Jaecoo – you might be wondering who or what that is. Before you scroll past or lose interest in this article, let me clarify: this is about yet another new Chinese SUV, and Jaecoo is a brand that has just entered the UK market, writes Tim Barnes-Clay.
Still here? Good. You see, we shouldn't assume anything in life - after all, 'when you assume, you make an ass out of you and me', as the phrase goes. What I mean by assuming is that some car lovers, including me, get a little jaded with SUVs – especially when brands tell us how awesome their newest high-riding vehicle is. You assume the latest 'amazing' product won't be that much different to the last SUV that was the 'dog's danglies' – and you take all the spin with a pinch of salt.
But when it comes to Jaecoo, it all feels slightly different. Different in a good way. Maybe that's because the Jaecoo team seems so relaxed. It's almost like the Chinese brand wants to take its time getting to know the British market – I mean, really get to know us. The automaker is keen to listen to the motoring media here – and doesn't pretend it has everything right. It's kind of refreshing to hear a business being so candid. Anyway, I should tell you more about Jaecoo – so here we go.
Well, first of all – what’s with the name? The brand says the first half of the moniker is from the German word ‘jäger’ (meaning ‘hunter’), and the second half is derived from the English word ‘cool’. It might sound like the firm is trying a little too hard to be ‘down with the kids’, but Jaecoo - established in 2023 - is part of Chery International, China's leading vehicle exporter for over two decades, so it should know what it’s doing. Jaecoo is also a sister brand to Omoda – another emerging name in our country - but they are two separate marques owned by Chery. Got that? Good.
Whether Jaecoo produces enduringly cool hunter-gatherer cars remains to be seen. Still, we won't have to wait long to form an initial opinion because the first vehicle being ushered into the UK is the Jaecoo 7.
At an evening dinner with Jaecoo bosses in London, they told us media lot that the 7 is “promising to redefine the balance between off-road prowess and urban sophistication”. Marketing spin? Of course – it always is. But drill down – and you’ll see this is a new SUV with premium leanings. The Jaecoo 7 offers a choice of petrol or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) powertrains, with prices ranging from £29,435 to £35,065. There are two trim levels – Deluxe and Luxury – and the SUV comes with front - or four-wheel drive.
The Chinese automaker is looking at the UK and realising that urban commuting and countryside mud plugging are what we Brits do, apparently. To be fair, the firm isn't wrong - some of us who can afford a new SUV do that, but the rest of us make do with used cars, public transport, or shoe leather. Oh, alright, I'll throw bikes, electric scooters, and what have you into that mix, too.
Anyway, at the media event - held at the upscale ME London hotel on the Strand - I had the chance to explore a static example of the new car. I learnt that under the bonnet, the standard 7 is propelled by a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol mill, generating 147PS and 275 Nm of torque. The PHEV variant Jaecoo chiefs seem more excited about is available in front-wheel drive only and houses an 18.3 kW battery that enables an all-electric range of 56 miles. Its combined power output reaches a more impressive 204 PS and boasts 310 Nm of torque. Coupled with a substantial 60-litre fuel tank, the PHEV offers an official range of 745 miles. To put that into context, the driving distance from Land's End to John O’Groats is 837 miles. So, you couldn't quite do that road trip fully laden with petrol and electricity - but you wouldn't be that far off. What's more, with fuel economy figures that can hit 403 mpg under optimal conditions, the Jaecoo 7 sounds even more appealing.
Steering away from the five-up PHEV for a moment, let’s look at the off-road capabilities of the four-wheel drive pure petrol model – also a five-seater. This variant, says Jaecoo, is ‘engineered for adventure’. It has a 600 mm wading depth and seven driving modes, including Mud, Sand, Snow, and Off-Road. What’s more, the SUV comes complete with an approach angle of 21 degrees - and its departure angle is 29 degrees. Whether you’ll need this kind of technology on country or coastal drives is up to you – but at least you’ll be able to navigate rocky terrains, rivers, beaches, snow and mud plains should you need to.
Of course, the biggest challenge you're more likely to face is UK town centres, motorway queues from hell and suburban retail parks. And that's cool because the 7 looks and feels like it’ll deliver a comfy ride. I sat in the top of the range Luxury grade PHEV at the preview event, and it genuinely felt solid and supportive. Indeed, the Jaecoo 7 reveals a cabin boasting not just comfort – but loads of space. I sat behind another tall journalist – and I still had enough room for my long legs. My knees didn't even touch the back of the driver's seat. It's a similar spacious deal in the front, and there you can see cutting-edge technology everywhere.
The Jaecoo 7 has a large high-resolution touchscreen, a sizeable LCD instrument panel, and a head-up display. You get the sense that the Chinese know SUV buyers in the UK are after a premium experience. The car delivers in this sense - well, in as much as you can gather from a static display model. Additional features include multi-colour interior lighting, a wireless mobile phone charging pad, an eight-speaker Sony audio system, and a panoramic roof. All of this certainly creates an inviting atmosphere.
From the outside, and at first glance, it is a case of – 'not another SUV'. However, looking more closely, you can see that Jaecoo has done a good job with the 7 - merging functionality with elegance. Its exterior has sleek lines, and a vertical 'waterfall' grille commands your attention. Furthermore, the lighting design, featuring split daytime running lights, contributes to the SUV's luxury appeal. At the same time, the Jaecoo 7 SUV’s aerodynamic flush-fitting door handles hint at its performance. Around the back is where the car is sexiest, though. There is a full-length rear light bar, which adds to the 7’s bold stance – and it makes a statement in our hotel event setting – so it will surely turn some heads with this kind of presence outside where it belongs.
Safety is paramount in the 7 as well. This first Jaecoo model for the UK has already achieved global five-star safety ratings. Complementing this is a Kia-rivalling seven-year or 100,000-mile warranty
So, with notable on and off-road potential, a strong presence, and a tech-savvy cabin, the Jaecoo 7 is poised to stir the porridge of the SUV market. Whether steering through Chiswick or venturing into the wild, the 7 appears ready to take on the UK.
It will have to battle with established rivals such as Kia’s Sportage, Nissan’s Qashqai, and VW's Tiguan. Even Chinese EV newcomers, like Skywell’s £36,995-£39,995 BE11, might be a foe. I have a feeling the latter won’t be too much of a worry for Jaecoo, though. When I mentioned it, the brand's representatives seemed rather dismissive of the Skywell name. That's no shocker, I suppose, given that Jaecoo is aiming towards the premium end of the market – and the Skywell brand is, well, electric, while Jaecoo’s 7 comes, for now, in petrol or PHEV flavours. Mind you, Skywell intends to make its mark on the UK, just as Jaecoo wants to – and when Jaecoo’s all-electric variants follow – maybe Skywell will become more of a fly in its ointment.
Jaecoo’s order books are open in the UK now, with deliveries due in January 2025.
