Who doesn’t love the chance to test drive a car before it launches in the country?
Now, I’m no Lewis Hamilton and I’m definitely more Mia Freedman than Richard Hammond but I do know what road tripping is like, from driving long rural roads to navigating blizzards and black ice without administering my own last rights.
We’ve been known to do car reviews for our readers but it’s been a while between drinks (non-alcoholic of course, we’re driving) so I immediately accepted the invitation to take the soon to be launched Jaecoo J7 for a spin. Where? Through the city streets of Sydney to bush bashing in Glenworth Valley and the undulating bends of the Killcare roads on the Central Coast of New South Wales.
We’ve got two new cars on offer to test drive – a J7 2WD SHS plug-in hybrid and the J7 AWD model. Obviously I was more interested in the AWD from a ski perspective than the 2WD but the lure of the new hybrid plug-in that never depletes its battery had me sitting behind the wheel of both, if only for the comparison. That, and the 1200km range on one tank (asta la vista range anxiety). But more on that later.
The J7 AWD
You’d be forgiven for thinking the J7 from China’s successful Chery Automobile company is a Range Rover Evoque or even a Land Rover Discovery Sport upon first glance. It certainly has the luxe fittings and clean lines but at a smidgeon of the price.
The name itself has been inspired by ‘jäger’ which is German for hunter and of course the “coo” is short for cool, so, uh, cool hunter. Who else was today year’s old when they realised every ski town’s favourite Jagermeister then means “master of the hunt”?
But, I digress. The AWD comes with a push button start and a centre console screen bigger than my MacBook Pro plus voice control directives which allows the driver to do such things as “open the sun roof” with just one’s dulcet tones.
This car has true attention to detail with middle console wireless charging for your smart phone, a light alert in the back seat to let passengers know if there’s a car approaching before opening the door, heated ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel (perfect for driving in the winter snow) and the coolest in-built dash cam that allows you to record your drive.
There are four AWD modes (snow, mud, sand and off road) plus a sport mode and eco mode, vegan leather seats, ambient lighting so you can choose lighting colour to suit your mood (or change your mood).
I’m told the advanced Torque Vectoring AWD system allows for faster and safer cornering while increasing the cross-country ability. There’s a rear differential with two clutches to regulate the torque to the left and right rear wheels to ensure power is delivered to the wheels with traction. I know this last part because we bush bashed through sodden creek beds after lunch to prove the point.
But how did it feel to drive? The sleek design with waterfront grille and optical illusion of sloping roof felt very luxe, as did the interior. The rear vision mirror took a bit of getting used to as it played with my eye focus and accentuated blind spots, that is, until I adapted to it and then it was fine.
The audible alerts that also appear on the driver’s screen were a little intrusive but they are designed to keep the driver alert on long drives for safety purposes (clearly I get distracted easily, it’s the ADHD). The alerts can also be turned off at your leisure (unlike the ADHD).
Thule partnership
It’s definitely a good mid-size SUV for snow trips to Thredbo and Perisher, especially as Jaecoo have also partnered with Thule to offer a range of storage products for outdoor living and adventure lifestyles. Think roof racks, winter sports carriers, roof boxes, bike carriers and the like.
Powering the J7 is a refined 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine, which delivers an engaging 137kW @ 5500rpm and 275Nm @ 2000rpm – 4000rpm and the AWD returns 7.8L/100km and 181g/km to deliver an economical fuel rate for those longer snow drives. Yes, I got that from the brochure.
The J7 boasts a “From Classic: Beyond Classic” marketing tag line and comes in Forest Green (no cost) and Arctic White, Lunar Silver, Ocean Blue and Carbon Black (all $600). If you fancy a sexy black roof then that can also be arranged for $500 extra.
Price verdict
But seriously, the cost price, warranty and service capped pricing alone is enough to put the J7 on the top of any family or adventure seeking driver. The 8 year warranty with unlimited kilometres also comes with 12 months complimentary roadside assistance, with the opportunity of extending this for a further 7 years by completing servicing at authorised dealers.
All this from AUD$42,990 for an AWD that actually has off road capacity. Jaw. On. Floor.
Now a word on the hybrid Jaecoo J7 SHS. I could honestly drive this one all day, it’s super smooth and drives like velvet (if a fabric could drive) and I’m a sucker for the fuel economy provided by some super smart technology that’s powered by a 1.5L turbo petrol + 150kW electric motor with a combined driving range of up to 1200km. That’s Sydney to Thredbo and back!
You can nab one of these from AUD$$47,990 drive-away.
The Jaecoo J8 will go on sale in June this year with only top spec being available in AWD, will be powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharge petrol engine with an 8-speed torque converter auto.
