Sailing the New V8X: How a Five-Seat SUV Stays Afloat

Not a Smaller Boat, a Different Cabin

When Wey launched the V8X on August 14, it wasn't just another SUV. It's a five-seat version of the six-seat V9X, built on the same 3050mm wheelbase. But the V8X isn't a trimmed-down V9X. It's a rethink of how a family uses space. The V9X is for full crews; the V8X is for the days when it's just you, the kids, and a mountain of gear.

The Math of Five Seats

The V8X's cabin area is 5.9 square meters, and the trunk holds 864 liters. That's enough for 12 carry-on suitcases. Fold the second row, and you get 2225 liters. No need to fold a third row to make room for luggage. The trunk is always ready. It's like a sailboat that doesn't need to drop the mast to stow the dinghy – everything fits without compromise.

Quiet as a Calm Sea

Wey put a lot of effort into making the V8X quiet. Nine acoustic glass panels, triple-sealed doors, and 104 aerodynamic tweaks cut wind noise. But hybrid powertrains bring their own sounds: the engine kicking in and road noise from rough tarmac. The V8X uses active noise cancellation – ENC for the engine, RNC for the road. Speakers fire reverse sound waves to cancel out those frequencies. It's like trimming the sails to smooth out the chop. The result is a cabin that stays serene at highway speeds, even when the battery is low.

Power That Doesn't Fade

The top-tier V8X packs a 2.0T hybrid with 500kW and 930Nm. It hits 60 mph in 4.5 seconds with a full battery, and 4.7 seconds when the battery is empty. That's a 0.2-second difference – barely a blip. The four-speed DHT keeps power smooth, so you don't get that "dead as a doldrum" feeling when the charge drops. For a family hauler, that's confidence on long trips.

Suspension and Steering: Keeping the Big Boat Stable

The V8X uses double wishbones up front and a five-link rear. The luxury trims get dual-chamber air suspension. The sportier versions use EDC variable dampers. These adjust constantly to smooth out bumps and keep the 5.1-meter body flat through corners. Two-wheel steering is available, too – the rear wheels can turn up to 10 degrees each way. That shrinks the turning radius to 5 meters, making U-turns and parking a cinch. It's like having a rudder that helps you spin in your own length.

Smart Sailing: Tech That Helps

The V8X uses a Thor-U chip with 700 TOPS and a lidar for its NOA system. It can handle parking-lot-to-parking-lot navigation, including city streets and highways. The voice assistant, XiaoWei, can take commands like "change lanes" or "pull over." It's not just gimmicky – it's about keeping your eyes on the water, or in this case, the road.

Same Hull, Two Decks

Other automakers are doing this, too – offering five and six seats on the same platform. It's cheaper to develop, and it lets buyers pick the layout that fits their family without paying for a whole new design. The V8X is Wey's answer: a five-seat boat with the same hull as the six-seater, but a different interior layout. It's a smart move in a crowded market.

But the V8X isn't alone. The NIO ES8 five-seat and Lottie L80 are also playing this game. The V8X brings everything Wey has – space, comfort, performance, charging, and tech. The question is whether that's enough to win over family buyers. The V8X has the features; now it needs to convince people to climb aboard.