Jaecoo J7: A standout Chinese SUV in SA's competitive market

By now J7s are all over the country as it's been a while since its launch. I've seen a few of them here in Cape Town. What this tells me is that locals have taken a liking to the vehicle. Jaecoo now plans to build on its portfolio in South Africa with a product onslaught. In 2025 the Chery sub-brand plans on launching the smaller J5 and J6 and the bigger J8. Added to this is a PHEV version of the J7.

But why have they sold moderately well since coming here?

Firstly, the fact that it is part of the Chery Group (a now popular Chinese car brand in South Africa) places a certain trust in the minds of the consumers. Secondly, it's a Chinese SUV that has sort of become synonymous with value for money for a cheaper price. Then there's also the fact that it looks great.

The J7 comes in three versions, including Vortex, Glacier, and Inferno. I had the J7 in its range-topping model the Inferno with me for a week to do my daily driving and it caught the eye of many, thanks to a large front grill characterised by horizontal aluminium-looking strips that give it a premium look. Flanking this grill are two slim futurist-looking headlights. And on its sides, you get pop-out door handles, which make it look sleeker. At the rear, the lights are one strip with the 'Jaecoo' occupying the middle space. Overall, the J7 really is a good-looking car that looks more on the premium side.

Driving the J7 was fun. It's equipped with a 1.6l four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that delivers 145kW and 290Nm of torque to all four wheels. Power is transferred to the AWD system through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. And while it was fun because it felt cool to be driving a swanky-looking Chinese SUV around, I couldn't help but feel that something was missing. The power, torque, transmission, and steering were all great actually but it lacks a little in the comfort department. Then there's the issue of fuel consumption, which was slightly on the higher side even while driving in higher gears. The J7 returned figures of 9-10l per 100km.

The cabin of the J7 is packed with features, including adaptive cruise control, dual-zone climate control, a fully digital cockpit with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 19-inch alloys and a 14.8-inch touchscreen, while also gaining items such as innovative inter-seat airbags, a panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seat, automatic emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, traffic-jam assist, lane-departure warning, intelligent high-beam control, rear cross-traffic assist, a heating function for the leather-trimmed steering wheel as well as privacy glass.

All three versions of the Jaceoo J7 come standard with a five-year/70,000 km service plan and a five-year/150,000km mechanical warranty. An additional industry-leading engine warranty spanning 10 years or one million kilometres is also included in the purchase price.