Had the opportunity to drive the highly anticipated JAECOO J7 that has just been launched in South Africa, hitting the market as the very first model from the newly established urban off-road SUV brand. Endowed with cutting-edge design and forward-thinking technologies, the J7 is poised to take the local market by storm with great styling and a premium feel about it.

To show how important SA  is as a market, it is the first right hand drive model launched by Jaecoo, ahead of Australia, Brazil and Europe. The name has mixed use as the Jaeger is German for hunter and coo is short for cool. And cool it certainly is, from the exterior styling cues based on River & rock, and the interior, Beyond classic, which perfectly sum up the J7.

Exterior.

Personally I think the exterior looks great with the right amount of angles in the bodywork, prominent grille, light clusters  front and rear, floating roof and flared wheel arches. It could resemble a smooth pebble, but I think it looks very elegant.

Cabin.

Soft touch materials and premium leather are very appealing, it has generous space, and the 14.8 inch infotainment screen delivers info very seamlessly without distraction. A heads-up display helps with info as well. There are three derivatives- Vortex, Glacier and top-spec Inferno.

Specification levels are extremely generous across the line-up. Belying its entry-level positioning, for example, the Vortex grade includes items such as power-adjustable front seats, an electric tailgate, a 13.2-inch touchscreen, a 360° panoramic camera system, wireless smartphone charging, 18-inch alloy wheels (framing red brake callipers), LED headlamps, front foglamps, automatic windscreen wipers, 7 airbags (including a driver’s knee airbag), front radar and several added safety features.

Meanwhile, the mid-tier Glacier model (R599 900) upgrades to 19-inch alloys and a 14.8-inch touchscreen, while also gaining items such as innovative inter-seat airbags, a panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats (with a memory function), a head-up display, an integrated dashcam and a raft of extra driver-assistance features.

Engine.

All three derivatives in the J7 range are powered by an efficient turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine producing generous peak outputs of 145 kW and 290 Nm, and mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission as standard. In the case of the base Vortex and mid-spec Glacier variants, drive is delivered to the front axle, while the range-topping Inferno features all-wheel drive, incorporating the brand’s advanced new All Road Drive Intelligent System (ARDIS).

The drive is smooth and noise free on the tar road, a little bumpy and stiff off-road, but we need a longer testing period to unpack more on that. I am sure the ARDIS off-road system on the Inferno model we drove which is All Wheel drive, will assist to make it a pleasure.

The inclusion of ARDIS in the Inferno derivative completely redefines the off-road driving experience, allowing effortless navigation through mud, sand and several other types of terrain. This means drivers – who furthermore benefit from a 21° approach angle, a 29° departure angle, 200 mm of ground clearance and 600 mm of wading depth – needn’t worry about encountering varied surfaces.

The proprietary ARDIS intelligent off-roading system includes as many as 7 driving modes, allowing the JAECOO J7 to adapt to a wide variety of surfaces by dynamically adjusting the vehicle’s responses in real time.

Safety.

The Jaecoo J7  includes items such as automatic emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, traffic-jam assist, lane-departure warning, intelligent high-beam control, rear cross-traffic assist and more.

Finally, the flagship all-wheel-drive Inferno (R679 900) ships with the aforementioned ARDIS system, along with extras such as a heating function for the leather-trimmed steering wheel as well as privacy glass.

Pricing

JAECOO J7 1.6T Vortex FWD 7DCT – R549 900

JAECOO J7 1.6T Glacier FWD 7DCT – R599 900

JAECOO J7 1.6T Inferno AWD 7DCT – R679 900

 The pricing was kept a secret, and I must say the number of oohs and ahaas that permeated the room from the media, mean that Jaecoo are definitely on track with keen pricing.

All 3 versions of the JAECOO J7 come standard with a 5-year/70 000 km service plan and a 5-year/150 000 km mechanical warranty. An additional industry-leading engine warranty spanning 10 years or 1 million kilometres is also included in the purchase price.

                                              

In summation, the Jaecoo J7 is impressive, and with it’s great looks and premium feel, nice drive and well- specced interior, we predict a winning formula.