Budget Chinese SUV variant axed: 2026 Jaecoo J7 has base version removed from Australian lineup as it battles Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage and Mazda CX-5

The Jaecoo J7 SUV has undergone a model reshuffle, with its cheapest petrol variant cut from the range.

The now entry-level Track variant starts from $34,990 (drive-away), with a temporary $3000 cash-back offer, which is the same price as the now-axed Core. 

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After the cash-back offer expires, it is expected the J7 will start from $37,990 (drive-away). 

A spokesperson for Chery Australia, parent company of Jaecoo, said when contacted for comment that the J7 Core's axing was due to a realignment of the model range. 

The J7 remains cheaper than its key rivals, such as the Kia Sportage and the Mazda CX-5, which both start from more than $36,000, before on-road costs).

It comes with a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine, producing 137kW and 275Nm, but is also available with a plug-in hybrid set-up, employing a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol paired to an electric motor, which produces totals of 255kW and 525Nm. 

Plug-in hybrid variants of the J7 start from $43,990 (drive-away). 

Chery’s premium sub-brand Jaecoo launched in Australia in the middle of 2025 as a new offering in the mid-size SUV category. 

The brand has been expanding its presence in Australia, with the J8 launching soon after the J7 in the middle of last year. 

The J5 small SUV went on sale at the start of this year as Jaecoo’s first electric model Down Under, starting from $36,990 (drive-away) for the first 1000 customers. 

Petrol and hybrid versions of the J5 are expected to join the lineup in March, and will likely come in as the cheapest SUVs in the Jaecoo range.