Jaecoo J7 vs Mini 5D Hatch

What's the difference?

Based on our initial drive I certainly think the J7, especially the SHS Summit, does make a pretty compelling case to be on the consideration list for anyone looking to buy a mid-size hybrid SUV - plug-in or not.

It has a polished design, loads of tech and a fuel-efficient powertrain that provides adequate performance. But the real selling point is the price, which undercuts its key rivals to ensure it has your attention, especially in these days of increasingly expensive family vehicles.

And while the J7 certainly has appeal to design-oriented buyers and people that want something ‘cool’ or just different, the value it offers gives it mainstream appeal.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

The Mini Clubman JCW is quirky in a lot of the right ways, and now has a hard-charging engine to up the adrenalin factor. If you were already sold on the idea of joining the Clubman club, this one will steal your heart more than any other.

Design is an interesting subject to discuss with the J7, as it manages to simultaneously have a bold and distinctive look from some angles and yet has clearly been inspired by some other, more famous, premium brands from others.

To be blunt, from certain angles - namely the side profile and rear three-quarter - the J7 could be mistaken for a Range Rover Evoque at a distance. Obviously taking inspiration from rivals is nothing new in the car industry and the Jaecoo designers have also managed to give the J7 its own look when you get a bit closer and notice the details.

The most noticeable of these is the ‘waterfall-like’ grille, that the brand says symbolises “the life force of nature”, but also gives it a front profile that can’t be mistaken for anything else. Especially with the prominent ‘Jaecoo’ badge large and proudly placed in the middle of the grille - leaving you in no doubt what this is.

Overall, I’d call the exterior look of the J7 cohesive and leaving a more premium impression that what we’ve seen with Chery.

Inside, Jaecoo has followed the modern trend of going digital, with a small digital instrument display and then a larger central touchscreen. It provides a clean, modern look that leaves a good impression.

The Jaecoo designers also focused their attention on the touchpoints, elements like the door handles and arm rests, to try and give them a more premium feel. The trims used inside are also a cut above what we’ve experienced on other Chery models, and while not at a true luxury level, do stand out for what is a mainstream SUV.

One other major element of the SHS interior design worth mentioning is the central console, between the front seats. That’s because it’s unique in the SHS, offering a completely different layout to the petrol-powered models. The SHS moves the gear selector to the steering column, freeing up more small item storage space and cup holders, as well as a split-opening central storage box (instead of a rear-hinged one).

It's no real secret that earlier iterations of the Clubman were, well, a little challenging on the eye (Mini itself says “It was cool - if you were built that way…").

But this face-lifted version is much easier on the eye, if not as a cute a package as the three-door hatch variants. It's dimensions - long, smooth sides, a squared-off rump and bulging grille - somehow work as one to create car that is undoubtedly unique, but also rather  fetching.

Inside, it’s all pretty familiar Mini, what with the circle screens and jet-style switches. And it is a stylish space in the cabin, with a good material mix and the addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto making the centre screen far more functional.

The only downside is that, for mine, it favours that style over substance. It’s not the most user-friendly space I’ve ever sat in, though I imagine you’d get a little more used to it the more time you spent in there.

From a space perspective the J7 offers up reasonable room for an SUV of this size, but falls short of the class-leaders in a few key areas. The front seats are nice and comfortable, and while the rear seats are well-appointed (with air-con vents and USB inputs) space is adequate rather than generous.

The same can be said about the boot, at least on the SHS grade. It’s on the smaller side for an SUV of this size, measuring 500 litres, compared to 542 litres offered by the RAV4 and 574 litres in the Sealion 6. And it’s even more disappointing when you factor in the lack of a spare wheel, with only a tyre repair kit under the floor.

Thankfully the 4WD offers the same space (500L) but gets a full-size spare, while the 2WD models have a claimed 584L and a temporary spare. 

