We finally got to spend some time with the Jaecoo J7 1,6T in front-wheel-drive, or Glacier, guise, on local soil years after first experiencing the model in China.
Jaecoo is one of the newer brands to enter the SA market. It is one half of Chery sub-brands O&J that were introduced last year. Chery Automobile, or simply Chery, has several brands within its portfolio. The Chinese automaker develops all the necessary components (platforms, powertrains, electronics, etc) in-house. It then uses these essential bits under re-skinned models that wear different badges. This is the same modus operandi that countless other automakers also utilise. O from O&J stands for Omoda and the J, well, for Jaecoo. BTW, Jaecoo is a portmanteau of ‘Jager’ (German for hunter) and ‘Cool’. So it’s meant to be the cool-hunter.
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Eye-Catching Design
The Jaecoo J7 turned heads from the moment it was set loose on SA roads. The slim, technical-looking headlamps, flush-fit door handles and squared-off body lines helped differentiate the J7 from stablemates that wear a Chery badge. Incidentally, those door handles make a rather loud, thud noise every time they retract, so much so that it sounds in the cabin as though you’ve bumped into or run over something. We stopped the first time it happened to check around the outside of the car…
Of course, there is resemblance to a certain UK-based premium SUV brand. The aforementioned design cues, along with blacked-out pillars, that create a ‘floating roof’ effect, all help reinforce that impression. That may, or may not, have been intentional on the part of Jaecoo’s design team. Our test unit wore a set of 19-inch, dual-tone alloys, which made the ride quality a little less than ideal, but they look the part. The loan car was also finished in an unusual shade of metallic olive (called Model) green. It turned more than a few heads wherever we went. We spotted a few examples in white during our time with the J7; even in a ‘base’ colour the car is a handsome prospect.
Simplified Interior
The uncluttered aesthetic of the exterior is carried over into the cabin. Straight lines are the order of the day. From the facia (ie dashboard) to the door cards and even the air vents, there are no curves, just straight lines. It makes for a very clean interior treatment, almost Nordic in execution. The Jaecoo J7 has, aside from the steering wheel, fewer than half a dozen physical buttons. Almost every control has been added to the rather large infotainment screen, which looks very much like a large ipad stuck to the facia.
This interface offers crisp graphics and is swift in operation. However, one really needs time to work out which menu hosts which controls. We just started to learn where things were during our week together. Admittedly, more time behind the wheel should bring with it more familiarity of the system. We’d really like to see simple buttons for things such as the HVAC system and heated seats.
Standard Kit
Jaecoo has stuffed the J7 Glacier full of standard kit. The list of features is long and pretty comprehensive. Highlights include electrically adjustable front seats, dual-zone climate controls, a full length panoramic roof, keyless un/locking start and tailgate operation, a voice assistant to control cabin features, multi-view cameras, adaptive cruise control with hands-free operation… the list goes on and on.
In addition, the Jaecoo J7 1,6T offers all the connectivity owners of new cars have become accustomed to including the likes of wireless operation for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. We found the wireless mobile phone charger also quite effective, though there are physical ports for those who may have phones that don’t support cordless battery charging. All in all we found the cabin of the J7 quite a pleasant and agreeable place, especially after we located the seat heating function, much needed for the bitterly cold Cape winter.
On the Road
The Jaecoo J7 1,6T is powered by a 1,6-litre turbocharged petrol engine. All variants, except the hybrid versions, are powered by a similar engine and transmission, which is a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. In our test unit, drive is sent solely to the front wheels. There is an all-wheel-drive derivative for those who prefer but that isn’t likely to venture much further off-road than the FWD version. The engine produces 145 kW and 290 N.m of torque. Subjectively it feels rapid enough for a car of this size, with plenty of punch from the engine for overtaking.
However, we are not fans of the manner in which the gas pedal is calibrated. There is little on tap at small throttle openings. Lean further into the loud pedal and there is a sudden rush of torque that does not make for smooth progress, and can annoy vocal passengers who aren’t expecting it. One needs a deft touch on the gas pedal to drive around this sensation. Alternately, we found that driving in ‘eco’, as opposed to ‘normal’ or ‘sport’ modes, does dull the throttle response. Speaking of ‘eco’ mode…
We’ve heard/read countless owners complain about high fuel consumption figures in Chinese sourced cars. The same gripe can be leveled at the Jaecoo J7 1,6T. Jaecoo’s website claims a combined cycle fuel figure of 7,0 litres/100 km, which would be more than acceptable. Over a few hundred kilometres of driving, in a mix of conditions, we didn’t manage to dip below 9,3. And we tried, we really did, to drive as gently as possible. Our recorded figure is a good 33 per cent higher than quoted. This is worth considering if fuel consumption is high on your list of priorities.
Summary
Brands such as Omoda and Jaecoo are completely new on the world stage. Jaecoo was created just two years ago. South Africa was one of the first markets outside of China to receive any of its products. Considering the relative novelty, O&J are succeeding where many established brands are falling by the wayside. In fact, several thousand units of O&J have been sold since introduction locally, over a thousand J7s were sold on the first half of this year alone. It goes to show that people are willing to explore fledgling brands as the value proposition they offer is difficult to resist.
The Jaecoo J7 1,6T is a commendable product, with a few foibles that we think are pretty easy to rectify. We hope that Jaecoo (read: Chery’s) engineers take note of the initial complaints. Perhaps the small gripes will be sorted sooner, rather than later. As for the issues concerning fuel consumption, Jaecoo is already offering a hybrid version with promises of extremely low fuel consumption and usable electric-only range.
Model: Jaecoo J7 1,6T
Price: R599 900
Engine: 1,6-litre four-cylinder turbopetrol
Transmission: seven-speed automatic, FWD
Max power: 145 kW
Max torque: 290 N.m
0-100 km/h: n/a
Top speed: n/a
Fuel consumption: 7,0 L/100 km (9,3 during review period)