Jaecoo has launched its first product in Australia, the J7 mid-size SUV priced from $34,990 drive away. The first J7s will land in dealers in May.

Using the same platform as the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro, the J7 will be offered in four variants locally: base Core, mid-range Track and Ridge and top-spec plug-in hybrid Summit.

The petrol J7 range uses the same turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro, making 137kW of power and 275Nm of torque. That’s mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and either front- or all-wheel drive. Fuel consumption for the 2WD models is rated at 7.0L/100km and 7.8L/100km for the AWD.

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The top-spec Summit, however, uses a 105kW/215Nm turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine mated to a 150kW/310Nm electric motor for 255kW/525Nm total outputs. Its 18.3kWh LFP battery allows for a claimed 90km of electric driving range (WLTP) and a total driving range from a full battery and full tank of fuel of over 1,200km. Its claimed fuel consumption is just 1.0L/100km, though as with all plug-in hybrids, that depends on how much it’s charged.

Unlike a lot of PHEVs, the J7 Summit can be DC fast charged at up to 40kW for a 30 to 80 per cent charge in as little as 20 minutes. Above 30 percent charge, the J7 PHEV can run as a pure EV at up to speeds of 120km/h.

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Measuring 4,500mm long, the J7 is around 10cm shorter than a Toyota RAV4. It also measures 1,865mm wide, 1,680mm tall and rides on a 2,700mm long wheelbase. The bootspace measures between 340 litres for AWD/PHEV variants to 424L for the 2WD cars – the seats folded figure is between 1,265L and 1,349L.

Jaecoo cars are covered by an eight-year/unlimited km warranty with eight years of capped price servicing and up to eight years of roadside assistance (if the car is serviced through Jaecoo). Eight years of servicing costs $2,952 for the 2WD models, $3,322 for AWD and $3,372 for the PHEV.

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Jaecoo J7 pricing (drive away):
Core 2WD$34,990
Track 2WD$37,990
Ridge AWD$42,990
Summit PHEV 2WD$47,990
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Jaecoo J7 Core standard equipment:
18-inch alloy wheels with a space saver spare wheel
Dusk-sensing LED headlightsFront and rear USB-A and USB-C ports
Keyless entry and startSeven airbags
Roof railsAutonomous emergency braking (AEB)
Synthetic leather seat and steering wheel upholsteryAdaptive cruise control
Six-way driver/four-way front passenger electric seat adjustmentTraffic jam assist
Manual air-conditioning with rear air ventsLane keeping assistance
10.25-inch digital driveru2019s displayLane centring
13.2-inch touchscreenBlind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert
Wireless/wired Apple CarPlay and Android AutoTraffic sign recognition
Satellite navigationDriver monitoring
Digital radioRear parking sensors
Six-speaker sound systemReversing camera
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J7 Track adds to Core:
Rain-sensing wipersFront parking sensors
Driveru2019s knee airbag360-degree camera
Dual-zone automatic climate controlAcoustic windscreen glass
Eight-speaker Sony sound systemElectronic rear child safety locks
50W wireless phone chargerColour-selectable cabin ambient lighting
Power tailgateHeated front seats
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J7 Ridge adds to Track:
All-wheel drive with a torque-biasing rear differentialDriver seat memory
19-inch alloy wheels with a full-sized spare wheelVentilated front seats
Larger 14.8-inch touchscreenHeated steering wheel
Head-up displayPuddle lamps
Panoramic sunroof with sunshadeAlloy pedals
Perforated synthetic leather trimAuto-dimming rear mirror
Four-way driveru2019s lumbar adjustmentInbuilt dashcam
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J7 Summit PHEV adds to Ridge:
Plug-in hybrid system with 18.3kWh batteryTyre repair kit (no spare)
19-inch wheels in u2018aerou2019 designSteering column-mounted gear selector

The Jaecoo J7 range will be available from Chery Jaecoo dealerships from May.

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