Jaecoo 7 review

From £29,435

Omoda’s tougher-looking sibling brand starts with Hyundai Tucson-rivalling, petrol-engined SUV

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The influx of Chinese cars arriving in the UK shows no signs of abating. One of the latest to reach these shores is this Jaecoo 7.

Created by Chery, one of China’s largest car makers, Jaecoo is the sister brand of Omoda, which launched the Omoda 5 here towards the end of 2024.

While Omoda is pitched at fashion-focused buyers, Jaecoo (the name is a blend of ‘jäger’, German for ‘hunter’, and ‘cool’) is aiming to undercut rivals in the premium SUV space with the off-road-focused, Range Rover Velar-inspired 7. 

Chery set up both the Jaecoo and Omoda brands specifically for international expansion and has been working on its entry into the UK for some time. 

With 72 shared dealerships already secured and several more set to join before the end of 2025, Chery is clearly ambitious about its UK venture.

The 7 is offered in both petrol and plug-in hybrid guises in the UK, broadening its appeal but also widening the spectrum of competition, which includes family SUVs such as the Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Volkswagen Tiguan and Ford Kuga. 

Opening the range is the 1.6-litre petrol, which drives the front wheels through a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox. It comes in entry-level Deluxe trim which gets a pretty extensive amount of standard kit for a sub-£30,000 starting price.

You can have a four-wheel drive version, too, which comes in range-topping Luxury trim.

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The plug-in hybrid, called the SHS, is powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine and 18.3kWh battery and is offered in Luxury trim only.

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DESIGN & STYLING

Jaecoo J7 Press Pack 82

At 4500mm long, the 7 is a bit shorter than the Sportage, Tucson or Tiguan and 100mm longer than the 5, with which it shares its platform.

While the Omoda takes on a more sleek and compact look, the Jaecoo exhibits a rugged and chunky design to showcase its go-anywhere potential. 

Up front, there's a large and distinctive 'waterfall' grille, which certainly helps to set the 7 apart in what is a crowded segement.

The rear end is very similar to that of the Range Rover Velar – although the Jaecoo taking on the styling cues of a Range Rover is less of a surprise when you consider that Chery builds JLR models in China. 

Buyers can choose either a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine with an automatic gearbox or a 1.5-litre-engined plug-in hybrid powertrain. The latter is set to be the more popular choice in the UK.

Using Chery’s Super Hybrid System (SHS), the PHEV combines a turbo petrol four with a single electric motor for combined outputs of 201bhp and 228lb ft.

Energy is drawn from a CATL-made 18.3kWh battery pack for an electric-only range of 57 miles.

With it fully charged and the 60-litre fuel tank brimmed, Jaecoo claims an overall range of 745 miles.

INTERIOR

Jaecoo J7 Press Pack 164

Our Deluxe petrol test car didn’t feel as well appointed as the Luxury PHEV.

Sure, it comes with plenty of standard kit, and there are softer materials draped over the top of the doors and the dash, but the tinny interior trim, plasticky seat upholstery and unusually shaped gear selector make it feel pretty austere.

The PHEV is offered only in Luxury trim and gets a slightly different interior layout, better materials and a gear selector sited behind the steering wheel, rather than on the transmission tunnel, like in the Tiguan.

The central infotainment touchscreen is larger, too, at 14.8in compared with 13.2in. As a solely touch-operated system, it frustrates in the same way that many other cars from China do.

It may be responsive, but from a usability standpoint, it’s over-complicated: there are just too many menus and sub-menus for various functions, which means you’re always taking your eyes off the road to adjust different settings.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are easy to connect your phone to wirelessly, at least, and swiping down from the top of the screen reveals various shortcut icons.

The 7’s cabin is light and roomy. Rear accommodation is good enough for adults, with generous helpings of head and leg room.

There are numerous cubbyholes and storage bins, too; the space underneath the centre console is handy for larger items.

Less competitive is the boot capacity, at 412 litres (not including the petrol version’s underfloor storage) – over 60 litres smaller than that of the Tiguan eHybrid.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

Jaecoo J7 Press Pack 199

We’ve had a brief drive of both the petrol and plug-in hybrid versions of the 7, and initial impressions suggest that neither is particularly refined to drive. 

The PHEV can be driven in pure-electric mode up to motorway speeds or with the engine and motor working in unison.

In either setting it feels brisk, and for this its size and weight, and considering the cars it's going up against, it has more than enough performance for motorway cruising and overtaking. 

It’s pretty hushed, too, even when the engine is working in unison with the electric motor. 

That being said, if you accelerate hard from a junction, the tyres can easily break traction, be it in EV or hybrid mode. 

If you’re delicate with the controls, this is an undemanding car to drive, but ultimately it lacks the polish of the Sportage or Kuga.

The 145bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine, meanwhile, can’t match its PHEV sibling when it comes to mechanical refinement. 

It’s fine at a cruise, but ask for anything more and it becomes thrashy and noisy – and not that quick either, with the 0-62mph sprint taking 10.3sec. 

We had a little issue with the brakes, which are strong, consistent and easy to modulate, despite a slightly long pedal. 

RIDE & HANDLING

The PHEV tips the scales at just under 1800kg, and you do feel its bulk around corners. There’s plenty of body roll, especially if you’re being anything less than cautious. 

A lack of weight build-up in the steering means it feels pretty vague and numb when you’re trying to place it on the road, too.

Away from smooth roads, it's too softly sprung and bouncy. It’s okay around town, but down a 60mph rural road the suspension lollops and bounds to a point that it feels uncomfortable.

The petrol is even less refined: the ride is busy and crashy over coarse surfaces and there’s a discernible thump when you hit a pothole.

It handles slightly better, thanks in part to its lighter weight, but there’s still a distinct lack of body control, and the poorly weighted steering doesn’t help.

Sure, the 7 is a car that's better suited to a more relaxed driving style, but in either form it still lacks the ride and handling sophistication to inspire confidence or drum up much enjoyment

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

Jaecoo 7 front quarter lead

Affordability is high on the agenda for both versions of the 7. The entry-level petrol costs from £29,435, undercutting the equivalent Tucson.

The PHEV, meanwhile, trumps its Sportage and Tiguan contemporaries at a hair over £35,000, which will likely catch the attention of those seeking a new family SUV.

Plug the PHEV into a 40kW charger and it will take around 40 minutes for a 30-80% charge. The Tiguan eHybrid has a larger 19.7kWh battery yet can be charged from 5-80% in 26 minutes – so less time for a bigger charge. 

VERDICT

Jaecoo J7 Press Pack 80

If you can look past its unrefined driving characteristics and fiddly infotainment system, the 7 does have some appeal as a budget alternative.

It has a practical interior, the PHEV manages a decent electric-only range and it beats similar cars on price.

However, the 7’s European and Korean rivals are much easier to recommend.

Sam Phillips

Sam Phillips
Title: Staff Writer

Sam joined the Autocar team in summer 2024 and has been a contributor since 2021. He is tasked with writing used reviews and first drives as well as updating top 10s and evergreen content on the Autocar website. 

He previously led sister-title Move Electric, which covers the entire spectrum of electric vehicles, from cars to boats – and even trucks. He is an expert in new car news, used cars, electric cars, microbility, classic cars and motorsport. 

Sam graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2021 with a BA in Journalism. In his final year he produced an in-depth feature on the automotive industry’s transition to electric cars and interviewed a number of leading experts to assess our readiness for the impending ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars.