Watch out BYD Sealion 6 and Toyota RAV4! The 2025 Jaecoo J7 is launching a new brand and going straight at some of Australia's most popular family hybrid and plug-in hybrid SUVs
By Stephen Ottley · 27 Mar 2025
Jaecoo is positioning itself as a premium brand - but not an expensive one.The Chery spin-off has just arrived in Australia with its first model, the J7, which will be available at a network of up to 40 specific Omoda-Jaecoo dealers, as Chery’s Omoda 5 and E5 models also become a spin-off.But as the J7 demonstrates, when Chery execs say it’s a ‘premium’ brand it’s in the context of Chery, so rather than being a rival to Lexus and Mercedes-Benz, Jaecoo will simply be a more polished version of what Chery offers.To that end, the J7 range will take direct aim at the heart of the mid-size SUV market, aiming to lure buyers away from the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, BYD Sealion 6 and more. The J7 line-up will consist of four models initially, the 2WD Core, 2WD Track, AWD Ridge and SHS Summit, with the choice of two powertrains.The range will begin at just $34,990 drive-away for the 2WD Core and $37,990 drive-away for the 2WD Track. These are powered by a 137kW/275Nm 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and powering the front wheels.The AWD Ridge is priced from $42,990 and has the same 1.6-litre engine, with the same performance but obviously powering all four wheels.The range is topped by the SHS Summit, priced from $47,990 drive-away. SHS stands for Super Hybrid System, which is Jaecoo’s name for its plug-in hybrid powertrain. The SHS combines a 105kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with a 150kW electric motor and a single-speed transmission and drives the front wheels.The SHS has a 18.3kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery to power the electric motor, providing a claimed 90km of electric-only driving range. This helps the J7 SHS achieve a claimed fuel consumption figure of just 1.0L/100km, with the company claiming up to 1200km of theoretical driving range on a single tank/charge.Jaecoo is launching with an even longer warranty than Chery’s seven-year coverage, with the J7 covered by an eight-year warranty, as well as having eight years of capped-price servicing and roadside assistance.Standard equipment on the J7 Core includes 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, a 10.2-inch digital instrument display and a 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen, which incorporates wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Track trim level adds a power tailgate, front parking sensors, 360° surround view monitor, heated front seats, ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control, plus a wireless smartphone charger and an eight-speaker Sony sound system.Stepping up to the AWD Ridge model brings torque vectoring all-wheel drive, 19-inch alloy wheels, a full-size spare, a panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, in-built dashcam and a 14.8-inch infotainment touchscreen.The SHS Summit matches much of the specification of the Ridge, but gets unique 19-inch ‘aero’ alloy wheels, a head-up display and perforated synthetic leather seats.All models are equipped with ‘Hello Jaecoo’ the brand’s voice-activated assistant.Safety across the range includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning. Notably the 2WD Core is equipped with seven airbags, but the Track, Ridge and SHS models all have an additional driver’s knee airbag.The Jaecoo J7 hasn’t been crash tested by ANCAP but Chery’s previous models have received five stars, so anything less would be a surprising result given the premium positioning of the brand.Jaecoo will add the larger J8 SUV by the end of 2025 and the smaller J5 SUV is believed to be under consideration for the expanding Omoda-Jaecoo showrooms.
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