Jaecoo, which, like Omoda, is a sub-brand of Chery, will arrive in the SA new-vehicle market soon, with the J7 premium family car slated for introduction in early 2024.

Cars.co.za recently reported that Chery South Africa would launch a handful of new models in Mzansi next year, including 2 models of the Jaecoo brand, a brace of plug-in hybrids and then, in 2025, a battery-electric vehicle.

Did you know that Omoda, of which the new C9 flagship will be launched imminently, is but one-half of a division that Chery refers to as O&J? The “J” stands for Jaecoo, a portmanteau of “Jae” (a contraction of the German word for hunterJager) and “cool”.

Styled as an “urban off-road SUV marque”, Jaecoo is – like Omoda – an upmarket marque with a striking design language and a high level of technology; one could say that Jaecoo is for Chery, what Haval and Tank are for Great Wall Motor.

Measuring 4 500 mm in length, 1 865 mm in width and 1 680 mm in height (with a 2 650-mm wheelbase), the Jaecoo J7 is boldly styled, to put it mildly.

The model’s exterior design blends blocky old-school off-roader proportions with slick, modern finishes and is said to embody the brand’s slogan of “From Classic, Beyond Classic”.

“(The Jaecoo J7 is) tougher than typical urban SUVs, but more comfortable than traditional off-roaders,” says Shannon Gahagan, the South African brand and marketing manager for Omoda&Jaecoo (O&J). “(It incorporates) a raft of remarkable safety features, forward-thinking technologies and chic design”.

To your eyes, the Jaecoo J7’s matrix-style grille takes inspiration from Mercedes-AMG’s Panamericana treatment. Slim, technical-looking LED headlamps flank the grille, while the door handles are flush-fitting, and the rear styling is, well, Range Rover-esque, replete with a tailgate-spanning LED bar and spoiler.

The chunky and angular aesthetic continues in the cabin with (ahem) Jeep-style door handles and straight lines perpendicular to one other with a portrait-oriented infotainment screen on the fascia – O&J claims it measures 24.6 inches (diagonally).

Although the local subsidiary of O&J hasn’t confirmed this, we believe the Jaecoo J7 will be powered by a 1.6-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol engine that develops about 140 kW and 275 Nm of torque (it might match the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro’s 145 kW/290 Nm).

It’s likely that the Jaecoo J7 will be made available in both front- and all-wheel-drive guises in conjunction with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Gahagan said (at least one derivative in the local line-up) will be “endowed with Jaecoo’s proprietary ARDIS intelligent off-roading system (with) as many as 7 drive modes (that allow) it to adapt to a wide variety of terrains.

“While our product rollout in South Africa will commence with the Jaecoo J7 early in 2024, there’s plenty more to come from the brand.

“Later next year, Jaecoo will also launch the new, larger J8 – packed full of more segment-redefining features, from an ultra-smart curved infotainment screen to row-specific climate control,” Gahagan adds.

We saw the Jaecoo 8 in the metal in Wuhan, China earlier this year.

Furthermore, the J7 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) variant is set to be introduced in Q3 2024, before the flagship J8 arrives in Q4 2024. More details, including local pricing and specs, will be released closer to the respective models’ launches in 2024.

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