JAECOO J7 to launch premium Chinese brand’s UK arrival
Chery’s sub-brand will be an upmarket alternative to Europe’s premium brands
JAECOO has announced it will join the UK market in summer 2024, kicking off with the J7 SUV. Aiming to rival the likes of Mercedes, Audi and BMW, JAECOO will major in interior technology along with both hybrid and all-electric vehicles.
Chinese firm Chery recently announced its “mainstream” sub brand Omoda would begin sales in early 2024 with the 5 SUV. JAECOO will be positioned as a more premium and expensive brand to its sibling (think Toyota and Lexus or Citroen and DS) when it reaches us later next year.
Earlier this year Auto Express spoke with Chery International spokesperson Victor Zhang who said the JAECOO J7 will be on sale by June 2024 and a UK dealer network is in the process of being set up. We’ll have to wait and see if Omoda and JAECOO will operate in a shared dealership model.
As for the J7, it’ll arrive as an Audi Q3-sized SUV. JAECOO will launch the J7 as a plug-in hybrid which we expect to consist of a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and two electric motors for a total of 197bhp and 290Nm of torque. Acceleration stands at eight seconds for a 0-62mph sprint. JAECOO says the J7 offers “a driving experience that is both capable in all terrains as well as refined”.
In terms of design, the J7 has a big, blocky style with a large, imposing grille. There are small, rectangular headlights and a set of fog lights either side of the grille. 19-inch alloy wheels are standard, the darkened pillars give off a floating roof effect and to the rear there’s a full-width lightbar with a chequered rear light design. It sits quite high too, with 200mm of ground clearance.
The interior is fairly minimalist, with most of the car’s functionality operated from the huge 14.8-inch screen along with a 10.25-inch driver’s display. JAECOO has created a new head-up display for the J7 and there’s 540-degree panoramic imaging to aid in tight parking. The J7 also features heated and ventilated seats plus a coolbox area under the central armrest. An electronic keyless bootlid, massive panoramic sunroof, frameless windows and myriad driver-assist systems help boost the J7’s premium appeal.
Pricing for the JAECOO J7 hasn’t been announced but given the positioning of its plug-in hybrid rivals, we expect a starting price point of around £40,000 when it arrives in the summer.
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