First batch of Jaecoo SUVs lands in South Africa – When you can buy one

South Africa is only a month away from getting its hands on its newest Chinese car brand, Jaecoo.

The automaker’s first batch of J7 SUVs has already touched down on local soil, and it is making preparations to add another eight dealerships to its network for a total of 40 stores by the time it goes on sale in April.

Audiences can experience the J7 before its launch with early test drives available at Jaecoo dealerships nationwide.

What to expect

Jaecoo is a new sub-division of Chery, one of South Africa’s most popular car brands, which specializes in the production of high-end SUVs.

It is the second Chery expansion in the country following the launch of Omoda one year ago in April 2023, and the two divisions will operate under the “O&J” banner with a shared dealership network.

Omoda already has 32 dealerships in South Africa, including 14 flagship stores with a range of additional services such as scratch and dent repairs and vehicle detailing, and these will become O&J storefronts for both brands upon Jaecoo’s arrival in April.

The Chinese automaker plans to have 40 dealerships set up by this time, with another 10 to be added by the end of 2024.

One example of its first car, the J7, is already on display to the public in Cape Town at the Table Bay Mall and will remain there until 4 March.

The J7 is fitted with the same 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine found in the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Max, Chery Tiggo 8 Pro, and Omoda C5 GT, which produces a total of 145kW and 290Nm.

In the South African variants, the drive unit is paired with a seven-speed automatic gearbox that transmits power to all four wheels through an All Road Drive Intelligent System with seven drive modes comprising Eco, Mud, Normal, Off-Road, Sand, Snow, and Sport.

The manufacturer has also confirmed that it will offer a comprehensive equipment list similar to the Omoda C5 GT, including adaptive cruise control, dual-zone climate control, and a digital cockpit with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Looking at the C5’s spec sheet, other items that are likely to be present include ventilated seats, leather upholstery, a powered sunroof, an electric tailgate, keyless entry and start, ambient lighting, a wireless charger, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and traffic-congestion assist.