I love a good road trip! There’s plenty to enjoy out of Sydney, too, and when I was given an opportunity to test drive the new Jaecoo J7 SUV, it seemed like a great opportunity to find a windy road through Australia’s natural beauty to make the most of the experience.
I’ll talk more about the car itself in a tick, but if you’re looking for a cruisy Sunday drive, you could do worse than the route I took.
First, you need to get out of the city; no small task. I went north, briefly pulling onto the M1 at Wahroonga before taking an early exit at Mount Colah to slide onto the Old Pacific Highway. Before long, the hustle and bustle were a distant memory. The road snakes towards Brooklyn with barely a straight line in sight, the glistening Hawkesbury River luring you forward. Sunroof popped open; beats playing.
You cross on the old bridge and continue to wind through tall forest, barely passing another car. It’s scenic, relaxed and fun. Upon hitting Calga, I jumped over the highway, looking down my nose at the six lanes of chaos as I continued along Peats Ridge Road briefly until the Glenworth Valley turnoff.
Here you can wind down a dirt road to the stunning valley below, where a café with a gorgeous view awaits, as well as activities like horse and quadbike riding, or even camping if you’re up for it. It’s so close to Sydney, yet a world away.
After a bite, if you have a suitable car and the time, you can continue up to Bucketty, then take the back road down to the colonial pub at St Albans for a beer and snack. Finally winding along the river to the Wiseman’s Ferry and back towards Sydney. The question then becomes, do you want to do all this in a Jaecoo J7.
Wait, so what’s the Jaecoo J7?
Remember when it used to be Ford vs Holden? Toyota gave it a good nudge, too, and there are many other notable brands that have done well in Australia, but the point is that they were known entities. Most of us instantly recognised the badge in front of us at the red light and when it came time to choose a new car, most drivers had a decent handle on the manufacturer landscape.
Not anymore.
In recent years, in particular in the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and electric car categories, there’s been a proliferation of exotic brands hitting Australian car yards. It can be somewhat overwhelming and these unrecognisable badges haven’t got the runs on the board – or should that be kilometres on the road? – to earn consumer trust. Not yet.
Here comes another one; Jaecoo. It’s a sister brand to Chery, in itself another relatively fresh badge trying to gain weight in the public conscious. When I was invited to jump into the driver’s seat and take the company’s first Australian release, the Jaecoo J7, up the New South Wales east coast for a few days, I was sceptical.
In an ocean of new car brands flooding out of China, is Jaecoo just another ripple, or could it actually make a wave?
I’ve taken the shiny new toy around to see if it helps elevate the road trip experience. The result? Well, let’s set it out as a review.
Jaecoo J7 AWD vs 2WD vs SHS
For its Australian bow, the Jaecoo J7 has launched in three variants. A front-wheel 2WD base model, an off-road capable 4WD model, and a Super Hybrid System (SHS) model, which provides Aussies with a PHEV alternative to the 2WD experience.
I spent extensive time driving the SHS and AWD models, including the latter off-road, and can speak confidently to their pros and cons. I didn’t drive the 2WD model, although I did spend time in and around it – it’s effectively an internal combustion engine (ICE) alternative to the SHS model after all, with a less fancy trim. The key takeaways are this:
- The Jaecoo J7 Core 2WD is the base model at $34,990.
- The Jaecoo J7 Track 2WD adds more creature comforts and style for $37,990.
- With the Jaecoo J7 Ridge AWD, you get premium finishes like bigger tyres, a larger infotainment unit, wireless charging, a dashcam, 360-camera, voice control, heated/ventilated front seats with memory function, and an excellent panoramic sunroof, as well as off-road driving modes for $42,990.
- While the Jaecoo J7 SHS Summit PHEV 2WD has that premium package, but gives you a secondary 18.3kWh battery engine that pushes the range up to 1,200L per 60L tank.
I’d call the 2WD model perfect for people who want a family-friendly urban run-around. The AWD great for people who want urban sophistication with weekend warrior capabilities up its sleeve. And the SHS for fuel-conscious urbanites or highway bandits.
Looks good, inside and out
While there are subtle differences between the Jaecoo J7 variants, the bulk of the exterior and interior design remains the same. And it’s classy throughout.
Externally, I love the design. The car has a boss front visage, with mean looking LEDs bookending a sharp grill. The lines draw up over the windscreen and then shape back down towards the boot. It has a unique look that immediately stands out, giving off a 4WD vibe while still being a Class C SUV in size. It just keeps itself in check, never over-doing it. Elegant in many ways.
The colour options are relatively simple; – Silver, Black, White, Green. It’s too subjective to deserve criticism, but I will say I wasn’t overly charmed with the supply. Maybe a deep red or navy blue could have been more exciting.
