New Jaecoo J7 launches in South Africa – Pricing and specifications

Jaecoo has arrived in South Africa with its stylish J7 after first announcing its intention to launch in the country back in August.

Jaecoo – a blend of the words Jäger and Cool – is one of Chinese automaker Chery’s many sub-brands focused on “luxury rugged” SUVs, and the J7 is but the first of three new vehicles it has in store for the domestic market in the near future.

Sold in three flavours – the front-wheel-drive (FWD) Vortex and Glacier, and the all-wheel-drive (AWD) Inferno – the new J7 is now available to local buyers from a starting price of R549,999.

What you get

Buyers of the J7 Vortex can expect nice-to-haves such as automatic LED lights, rain-sensing wipers, smart door handles with keyless entry, push-button start, leather upholstery, electric front seats, dual-zone climate control, a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, offline navigation, an eight-speaker Sony stereo, ambient lighting, a 50W wireless smartphone charger, a 360-degree camera system, front parking sensors, an electric tailgate, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

On top of this, the mid-range Glacier receives a panoramic sunroof, a 14.8-inch central display, ventilated seats with heated backrests, a heads-up display, intelligent high-beam assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change assist, automatic emergency braking, door-opening warning, child detection, and 19-inch alloys.

The flagship Inferno further brings a heated steering wheel; its main selling point therefore being that it is the only all-wheel-drive model in the range.

Under the hood, the J7 family is powered by the same engine in the form of a turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol unit matched with a seven-speed automatic gearbox.

Output is listed at 145kW and 290Nm and fuel consumption comes in at 7.5l/100km.

Eco, Normal, and Sport drive modes are available in all derivatives, but the Inferno is the only version that channels drive to all four corners and it subsequently also gets Mud, Off-Road, Sand, and Snow settings.

Price

The South African pricing and model line-up for the new Jaecoo J7 are as follows:

Jaecoo J7 Vortex FWD – R549,999
Jaecoo J7 Glacier FWD – R599,999
Jaecoo J7 Inferno AWD – R679,999

Each purchase includes a 5-year/150,000km warranty and a 4-year/70,000km service plan, with a 10-year/1-million kilometre engine warranty for the original owner also included.