Jaecoo 7 Review & Prices

There is a seemingly endless onslaught of new Chinese brands hitting UK shores at the moment, and Jaecoo is one which is expanding at a rapid rate. You may have never heard of it until now, but it already has 71 dealers nationwide and will have 130 by the end of 2025.

This is its first offering in the UK: the Jaecoo 7. You can think of it as a slightly left-field alternative to cars like the Hyundai Tucson and Volkswagen Tiguan. It’s a bit like taking someone out to a date at Nando’s - food snobs may turn their noses up at it, but once you’re in the food is tasty and it’s well-priced.

If you who haven’t heard of Jaecoo, it’s part of a Chinese car maker called Chery. Chery has already launched the Omoda brand in the UK, which will be sold in dealerships alongside Jaecoo, and it sells almost as many cars worldwide as Tesla. Don’t therefore go thinking this is some small artisan manufacturer.

The Jaecoo 7 is a pretty funky-looking thing with its boxy styling and bluff front end. It may not be quite as outlandish as a Peugeot 3008, but it wouldn’t look out of place parked on a posh London street.

This theme continues on the inside, where you find the 7 is quite nicely built. All the materials feel nice and plush, and quality on the whole is good aside from a couple of flimsy-feeling details - namely the column stalks and the interior door handles.

Strangely, you get a different dashboard layout depending on which engine you choose, but the plug-in hybrid’s is the best because it moves the gear selector up to the steering column, freeing up space in the centre console for storage.

Entry-level cars get a 13.2-inch touchscreen, rising to 14.8-inches in the range-topper, and it’s pretty easy to use. The menus are logically laid out and the screen itself is bright and responsive. It’s also paired with a 10.3-inch digital driver’s display which is easy to read and navigate, but it’s not as configurable as the system you get in Audis.

Storage in the 7 is good. The glovebox is a decent size, you get a massive compartment under the armrest which can be cooled by the air conditioning and there’s a handy tray under the screen for your phone which comes with a wireless charger. Non-hybrid models get a clever slot under the centre console for a tissue box so you can pull them though a slot - ideal for managing those winter colds.

Getting comfortable behind the wheel is easy thanks to the adjustment in the seats and steering wheel; even the tallest of drivers should be able to find their ideal driving position. What’s not so great is rear seat space.

Headroom is good thanks to the 7’s boxy dimensions, but the kneeroom is a bit tight and the seats feel like they’re a bit too close to the floor. A Skoda Karoq is better for carrying people in the back seats. At least you do get an armrest with a couple of cupholders back there, and top-spec cars get heated rear seats as well.

At 500 litres, the Jaecoo’s boot lags behind some key competitors. It’s 20 litres down on the Peugeot 3008, and the Hyundai Tucson can carry 620 litres. It’s about the same as the Nissan Qashqai though, falling just three litres short of that car.

Once you hit the road the first thing you notice is the excellent visibility. You get a great view over the square bonnet, and there are no major blind spots behind you either. A standard-fit 360-degree camera system makes those tricky parking exercises less stressful.

Around town it’s a little bit firm over bumps, with smaller imperfections causing the car to jitter around and larger potholes sending a thud through the cabin. It’s still quite pleasant to potter around in, even if a Volvo XC40 is more comfortable.

There are two engines to choose from in the 7: a 1.5-litre petrol and a plug-in hybrid. The PHEV is the one to go for, because the standard petrol engine is quite noisy under acceleration and it feels a bit sluggish at times. The hybrid is smooth and quiet around town, and it’s much more powerful for motorway driving.

At higher speeds the suspension does settle down nicely, and there’s not much in the way of wind or road noise to disturb the peace. All cars get adaptive cruise control as standard as well which is nice.

Get out onto a country road and you’ll quickly realise that there’s not much fun to be had. The light steering which is welcome around town becomes vague as you try to push through corners, and there is a touch more body roll than you might like. A Ford Kuga is much more fun, but the Jaecoo 7 is comfortable as long as you just take it easy.

If you’re after an SUV which is a bit different and offers great value for money, the Jaecoo 7 is a worthy contender. It may not be as good to drive as some alternatives, nor is it the most practical, but the chunky styling, posh interior and generous standard equipment may just be enough to sway you.

Check out the latest Jaecoo 7 deals available through Carwow to see how much you can save on this new car, or check out all the latest and greatest SUVs on sale to find your ideal model. You can also browse a wide range of used cars with Carwow, as well as sell your current car for a great price.

The Jaecoo 7 starts from just under £29,500, making it over £5,000 less than a Volkswagen Tiguan and over £6,000 less than a Peugeot 3008. The Nissan Qashqai is slightly cheaper though.

In order to tempt you away from the more mainstream brands, Jaecoo offers the 7 with loads of standard equipment. All cars come with adaptive cruise control, a panoramic glass roof, heated front seats, a 13.2-inch touchscreen and a power tailgate, among plenty of other things.

Step up to the top-spec Luxury model and you get heated rear seats, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a larger 14.8-inch touchscreen and a premium sound system.