Just note that the boot, for an SUV, isn’t massive. It’s actually on-point for the class, but if you’re a bigger family and want a boot that can hold more than just shopping and a pram – say surfboards or bikes – it may not deliver what you need.
Interior
The Jaecoo J7 interior manages to feel simple, but be feature rich. A large portrait touchscreen does all the heavy-lifting, with analogue buttons all-but gone. Thankfully, the user-interface for the infotainment unit is straightforward, smart and functional, and I was quick to get my head around it even if the monumental depth of settings you could burrow into was more than I could digest during my time with the car.
I’m also happy that the instrument cluster screen remains in-front of the steering wheel, customisable to show exactly what you want. It’s supported by a HUD projected onto your windscreen. My only gripe, which is no doubt fixable with firmware updates, is that the J7 AI occasionally misinterpreted the speed limit, causing confusion and unwarranted alarms.
Elsewhere the car has a sporty, yet soft, fabric I found quite comfortable. A robust eight speaker Sony audio system. Plenty of charging space and decent storage, including drink holders in the front and back rows. The fancier versions have a wonderful double-row panoramic sunroof, with it and other features controllable via voice.
I also love the LED ambient lighting that halos the interior; customisable of course or you can let it change luminance to match your music.
J7 SHS differences
There are some minor SHS-specific design tweaks opting for cleaner cabin. For example, it lacks a push-button start (just the key nearby is enough), analogue driving modes and a gear stick. The latter wasn’t wise, with the gears mapped to the right side stalk, where Aussies generally have their blinkers..
Overall, I’m happy that the base level of exterior and interior design quality is high and comfortable. You don’t feel duded on the low-end even if the high-end is a notable step up. Plus it gets extra points because I fit in both the front and back rows at 194cm!
What’s the Jaecoo J7 like to drive?
The Jaecoo J7 is such a lovely, easy drive. It’s incredibly nimble, to the point where you barely feel like you are steering even when you’re weaving through hilly terrain. (Maybe even too light for some tastes.) Despite being a big guy, I generated no aches or pains after many hours behind the wheel, and my vision never felt compromised in any direction. If I had to find a complaint, its with the body roll, which is a little loose relative to the rest of the experience.
I was also very happy with the power available, with plenty of zip off the mark and speed in hand even when you’re already cruising at 110km/h down the highway.
The two ICE variants feature a 7-speed 1.6L turbo petrol engine generating 145kW of power and 290Nm of torque. The SHS variant has a single-speed dedicated hybrid transmission and dual motors. One is a 1.5L turbo diesel and the other a 150kW electric motor – combined they produce 250kW of power and 530Nm of torque.
To be honest, I didn’t pick up on much difference between the AWD and SHS; they felt very similar to drive. I’ll give the SHS model a nod though as the single speed transmission offers a smoother experience than the seven-speed, which occasionally gets a little sticky.
Fuel consumption is the biggest differentiator, with the ICE variants clocking in at around 8L/100km give or take (roughly 600 to 700km). The SHS can give you up to 106km purely in EV mode, making it fantastic for urban commutes, then can stretch up to a whopping 1,200km.
Light off-roading
Focusing in on the AWD model, I did get a chance to take it on some light off-roading. It’s not a 4WD, so it’s not going to do the Simpson desert for you or climb a rocky outcrop. But driving it though thick mud, up slippery inclines, through creeks and the like, it felt very much in control and untroubled. I felt confident behind the wheel in these conditions.
Add some smart automatic driving modes (sand, snow, mud, off-road) and the AWD variant becomes a great option for those who want an urban friendly car, but also the flexibility to go camping in national parks, on farms, down beaches and the like.
Some of the safety features I wasn’t overly fond of; a few of which can be turned off while driving, but will automatically turn back on with each restart. They’re just a little too aggressive, hopefully something that can be fine-tuned with firmware updates. In particular the distraction warning, which pipes up if the car feels like you’re not paying attention. Sadly, when you are wearing sunglasses, it can’t get a read on you and keeps tripping out.
The Jaecoo J7 is a winner
I’m happy to recommend the Jaecoo J7 if you’re in the right demographic. In particular the AWD variant, due to its added flexibility and impressive performance doing light off-road activities. If you’re a large family (in terms of number or age) it may be too compromised on boot space. And if you want to get a bit more serous with your off-roading, it may fall short of your needs.
But for couples or young families, primarily driving in urban environments, but up for some weekend adventures, it’s in your sweet spot.
I just feel like you’re getting a lot of vehicle for your money. Fun and comfortable to drive, versatile with modern creature comforts, and sexy, it’s also backed in by an eight-year unlimited kilometre warranty, up to eight years of roadside assistance, and eight years (or 120,000km) capped servicing.
What a debut!
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
The author travelled and drove as a guest of Jaecoo.
