Lynk & Co 08: When Range Isn't an Issue
My office neighbor is amazed—yet another new brand he's never heard of: Lynk & Co. That's likely to change, though, because it has potential, as the Autosprint test of the Lynk & Co 08 shows.
Lynk & Co once tried to gain a foothold in Europe with a subscription-based car service. That was in 2021. Now the brand—part of China’s Geely Group and with a design and development center in Gothenburg, Sweden—is coming to us with its own dealer network and attractive models such as the 01, 02, and 08. In Switzerland, the brand can also benefit from the Volvo dealer network and its service and repair expertise.
An electric range that amazes
The new 08 is an impressive sight and stands out from the crowd of SUVs with its unique lighting design, massive 21-inch alloy wheels, huge panoramic roof, and frameless windows. Inside, there are high-quality leather seats complete with massage functions and headrest speakers. This makes even longer trips comfortable. And that’s exactly what the Lynk & Co 08 is all about: longer trips. Thanks to an electric range of 200 km, the plug-in hybrid handles these trips with ease and almost silently. 200 km! Even all-electric cars struggled to reach that figure just ten years ago.
And for other plug-in hybrids, a range of 80 to 120 km is currently the norm. The Sino-Swedish model is clearly ahead in this regard. This is made possible by its large 39.6-kWh battery. At a fast-charging station, up to 85 kW should be possible, allowing the battery to charge from 10 to 80 percent in 33 minutes. In our test, the rate was around 30 kW—not bad, but not quite ideal yet. What’s really impressive, though: When the plug-in hybrid system’s 1.5-liter gasoline engine (102 kW/137 PS) kicks in, you barely notice it behind the wheel—it purrs so quietly in the background. It also provides an additional 800 km of range, bringing the total range to around 1,000 km.
Feedback sent directly to headquarters
The combined system output of 257 kW/345 PS is more than enough for the 4.82-meter-long and 1.92-meter-wide SUV. It goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds. While this doesn’t make the Lynk & Co a spirited, dynamic driver’s car—nor does it aim to be one—the 08 is designed to excel as a spacious and comfortable travel companion. However, its suspension is tuned a bit too stiff for that purpose, and it sometimes transmits bumps to the passengers almost unfiltered.
This is a point of criticism that you can share with the developers right from the cockpit. Like every Lynk & Co, our test vehicle also has a «Co:lab» feature that lets you provide feedback or report issues. The feedback is analyzed in Sweden and helps improve Lynk & Co models—perhaps as early as the next over-the-air update. We can’t resist pointing out that the gas cap is almost impossible to open. But maybe that’s just a subtle hint that we should drive more electrically. Still, we really should have sent some praise to Gothenburg for a well-equipped, spacious SUV with an enormous range. And all that at a very fair price!
Expert Review: Lynk & Co 08 «More»
With its long range, plenty of space (540 to 1,254 liters of cargo capacity), comfortable seats, cool features, and fair price («Core» starting at 55,995 francs, ’More« starting at 59,995 Swiss francs), the 08 is an exciting option.
Advantages
+ Smooth-running plug-in hybrid with an impressive total range
+ Generous amount of space
+ Really cool lighting design (both inside and outside)
Disadvantages
– Suspension tuning is a bit firm for an SUV
– Fuel cap that's hard to open
