Chery, the Chinese behemoth behind the forthcoming Omoda SUV set to arrive in the UK in 2024, is launching the Jaecoo J7 SUV set to arrive in the UK in 2024.
Jaecoo says the J7 takes a “design-led approach” and embodies the company philosophy of “From classic, beyond classic”, whatever that means. What it promises is a modern SUV loaded with tech and gadgets that is also as capable as a traditional off-roader and as comfortable as a modern SUV.
Jaecoo will put all that in a body that meets global five-star safety standards, with an energy-absorbing cage design and a wide range of driver assistance technologies. The Omoda has already undergone safety testing at Euro NCAP, where it scored the maximum five stars
, so it’s safe to assume that the Jaecoo will perform similarly well. From the pictures provided, we assume it’s also waterproof.
The 15-inch infotainment system will be powered by a Snapdragon 8155 chip — which is an octa-core computer chip broadly similar to what you’ll find in a Google Pixel 4 XL or Samsung S10 smartphone — that will provide complete connectivity, including over-the-air updates for the car.
You’ll also find luxury features in the cabin such as a supersized panoramic sunroof, head-up display, 540° panoramic imaging (no, we’ve no idea either), and other “multi-dimensional intelligent cockpit technologies”.
We expect power to come from the same turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine developing 197hp with 290Nm of torque that we’ll find in the Omoda 5, with a plug-in hybrid version arriving at the same time.
Jaecoo hasn’t talked about pricing yet, but expect something around £40,000, which puts it head-to-head with the likes of the Audi Q3 and BMW X1.
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