As for the technology, the decision to go for the one big central screen for all infotainment provides a hi-tech, clean look but it does lead to some obvious compromises.

Namely, the lack of any physical buttons (save for the hazards, unlocking and EV function) is disappointing from a user experience perspective. As many brands have found, screens have a ‘wow factor’ and save on the cost of buttons but are more challenging to operate when you’re on the move and that’s the case with the J7.

Obviously having Apple CarPlay or Android Auto makes for a familiar experience, but if you have to dive into the extensive Jaecoo-specific menus it can become difficult and distracting.

The Clubman is super practical - for a Mini... This is not a Bunnings bandit, and nor will you be piling endless Ikea flatpacks into the boot. 

It measures just over 4.2m in the length, 1.4m in height and 1.8m in width, and while they're not massive numbers, you might find yourself surprised by the room in the backset.

I'm around 175cm, and I could sit behind my own driving position with ease - thanks in no small part to the clever scalloped seas that give you extra leg room - and the headroom isn't half bad, either. 

Yep,  you can definitely fit two adults in the backseat (but never three), and those travelling back there will find air vents to help keep the temp down, as well as USB points and a pair of child seat anchors. 

Up front, the cabin somehow manages to feel more cramped, with the steering wheel, centre console and controls on the driver's door all feeling like they're encroaching on your personal space a bit, but it's a comfortable place to sit all the same. 

Step around to the barn-door style boot and you'll find what looks a little bit like a station wagon, only without all the space. Yes, it looks like a positive load-lugger next to the three-door hatch, but you still don't get that much space for luggage, with the official number at 360 - 1250 litres.

Mini is rolling the dice on a new specification strategy designed to take the endless questions and options out of buying a new car.

And so the Clubman JCW is the first Mini to be offered in the Pure trim ($57,900), which seriously limits the personalisation options to get you out of the dealership and behind the wheel as quickly as possible. You can choose from two wheel choices, four exterior paint choices, a back roof or a sunroof, and, well, that's about it. 

Outside, your money buys you 18-inch alloys wrapped in Michelin rubber, adaptive suspension, roof rails and LED head and taillights. Inside, expect cloth sports seats, an 8.8-inch screen that's both (wireless) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto equipped, standard navigation, climate control with rear vents and push-button start.

If the Pure doesn't give you enough options, then the regular Clubman JCW ($62,900) will add 19-inch alloys, leather seats, a 12-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, a head-up display and heated front seats. Oh, and all the personalisation options you shake your credit card at.

The J7 range has a choice of two powertrains, an internal combustion engine and the plug-in hybrid.

The 2WD and AWD are powered by the same 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that makes 137kW and 275Nm. It’s paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, with the only major difference between the two models (obviously) being the driven wheels.

The SHS combines a newly-developed 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which makes 105kW, with a 150kW electric motor and a single-speed transmission.

Despite the electric motor, the SHS isn’t what you’d call ‘fast’ with a 0-100km/h time of 8.5 seconds, which the 2WD can reportedly better by taking just 8.1 seconds.

This is a cracking engine; a twin-charge, 2.0-litre, four-cylinder weapon that sends 225kW and 450Nm thundering to all four tyres.

That power is funnelled through an eight-speed automatic transmission, and will see the Clubman JCW clip 100km/h in 4.9 seconds before pushing on to a 250km/h.

The SHS is equipped with an 18.3kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery that provides a claimed 90km of electric-only driving range and helps the J7 achieve a claimed fuel consumption figure of just 1.0L/100km.

Jaecoo also quotes an EV-only range of up to 106km, but that is on the NEDC cycle, which is not as relevant for real-world driving than the WLTP test cycle that returns the lower figure. Even with the lesser number, 90km of EV-only driving will be more than enough for most people to do their daily commutes.

Jaecoo claims the SHS has a theoretical driving range of 1200km, thanks to its 60-litre fuel tank. However, to achieve that economy you need to run the J7 in its hybrid state, so somewhere closer to 1000km is more realistic - if you have a really light right foot.

