The only 200,000-yuan household MPV is left, and the Trumpchi E8 Honor series is

tech | 2024-05-18

Listed Price: 166,800 yuan - 179,800 yuan

Monthly Sales Forecast: 3,000 units

Competing Models: Odyssey, Elysion

Buyability Index: 75%

If you are ready to spend 200,000 yuan on a family MPV model, you will find that your options are very limited. It's either the Wuling or Trumpchi M6 in the range of a hundred thousand yuan, or the Honda Odyssey and Elysion siblings; there really are no other choices. These options are either too cheap or the products are too outdated. However, there are no other alternatives, so the monthly sales of these vehicles can actually be maintained at around 2,000 units, which is a quiet way to make a fortune.

Why is there no family mid-size MPV under 200,000 yuan? The reason is simple: Chinese brands nowadays prefer to make new energy vehicles, so adding a battery pack to an MPV basically pushes the price towards 300,000 yuan. At the same time, due to the size requirements of the battery pack, the dimensions are also in the 532 class.

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At this point, when you look at the Trumpchi E8, which is also quietly achieving monthly sales of over 2,000 units at a price of around 220,000 yuan, you realize that although the mid-size MPV market is niche, the consumer group is still very stable—a blue ocean market in a relatively small pond.But where is the key to limiting the sales growth of the Trumpchi E8? It's still the price. A landing price of about 220,000 yuan is still a bit expensive for many family consumers. After all, the largest sales range in the SUV market is still around 150,000-200,000 yuan, such as BYD Song PLUS DM-i, and joint venture compact SUVs are all at this price line.

So you can easily understand why GAC Trumpchi sets the price of the Trumpchi E8 Glory series at 160,000-180,000 yuan in these two levels: basically, you can buy a 7-seater MPV for more than 10,000 yuan than buying a 5-seater SUV, or you can buy the same 7-seater large space for tens of thousands of yuan less than a 7-seater SUV.

One of the important reasons why the Trumpchi E8 Glory series launched by GAC Trumpchi can "lower the price" this time is that it is actually a hybrid vehicle, not a PHEV model.

To some extent, the Trumpchi E8 Glory series may be the "replacement model" for the two cars of Odyssey and Elysion - not only the size and space experience are very close, but even the powertrain is very similar. The Trumpchi E8 Glory series is equipped with a 2.0L high thermal efficiency engine, matched with a 2DHT hybrid special transmission, outputting 134kW, 300N·m, and an average fuel consumption of 5.58L/100km. If Honda's mid-size MPV is replaced, I believe the powertrain will also be this set, without any surprises.

Fuel saving is the most unnecessary selling point of the Trumpchi E8 Glory series, and the flexible and changeable 7-seater space is the real advantage of this MPV. This time, the entire E8 Glory series has a 2+2+3 seat layout, the third row of seats can be folded and stored in the trunk, and the second row of seats can be pushed to the back to become a big four-seater, and the design of the double-sided sliding door and low platform makes it easier for children and the elderly to get on and off the car.

In terms of transportation space and storage space, it is even more incomparable to SUVs. The Trumpchi E8 Glory series can hold up to 15 24-inch suitcases. To put it bluntly, many small business owners and individual businesses can use the Trumpchi E8 Glory series as a temporary "work car", which is more convenient than an SUV.

Regarding the purchase advice for the Trumpchi E8 Glory series, if you are using it for home scenarios, there is no doubt that you should go directly to the Glory version of 179,800 yuan. Although the price is 13,000 yuan more expensive than the low configuration, the value of the configuration is far more than this price.

First, it has been upgraded to LED daytime running lights, automatic high and low beam lights, and 18-inch wheels, and then it has an additional single-eye camera L2 assisted driving system, all of which are more important for home scenarios.

Second, the comfort and convenience configuration has been fully upgraded, with additional double-sided electric sliding doors, electric trunk, and double sunroofs, front soundproof glass, and rear privacy glass.

In terms of seat comfort, the low configuration model is fully manual except for the driver, while the Glory series has electric adjustable seats for the first and second rows, with ventilation and heating for the front seats, and leg rests and zero-gravity mode for the second row seats. The only drawback is that the Glory series has canceled the heating and ventilation functions of the second row seats.The high-end configuration of the vehicle, priced at 179,800 yuan, is expected to land within 200,000 yuan. However, the seven-seat layout, spacious experience, and fuel efficiency advantages make it a more cost-effective choice than purchasing a traditional SUV.

Of course, we must not overlook the cost-performance ratio advantage of the lower-end models in the Trumpchi E8 Glory series. For individual business owners who run a small store or engage in small businesses, buying a high cost-performance, spacious, fuel-efficient, and face-saving seven-seat MPV still has a significant market. It can be said to be the only choice suitable for both family and business needs—the previous product that came to mind was still the Trumpchi M6.

Combining the ability of the Trumpchi E8 Glory series to attract some seven-seat SUV users while also monopolizing the needs of both family and business, the Trumpchi E8 Glory series could indeed become a "small hit," finding substantial sales in a niche market segment.