Jaecoo J7 (2024) Price & Specs
Chery South Africa has launched Jaecoo in the local market and the new brand is spearheaded by the J7 medium SUV, which is available in 3 highly-specced versions.
The Jaecoo J7 is set to ruffle a few feathers in the South African new car market. Beyond its dashing good looks, it comes generously equipped with features… and offers a modicum of off-road ability.
Jaecoo (one half of Omoda & Jaecoo) is a sub-brand of the Chery Group and is positioned as an “urban off-road SUV marque”. As such, the Jaecoo J7 is available in front-wheel-drive 1.6T Vortex and 1.6T Glacier derivatives, while the range-topping 1.6T Inferno additionally offers all-wheel-drive capability.
The J7 is a family-car-sized SUV; it is 4 500 mm long, 1 865 mm wide, stands 1 680 mm tall and its wheelbase measures 2 650 mm. That makes it slightly smaller than a Toyota RAV4 or Hyundai Tucson. Other J7 rivals include the Subaru Forester, Nissan X-Trail, Haval H6 and recently-introduced Tank 300.
Chery (including Omoda & Jaecoo) South Africa executive deputy general manager Tony Liu says that the J7, which makes its right-hand-drive market debut in Mzansi, “will appeal to customers who love the great outdoors, but are not prepared to compromise on either comfort or standard specification”.
Here are the major highlights of the new Jaecoo J7.
Jaecoo J7: Major Highlights
Stylish Looks
The Jaecoo J7 comes to market with a thoroughly modern design. Its face is dominated by a broad and bold vertical-slat grille design flanked by slim and futuristic-looking headlight units.
Note the door handles that sit flush with the bodywork (not unlike on the Range Rover Velar), while the rear-end adopts a distinct Evoque look with a falling roofline and a minimalistic rear-light treatment.
As far as looks are concerned, the Jaecoo J7 has a lot going for it and while it may not be to everyone’s taste, we suspect that it will be well received by local buyers.
Punchy Powertrain with All-Terrain System
The Jaecoo J7 is powered by a 1.6-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol engine that produces peak outputs of 145 kW and 290 Nm of torque; it is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
For those seeking to tame the wild outdoors, the top-spec J7 Inferno features Jaecoo’s All Road Drive Intelligent System (ARDIS) with no fewer than 7 driving modes available to suit various terrains.
As the J7 is marketed as an urban offroad SUV, it’s worth knowing it has a 21-degree approach angle, a 29-degree departure angle, ground clearance of 200 mm and a useful wading depth of 600 mm.
We will be driving the new Jaecoo J7 at launch so look out for our first impressions soon.
Classy Interior
In line with Jaecoo’s intention to offer “outdoor-loving customers far more toughness than a typical urban SUV, but more comfort and technology than traditional off-roaders”, the J7’s cabin architecture combines a minimalist, tech-laden layout with chunky off-roader-inspired adornments and trims.
The entry-level 1.6T Vortex is fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels, red brake callipers, LED headlamps and front fog lamps, while its cabin comes equipped with power-adjustable front seats, an electric tailgate, a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 360-degree camera system, wireless charging pad, auto wipers and 7 airbags (including a driver’s knee airbag), among a host of standard safety features.
The 1.6T Glacier, in turn, has 19-inch alloys and a panoramic sunroof. At the same time, its interior additionally features a larger (14.8-inch) touchscreen, heated and ventilated front seats (with a memory function), a head-up display, an integrated dashcam, inter-seat airbags and advanced driver-assistance features. The latter includes automatic emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, traffic-jam assist, lane-departure warning, intelligent high-beam control, rear cross-traffic assist, etc.
Finally, the flagship 1.6T Inferno AWD ships with the aforementioned ARDIS system, along with extras such as a heating function for the leather-trimmed steering wheel, as well as privacy glass.
How much does the Jaecoo J7 cost in South Africa?
| J7 Vortex | R549 900 |
| J7 Glacier | R599 900 |
| J7 Inferno (AWD) | R679 900 |
The Jaecoo J7 is available from 40 dealers across South Africa. Each derivative comes standard with a 5-year/70 000 km service plan and a 5-year/150 000 km mechanical warranty, as well as an “additional engine warranty valid for 10 years/1 000 000 km,” Omoda & Jaecoo South Africa has announced.
The plug-in hybrid version of the J7 and the range-topping J8 model will be introduced later in the year.
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