As for the petrol-only models, the 2WD uses a claimed 7.0L/100km and the AWD 7.8L/100km.

Mini says its Clubman JCW will sip 7.7L/100km on the combined cycle, and emit some 175g/km of C02.

This is one area where the entire Chinese car industry, not just Chery/Jaecoo, have a ways to go to become not only competitive but genuinely stand out. Dynamically the J7 is average, not bad, just very ‘mid’ as the kids say. It doesn’t do anything particularly badly, but nor does it do anything particularly well.

The steering is nice and light, which will be good for navigating traffic and car parks, the ride lacks control but isn’t uncomfortable and the performance of the SHS powertrain is smooth but not spectacular, at least from a performance perspective.

This might sound like a ‘motoring journalist’ argument, but we’ve seen in the past when brands, specifically Hyundai and Kia, hired local experts to fine-tune the ride and handling of vehicles it resulted in a better experience and helped translate into sales.

With some more fine-tuning to improve the ride, and therefore the comfort, the J7 could be near the top of the class not only in terms of value but also the driving experience.

Yes, this is the most powerful Mini to have landed in Australia. And even better, it’ll remain so, or at least equal first, when the Mini GP arrives next year. That car gets this same thumping engine, and the outputs are the same, though the smaller, lighter hatch will no doubt be faster. 

It means Clubman JCW shoppers aren't about to lose their street credit, with this engine likely to remain the king of the castle for some time yet. 

The Clubman It might tip the scales at 1550kg, but the kilos don’t hurt its straight line speed much. Whack it in sport mode, which also adds this deep bass to the exhaust, plant your right foot and the Clubman positively pounces forward.

Better still, it feels - and sounds - quick, too, There’s this angry snap and crackle on the overrun, and the exhaust genuinely booms in the cabin when you really bury your foot. 

You’ve heard the cliches before, of course, about Minis feeling like they’re on rails, and we won’t waste your time with those here. Suffice to say we have pushed Clubman around some pretty tight corners at some pretty decent speeds, and while it doesn’t feel like a featherweight, it also picks and sticks to a line with absolutely no nonsense from the tyres and very little in the way of body roll.

That’s the good, now the not so good. The impressive handling feels like it’s been achieved by hardening up the suspension as much as possible, and the downside of that is that it can feel plenty sharp and bouncy over big bumps. On the right road, it kind of adds to the experience, but I'd imagine the daily commute would start to fray your patience fairly quickly.

There’s also a kind of skittishness to the way it drives fast too, which I actually don’t mind, but others might say isn’t as natural and flowing as others in the segment.

But this is the hardest, fastest clubman you can buy, and so you’re going into it knowing there’s going to be some comfort compromises. And if you’re looking a loud and rorty hot-hatch experience, this thing delivers in spades.

And on the right stretch of road, it’s an absolute hoot.

The Clubman JCW arrives with six airbags, a reversing camera, AEB, active cruise, forward collision warning and front and rear parking sensors and what Mini calls Performance Control, which it promises will reduce understeer and increase traction in corners.

The Mini Clubman was awarded the full five-star ANCAP safety rating when tested in 2017.

Jaecoo is giving would-be buyers every reason to take a chance on a new name. The J7 will be covered by an eight-year warranty, which again, adds to the premium experience as that’s an extra year to what Chery offers.

Jaecoo is also offering eight years of capped-price servicing and roadside assistance for J7 buyers. The vehicle will require annual services, but you’ll be paying $3372 to keep the SHS maintained those first eight years. 

Naturally, the less-complex 2WD and 4WD models are slightly cheaper, with the 2WD servicing tallying $2952 and the 4WD setting you back $3332.

The Mini Clubman JCW is covered by a three-year warranty, and falls under the BMW group's condition-based servicing program, in that it will tell you when it's time for a service.