Jaecoo J7 (2024) Launch Review

Jaecoo is poised to disrupt the medium-sized SUV segment with its J7, replete with supersized spec and “eclectic” styling. More isn’t always more – as we found out when driving the medium SUV’s derivatives – but with such keen pricing, buyers won’t mind.

To South Africans, most of whom are well versed with the nomenclature of Japanese, European and US car bands, the naming conventions of Chinese marques can be tricky to understand. And that’s despite earnest – but not always effective – attempts to make new brand names catchy to Anglophones’ ears.

Jaecoo, for example, sounds quite outlandish (to me, at least), but it’s early days. The newcomer, which sits in the same stable (O&J) as the Chery Group’s Omoda luxury sub-brand, is now in South Africa.

In the unlikely event that you haven’t stumbled across this information elsewhere, the debutant’s moniker conjures up strong imagery of nature and outdoorsmanship: Jaecoo is a portmanteau of Jäger, the German word for hunter; and the English word cool (except someone forgot to add the l). Uhm, okay.

What is the Jaecoo J7?

Simply put, the Jaecoo 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. It’s slightly smaller than, for example, the Toyota RAV4. 

The J7 range comprises an entry-level 1.6T Vortex derivative, the mid-spec 1.6T Glacier and the top-of-the-range 1.6T Inferno AWD. All three versions are powered by Chery’s ubiquitous 145 kW/290 Nm 1.6-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol engine mated with a 7-speed dual-clutch (automatic) transmission.

In aesthetic terms, the small crossover (compact family car) and medium SUV segments constitute an ocean of formulaic genericness; designers of contemporary SUVs are allowed precious little wriggle room for flair. Although the J7 is, in truth, a rebadged Chery Tansuo/Explore/Fulwin (depending on where it’s sold), its styling is more distinct than Korean offerings or even competitors from its home market.

Still, some elements of the exterior styling are comfortingly familiar. The flat bonnet and slatted grille remind of Jeep’s Cherokee; the recessed door handles ape those of Range Rovers (did you know Chery builds all Evoques for the Chinese market?) and the rear light bar contains hints of Porsche Cayenne.

Inside, the cockpit is characteristically minimalist with most functions controlled by a 14.8-inch (Vortex: 13.2-inch) touchscreen, save for buttons for the climate control, windscreen demister and on/off toggle for the ‘screen – they reside ahead of a circular drive-mode selector behind the transmission lever.

The powered tailgate reveals a rather shallow load bay, the capacity of which is hampered by the inclusion of a full-sized spare wheel. Given that the J7 will appeal mainly to trendy urbanites, this was an unusual decision, when a puncture repair kit could free up another suitcase’ worth of loading space.

What is the Jaecoo J7 like to drive?

There are standout traits – good ones, as well as those in need of some encouragement. Riding on thin-walled 19-inch rubber, the J7 is softly sprung to maximise comfort and the steering is as light as wielding chopsticks, but the latter adds a blandness to the driving experience that’s no nicer than a bowl of plain white rice. Admittedly, I expected that trait and, well, it’s not a must-have characteristic in a medium SUV.

Pleasingly, there was not a single perceptible jolt when sliding the J7 into gear, but that smoothness also translated into a lack of urgency once the cogs started swopping. There’s no Volkswagen-style crispness or sense of urge; indeed, the uninformed would be hard-pressed to notice the J7 has a dual-clutch ‘box.

The 1.6-litre turbopetrol engine provides adequate performance, but its delivery is also hampered by the transmission’s refusal to kick down, even on uphills – unless you absolutely flatten the accelerator pedal.

Conveniently (or rather, curiously), the Jaecoo bundles all of the 1.6T Inferno AWD’s 7 traction and power modes together – a J7 driver can switch between them via the drive-mode selector. Sure, there’s a more aggressive engine mode on call, though it does feel more like a placebo- than a performance mode.

Still, while the J7 could be forgiven for not being designed to dominate the Macau Grand Prix, my biggest gripe during the drive was the incessant beeping from 1 of the overly eager (if safety-oriented) nanny systems. The challenge was to decipher which one it was; disabling most of them brought no relief.

Deafened and ultimately defeated, members of the motoring media were later told (at the next stopover during the evaluation drive) that the offending alarm was, in fact, a hyperactive driver-attention monitor, which could only be disabled from the navigation screen – a most obvious location. Or perhaps not.

But you get a lot for the [beeping] price

Given the overload of tech being piled into new cars, it’s reasonable to expect that it will take time to coalesce to their digital idiosyncrasies, but 1 appeal of the J7 is immediate – and everlasting – its price.

Even the entry-level 1.6T Vortex (R549 900) derivative lures in would-be customers with an extensive list of standard features, such as a faux leather interior, a wireless charging pad, 360-degree panoramic camera system, wireless Android Auto/CarPlay and so forth. See also: Jaecoo J7 (2024) Price & Specs

The mid-range 1.6T Glacier puts the [coughs] freeze on good value by adding 19-inch alloy wheels, a larger (14.8-inch) infotainment touchscreen, electrically operated heated and vented front seats, an integrated dashcam, panoramic sunroof, head-up display and advanced active safety suite.

However, for a sizeable R80 000 more than the 1.6T Glacier, the 1.6T Inferno [ahem] torches your wallet by merely adding 4 more drive modes relating to its AWD, privacy glass and a heated steering wheel.

Considering the J7’s near-zero need for all-wheel drive owing to its soft-roading nature, the R599 900 1.6T Glacier is clearly the pick of the range. Unshackled from the weight penalty of hauling along an all-wheel-drive (AWD) system, it also felt slightly sprightlier.

How much does the Jaecoo J7 cost in SA? (April 2024) 

All versions carry a 5-star Chinese NCAP rating and are sold with Chery’s 5-year/150 000 km warranty and 10-year/1-million km engine warranty; the latter is only valid for the cars’ first owners, unfortunately.

Summary

So the Jaecoo J7 is more of a plush toy than a kung-fu panda. Its brand masters extoll the 1.6T Inferno AWD’s off-roading prowess, ostensibly courtesy of impressive approach and departures and a 200-mm ground clearance, but seeing as it has no centre or locking differentials, that’s all just marketing hoopla.

But that’s beside the point. The J7’s styling’s eye-catching, if a little derivative (it draws inspiration from American and British luxury soft-roaders, but that’s not a crime), the gearbox- and throttle mapping are iffy and, even in Inferno guise, the J7 couldn’t tame the Richtersveld… but that’s not why you want one.

That is because some of the Haval H6 derivatives and the cheapest Kia Sportage fall within the Jaecoo’s price range, but they simply cannot deliver the knockout rands-per-feature ratio that the J7 does.

There’s a new king in town. Jay Who? Jaecoo, that’s who.

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