The latest global Chinese brand to touch down in SA is set to challenge the status quo with modern family SUVs. The J7 has already been in circulation but few have had the opportunity to drive it and the pricing has been a closely kept secret.... until now!
By Lawrence Minnie
Published: 12 April 2024, 20:42
Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
Elemental Hunter
After months of teasing, the Jaecoo J7 is now officially on sale and ready to grace the driveways of over 1000 consumers who signed up for pre-sale, not even knowing what the price and spec would be. Jaecoo is a sister brand of Omoda and falls under the auspices of Chery SA, a Chinese automaker that is resetting the automotive hierarchy here is SA. The odd name is an amalgamation if the German word for Hunter (Jaeger) and the English word Cool. This seems to be the perfect description of what the J7 is a super cool and modern SUV that can take on suburbia and the gritty wilds of South Africa.
Related: JAECOO J7 (2024) - Pre-Launch First Drive
South Africans have been seeing Jaecoo for a few months now, from unveilings in China, to local reveals and further on testdrives. Jaecoo has identified South Africa as a key market for the J models. Testament to this is the fact that South Africa is the first Right Hand Drive(RHD) market to launch the Jaecoo J7, ahead of Australia, South America and even Europe. It usually takes years to get a car from assembly to market but Jaecoo has brought the J7 to our shores in months and run it through hom*ologation, market testing and launch in record time. The new model has officially gone on sale as of today and the string of 37 dealers countrywide will now be able to deliver the first batch of J7's to their customers. The official launch was held in a glitzy affair with the secretive pricing and test ride route allowing everyone to get a taste of the new J7 and we were on hand to give it a whirl.
New Jaecoo J7 Coming Soon: Price, Specs and Release Info
Design
Jaecoo's design ethos is a mix of ideas that range from "Rock in River" for the vehicle's exterior design to "Beyond Classic" for the interior and ownership journey. The exterior of the J7 does somewhat resemble a water-eroded rock that may be blocky but still has smooth edges. The Jaecoo has a presence that is hard to describe, it manages to be burly and boxy but yet you can easily see a lady driver behind the wheel.
The J7 is easy on the eyes and brings all the elements from its floating roof to flared arches and diamond-cut wheels together with linking lines such as the DRL-grille-bonnet line and the enclosed strip that runs between the LED taillights, that houses the recessed Jaecoo badge.
Drivetrain
Underneath the Jaecoo you will find the modular platform that Chery created for use in the Tiggo and Omoda ranges. Powering the 7 is a 1.6l turbo petrol engine mated to a 7-speed DCT transmission, the same setup as in the Omoda C5 GT. However the programming between the two could not be any different as the Omoda tended to be unpredictable at times, the Jaecoo is divine to drive.
Launch drive
Power delivery is buttery smooth and gear changes are barely noticeable even when urged with a firm prod of the right foot. The mid-spec Glacier is equipped with 3 drive modes namely Eco, Sport and Normal while the AWD Inferno model gets 7 drive modes that allow one to set up for Sand, Mud, Gravel and Snow.
The suspension is very well tuned for the road, a tad on the firm side running on the 19" wheels but if very poor roads are avoided, it's like driving on a cloud. Our launch route was just shy of 150km with a mix of city traffic, open freeways and gravel roads, over the distance and various speeds and surfaces we averaged just 8.4l/100km which is great as an average for a vehicle of this size.
The vehicle is very comfortable and incredibly well insulated from exterior noise and overall NVH levels are very well managed.
Models and Pricing
The Jaecoo 7 will go on sale, with immediate effect, with 3 model derivatives. With the design ethos being around nature and the elements and going beyond, Jaecoo takes air to Vortex, water to a Glacier and Fire to an Inferno. There is also a major touch on Aftersales so there is 98% parts holding for Jaecoo models at a 6000ft warehouse locally.
| Jaecoo J7 Vortex | R 549 999 |
| Jaecoo J7 Glacier | R 599 999 |
| Jaecoo J7 Inferno (AWD) | R 679 999 |
* 10 Year / 1 Million Km Warranty (to first owner)
** 5 Year / 150 000km Warranty - 4 Year / 70 000km Service plan
Verdict
Although Jaecoo themselves admit that the base Vortex models may not be as well equipped as the better-specified Glacier and Inferno, we found that the spec level was extraordinary on all three levels. Buyers will be getting a lot of car for the money and the drive is simply fantastic. The J7 is an evolution of the suburban family SUV and is going to become one of the brand's top sellers. Inside and out the Jaecoo J7 is hard to fault, Chery SA is getting the recipe right, they have air, water and fire...now all they need is an earth element..(watch this space!) and a touch of refinement and they will absolutely dominate if every car they bring is like this.
OMODA C5 GT (2023) First Drive Review, C9 Preview and JAECOO J7 and J8 Reveal
