Last year, shortly before Chinese cars began making a serious push into our market, I had a rather clear realisation – the shift had already happened. Not in Bulgaria, but in the Netherlands. One of the wealthiest countries in Europe, where buyers traditionally prioritise quality, sustainability and rational decision-making.
During a trip there, I was struck by how many Lynk & Co models I saw on the streets. More importantly, they blended naturally into Amsterdam’s atmosphere. They didn’t look cheap. They didn’t feel out of place.
The brand itself was created as a joint venture between Volvo and Geely, and according to official statements, much of the development takes place in Sweden. Whether that’s entirely accurate in every aspect is debatable. Even the name “Lynk & Co” feels intentionally crafted to sound premium and sophisticated, despite having no real meaning behind it. That’s a fairly typical Chinese branding strategy – one that can feel slightly artificial to many Europeans, but ultimately this comes down to cultural differences.
Today I’m testing the Lynk & Co 08 – a model that clearly demonstrates the brand’s ambitions and its determination to establish itself seriously in the European market.
Design
The Lynk & Co 08 looks elegant – and, I would say, genuinely expensive. This is clearly a car that wants to be perceived as premium, and to a large extent, it succeeds. The silhouette is dynamic, especially for an SUV, and the overall presence feels more European than stereotypically Chinese.
The front end, however, is the weaker point for me. It lacks identity and feels overly “electric” in its design language, particularly when compared to the more distinctive and characterful Lynk & Co 01. It’s missing that defining detail that makes you instantly say, “That’s a Lynk & Co.”
The rear, on the other hand, is the car’s best angle. The full-width light signature is elegant, and the Lynk & Co lettering is executed in a way that reminds me of a London boutique – clearly intentional and, in my opinion, well done.
In terms of dimensions, the 08 is a substantial car:
4.82 m long, 2.10 m wide and 1.69 m tall. The proportions are typical for an SUV, yet still dynamic. Personally, I like it – it looks confident, composed and very much like a car deliberately positioning itself in Europe.
An interesting detail is the frameless mirrors, similar to those on the Volvo EX30 – a small touch that contributes to a cleaner, more modern appearance. The frameless windows also bring to mind the BMW iX, adding a sense of something more special, albeit potentially at the cost of increased wind noise at higher speeds.
Overall, the design works. It’s not a car that will polarise opinions, but it is elegant and restrained enough to be taken seriously in Europe.
Interior
At first glance, the interior of the Lynk & Co 08 conveys a sense of quality and attention to detail. It’s clearly designed to make you feel like you’re in something more expensive and more exclusive. Visually, everything appears modern and well balanced, and the materials leave a strong first impression.
The cabin is dominated by two screens. There’s a digital instrument cluster in front of the driver – something I personally value highly. The size is adequate, it displays essential information clearly, and while personalisation options are limited, that’s perfectly fine for me. At least you can see your speed without having to look towards the centre of the dashboard.
The main infotainment screen, however, is enormous. In my opinion, unnecessarily so. Even at its lowest brightness setting at night, I found it intrusive. Climate control – including airflow direction and mirror heating – is controlled through this screen. That, for me, crosses the line.
During the test, I encountered poor weather conditions, the mirrors fogged up, and while driving I had to dig through menus to activate the heating. That’s not acceptable.
On the positive side, the steering wheel buttons are physical – thankfully. There are two stalks on the steering column: the gear selector on the right, and a combined indicator/wiper/headlight stalk on the left. Everything else? Controlled via the screen.
Suddenly entering heavy fog? Perfect time to navigate through a tablet interface to activate the fog lights. This type of minimalism at the expense of ergonomics doesn’t work for me.
Another oddity: the rear wiper has no intermittent setting. It’s either on or off. Why?
Material-wise, though, the cabin impresses. There’s an interesting neoprene-like fabric on the doors and around the wireless charging pad, and the artificial leather seats are well executed and don’t feel cheap. Ambient lighting with translucent elements adds a subtle and pleasant touch.
As in the Leapmotor C10, the window switches are reversed – pushing forward to open and pulling back to close. It’s something you get used to, but it feels counterintuitive at first.
