First drive Positive Competitive pricing, smart
interior design and perceived quality, well-equipped.
Negative
Disappointing to drive – especially the SHS plug-in hybrid,
unimpressive running costs, interior quality does not hold up to scrutiny.
Jaecoo 7
An appealing package, but the Jaecoo 7 falls behind in terms of refinement and running costs when compared to established rivals.
Martyn Collins
Jaecoo is half of a dual-brand approach to entering the UK market from Chinese firm Chery. Omoda, the other brand, has introduced the Omoda 5, to take on family SUV rivals such as the Kia Sportage. The Jaecoo 7 is an SUV of a similar size, but is perhaps aiming at the more premium end of this sector, with key rivals such as the Volkswagen Tiguan. Outside, the Jaecoo 7 is certainly more distinctive than the Omoda. The vertical front design features a large grille with chrome-trimmed bars. Elsewhere, there are high-set daytime running lights, with stacked headlights almost disguised as air vents in the front air dam.
With a historic tie-up with JLR (Jaguar Land Rover), we’re sure that
Jaecoo 7 1.5 SHS Luxury
P11D £35,010 On sale Now Residual value: 37% Depreciation: £22,096 Fuel: £5,797 Service, maintenance and repair: £3,809 Cost per mile: 52.83p Fuel consumption: 403mpg CO2 (BiK%): 23g/km (8%) BIK 20/40% a month: £47/£93 Luggage capacity: 412 litres Engine size/power: 1,499cc + elec- tric motor/202hp
the similarities between the Jaecoo 7 and current Range Rover models outside are more than a coincidence.
Inside, Jaecoo has been clever with the look of the plastics, and metal finishes. At first glance, the Jaecoo 7 feels very premium. There’s also a decent amount of interior space front and rear, plus a practical 412-litre boot, although that’s smaller than the Skoda Karoq’s 512-litre boot.
Get closer, and the interior finishes aren’t so impressive, and the Jaecoo 7 feels more built to its affordable £29,435 starting price. The driving position is good and is dominated by the central 14.8in touchscreen (or slightly smaller 13.2in screen on Deluxe models), and the smaller 10.25in screen in front of the driver – both of which have easy-to- read graphics. The switchgear changes between the plug-in hybrid and petrol models are confusing.
The Jaecoo 7 will have a choice of two engines, the first a 1.6-litre litre turbocharged petrol, with 147hp and 203lb ft of torque, with two or four-wheel drive, plus the version most interesting to fleets – the plug-in hybrid, which Jaecoo calls SHS (Super Hybrid System). The SHS combines a 1.5-litre TDGI petrol engine with a hybrid transmission, and high-performance lithium-ion battery pack. The result is 202hp, 229lb ft of torque, and 56 miles of EV-only range. It doesn’t look it, but Jaecoo is also making great claims about the model’s
40 | March/April 2025 |
www.businesscar.co.uk
off-road ability. The Jaecoo 7 has seven driving modes, 600mm wading depth, an off-roading approach angle of 21 degrees, and departure angle of 29 degrees, plus a Bosch-developed ‘Integrated Power Brake’, simulating a diff lock.
On the road, we drove the two-wheel- drive version first. Jaecoo’s official acceleration figure is 11.8 seconds, and it
Standard equipment: 19in alloy wheels, full-length panoramic roof, LED daytime running lights, body-colour power door handles, synthetic leather-trimmed steering wheel and interior trim, six-speaker audio system, wireless mobile charging, 10.25in instrument cluster, 13.2in central portrait touchscreen, lane departure warning, autonomous emergency braking, panoramic view camera, keyless start, power tailgate, Normal, Eco, and Sport driving modes, adaptive cruise control.
Engine: Petrol: 147hp 1.6 Plug-in hybrid: 202hp 1.5
Equipment grades: Deluxe, Luxury
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (petrol), CVT auto (SHS)
feels no faster than that – even in quicker- accelerating ‘Sport’ mode. Instead, the engine just seems to get nosier – although this does quieten down at motorway speeds. Elsewhere, the suspension and standard 19in wheels, which are tuned to UK roads, do a good job of masking small road imperfections. However, anything more than that, and the J7 is surprisingly unsettled. This isn’t helped by the steering, which is light and devoid of feel. We then moved on to the four- wheel-drive version, and our driving impressions were largely the same. There is more grip, but the ride is noticeably more unsettled than the two-wheel-drive version. We didn’t get to try this model off-road, but its credentials suggest it would be decent.
The final Jaecoo 7 that we drove was the most fleet-friendly, range-topping SHS plug-in hybrid. There is a choice of ‘EV’ and ‘HEV’ modes, and the SHS’s smooth transition between the engine and EV power impressed. However, the SHS is the most disappointing Jaecoo model to drive, with the suspension over-stiffened – probably due to the plug-in hybrid system. The result is a hard and unsettled ride. We already found the Jaecoo 7’s steering over-light and lacking in feel, but with the SHS, the engineers appear to have lightened it further. The result makes this car feel nervous when changing direction – and is even worse at speed.
The Jaecoo 7 appeals because of its affordability, long warranty, and premium look inside and out. However, its dynamics and running costs mean established rivals are a far safer bet.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53
