Jaecoo Reviews

The Jaecoo J8 Track is the entry point to the Chinese brand's new flagship five seat SUV range, and sits below the loaded J8 Ridge variant in the two-tier line-up.The J8 Track is 2WD and costs $49,990 drive-away, which is $5000 cheaper than the all-wheel-drive Ridge.The Track is absolutely rammed with luxury kit.It has 20-inch alloy wheels, heated and ventilated front seats wrapped in real leather and topped off with a massage function.There are dual 12.3-inch displays, one for the multimedia and the other for the driver. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, sat nav and a 12-speaker Sony stereo are other highlights.It also has a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, power adjustable steering wheel, a head-up display (that projects vital information such as your travelling speed on to the windscreen in front of the driver) and a wireless device charger.All J8 variants are powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which makes 183kW and 385Nm. This is matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels in the Track grade.Jaecoo claims the J8 Track drinks 8.3L/100km, and it needs pricier premium unleaded petrol.The Track variant misses out on the fancy adaptive suspension of the Ridge grade, which reads the road ahead and adjusts each wheel independently. The Ridge exerted excellent body control and soaked up bumps expertly, but the Track falls off in this department with the ride becoming more unsettled with harsher bumps felt through the cabin.The engine has enough grunt for a vehicle this size, it's not a performance car but has leisurely acceleration, and it had no problem overtaking at highway speeds.There were times when the transmission and engine work as slickly together as they should with some delay of power and then rush of grunt all at once.Jaecoo covers the J8 with an eight year/unlimited km warranty and a capped-priced servicing program of the same length that costs $2952 for the Track 2WD with visits every 15,000km or 12 months.

Suddenly large SUV buyers in the mainstream market have even more choice. Jaecoo is Chery's premium sub-brand and the J8 is a large, but five-seat only SUV with the luxury feel of high-end offerings. But the price is more attainable than astronomical and we've taken a first Aussie drive.

Jaecoo is the latest new-car brand to arrive in Australia and it has big ambitions. Its all-new J7 SUV has arrived to take on the Toyota RAV4, BYD Sealion 6 and other popular models in the booming mid-size SUV segment. But as we found out, this newest offering has plenty of potential thanks to its efficient powertrain, eye-catching styling and head-turning value.

Jaecoo is set to launch in Australia imminently, but we've had a little preview steer in its first model, the J7 mid-size SUV. Can it shake up the establishment with premium styling and an expected sharp price?