PODCAST: Jaecoo J7 has potential to take SA by storm (video)

The Jaecoo J7 has finally been debuted locally as Chinese carmaker Chery’s second sub-brand after Omoda. But where does the Jaecoo J7 fit into the manufacturer’s SUV line-up that also include the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, Tiggo 7 Pro, Tiggo 8 Pro and Omoda C5?

Watch Pitstop podcast video

In The Citizen Motoring‘s Pitstop podcast, Jaco van der Merwe, Mark Jones and Charl Bosch discuss the positioning of the J7. And Jones shares his initial impressions after spending some time in the car during a recent launch drive.

Bosch has also had his fair share of exposure to the J7 after seeing it in Shanghai for the first time a year ago. In October he went one further and experienced the car from the rear seat during a little off-road drive at Chery’s factory in Wuhu.

Last month, he had his first taste from the driver’s seat during a drive through the Lion & Safari Park outside Lanseria. The Jaecoo J7 impresses Bosch, with a more comprehensive on-road still required for us to make a proper judgment.

ALSO READ: Chery hits the sweet spot with the Jaecoo J7 (VIDEO)

Jaecoo J7 makes an impression

Now Jones has finally had the chance to do that and it’s a thumbs up all the way from the veteran car man. While there are typical Chinese safety bells and whistles that irked him, overall he rates the Jaecoo J7 as a very good offering.

Jones felt that the brand made good strides in terms of throttle calibration and fuel consumption. These are two areas the Chery and Omoda products have been found wanting a bit.

ALSO READ: Wait no more: Jaecoo officially puts price on eagerly awaited J7

The Jaeco J7 line-up consists of three derivatives all powered by a 145kW/290Nm, 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine. The mill also serves in Chery models and on the Omoda C5.

Seven-speed dual clutch transmission drives power to the front wheels on the entry level and mid spec models. The top of the range sends the drive to all four corners.

Pricing

Pricing starts at R549 900 for the Jaecoo J7 Vortex and goes up to R679 900 for the flagship Inferno. The pricing is inclusive of five-year / 70 000km service plan, five-year / 150 000km mechanical warranty and 10-years or 1-million km engine warranty.