly prices only, so check the full price with a showroom before you decide.

According to ArabWheels, the Super Hybrid pairs a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine with a hybrid gearbox, for 342 horsepower and 525Nm sent to the front wheels. An 18.4kWh battery gives an official electric-only range of 90km, which covers most daily school and office runs in Dubai without using petrol. The petrol L8 keeps a 1.6-litre turbo with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

The L8 is a mid-size SUV on a 2,800mm wheelbase. The dealer lists a two-tone cabin, a 13.2-inch central screen, dual-zone climate control, a Sony sound system, six airbags, a 540-degree camera view and rear cross-traffic alert. ArabWheels says the car competes on price and equipment with family SUVs such as the Toyota RAV4 and Kia Sportage.

Lepas opened a showroom in Deira on 29 August, alongside Al Ghurair Mobility's existing facility in Al Quoz, and the L8 and the smaller L4 are on display there.

The launch offer applies to the first 100 customers, according to the dealer: one year of free insurance, three years of free servicing, seven years of roadside assistance and free window tinting. The L8 Super Hybrid also carries a 10-year or 1,000,000km engine warranty, a seven-year or 200,000km vehicle warranty and an eight-year battery warranty. Terms apply, and test drives can be booked on lepasuae.com.