The seats are comfortable, though lateral support is not particularly pronounced. The massage function is strong and effective, but interestingly, I never managed to activate it through physical controls – only via the voice assistant. The same applies to the panoramic roof blind: no physical buttons, everything is screen or voice controlled.
Space, however, is excellent. There’s plenty of room for passengers, and the boot capacity is perfectly adequate for the segment. The rear seats benefit from a completely flat floor and generous legroom.
On the Road
The tested version of the Lynk & Co 08 is a plug-in hybrid. It combines a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo engine with an electric motor, delivering a total system output of 345 hp. The battery has a capacity of nearly 40 kWh, with a claimed electric range of up to 200 km – figures that sound more like a full EV than a hybrid.
Pulling away, the car behaves like an electric vehicle. Initial acceleration is strong, it’s quiet, and very pleasant in city driving. However, it doesn’t always put its power down cleanly – there is occasional front-wheel slip under harder acceleration. The brakes also lack progression and can be difficult to modulate smoothly at low speeds.
In urban conditions, though, the 08 delivers the typical EV advantages: smoothness, silence and effortless manoeuvring. Steering is light and undemanding, perfectly suited for everyday use.
On the motorway, some nuances appear. There’s slightly more noise than I expected – possibly due to the frameless windows. It’s not dramatic, but my expectations were higher.
The driver assistance system initially impressed me. On a section of motorway where lane markings were almost completely absent, the system continued to track an imaginary lane with surprising competence. Unfortunately, that positive impression didn’t last long. With the first serious rainfall, the system disengaged entirely. Instead of reverting to standard adaptive cruise control, it switched off completely. And if you want to activate regular cruise control? Yes – back to the central screen. This feels like a software issue that could be resolved.
Performance is generally good, but responses are slow. Floor the accelerator to overtake, wait… and only then does the car respond. It’s not an engaging drive, and front-wheel traction fades relatively early under harder use, though in normal driving this isn’t problematic.
In hybrid mode, the system preserves around 40 km of electric range, which I appreciate. Some PHEVs deplete the battery entirely, whereas here there’s a clear strategy to retain electric autonomy for city driving.
Less impressive is the number of warning sounds. This is easily the most “alarming” car I’ve ever driven. Approaching a red traffic light slowly, the car warns me about pedestrians. I can see them. I can see the red light. That’s why I’m braking.
It gets more absurd: activate cruise control and the car beeps to inform you. I know I’ve activated it – I just did. I don’t need acoustic confirmation.
On the positive side, the audio system is excellent and features an interesting solution: speakers integrated into the headrest. During phone calls, the voice comes directly from there, which is both pleasant and practical.
Conclusion
The Lynk & Co 08 is a refined Chinese SUV and competitively priced within the European context. Starting at around €53,000 (converted from 104,000 BGN), traditional brands at this level often offer smaller models such as the BMW X2 or Peugeot 3008, whereas here you get a large, well-equipped and technologically advanced SUV.
Overall, I genuinely like the car and clearly see its potential. It wouldn’t take much to turn it into a truly excellent product – partly software refinement, partly improved ergonomics so the car can be operated more naturally, without constant menu diving.
The powertrain concept is impressive, although I personally prefer the approach taken by the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, even if the Lynk & Co 08 is noticeably quicker. In fact, these two are direct competitors – both in price and philosophy. If you’re looking for something more traditional, with familiar virtues and a sense of established luxury, the Outlander may have the edge. If, however, you want to embrace modern design, technology and the new automotive wave, Lynk & Co becomes the logical choice.
In my view, the shortcomings seen here – as well as in brands like Leapmotor – aren’t due to an inability to build good cars. Quite the opposite. They clearly can. The differences are cultural. Their domestic market shapes their priorities and taste, which do not always perfectly align with European expectations. And in Europe, we have long-standing traditions in both car manufacturing and driving culture, which inevitably influence what we expect from a car.
Eng. Tsvetan Iliev
The handling feels noticeably stiff on very smooth surfaces. This vehicle requires a different approach to driving than traditional European cars.