Chinese cars are here… and they’re seemingly here to stay.
The latest brand to break into Britain’s competitive market is Jaecoo and its debut model, the 7 SHS.
Jaecoo – which is a mix between the German word Jäger (hunter) and the English word cool, therefore translating to ‘hunter cool’ – is the sister brand of Omoda, both of which are owned by Chinese powerhouse Chery.
It has arrived with its sights set pretty high. The Jaecoo 7 SHS is aiming for luxury offerings from Range Rover and Audi, as well as claiming turf from more affordable options from MG and Hyundai.
But can premium for a budget price tag pull in buyers? Or is it too good to be true?
This is Money’s Freda Lewis-Stempel drove the Jaecoo 7 SHS plug-in hybrid from Scotland down to the Lake District to discover if there’s enough to tempt buyers into save tens of thousands of pounds on a cut-price alternative to luxury German and British marques…
Freda Lewis-Stempel drove the new Jaecoo 7 SHS Plug-in hybrid from Scotland to the Lake District to put the cheap Chinese premium SUV & its 745-mile range to the test
Jaecoo brand – how is it positioned for the UK market?
Jaecoo, as with Omoda, is sold exclusively outside of China.
In fact, Chery set up Jaecoo and Omoda simply to expand internationally – it’s the brand’s ticket into Western markets.
For context of just how big Chery is, the Chinese car giant sold more cars last year than BMW Group and is Asian country’s biggest exporter.
Chery shifted a whopping 2.6million units in 2024 – a 38.4 per cent increase on 2023.
And with 72 shared dealerships already and more to come before the end of 2025, the Chinese car giant isn’t holding back on expansion plans.
Jaecoo is being positioning as a luxury premium option and wants to challenge the likes of Audi, BMW and even JLR. It’s pitching to the same fashion-focused, urban elite buyers, but is undercutting all three when it comes to price.
It even looks quite like Range Rover’s Velar – at least from a distance.
The massive ‘waterfall’ grille at the front is a dead give away it isn’t a JLR product but does give it a unique look and dominant road presence.
The 7 SUV then is a big moment for the brand.
But is this ‘off-roading-capable urban SUV’ any good to drive?
Jaecoo is a combination of the German word for hunter (Jager) and the English word cool. Jaecoo is the sister brand of Omoda and a subsidiary (only sold outside China) of Chery
Chery, Chinese car giant sold more cars last year than the BMW Group and is China’s biggest exporter. Chery shifted a whopping 2.6 million units in 2024 – 38.4 per cent increase on 2023
A compelling reason to consider the Jaecoo 7 SHS
While the Jaecoo 7 is also sold with a conventional petrol option, I drove the 7 SHS plug-in hybrid variant, which marries a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a 18.7kWh battery.
The big headline figure is the claim that you can eek out 745 miles of combined driving range, which is why it’s called the SHS – ‘Super Hybrid System’.
The electric-only range is 56 miles, which is more than double UK average daily mileage (20.3 miles) and a cut above rivals: Hyundai’s Tucson manages only 43 miles and the MG HS PHEV can only cover 32 miles using the battery and e-motors alone.
In a way it’s more like a self-charging hybrid because the system is designed so the battery never fully depletes and will keep enough power to tap into electric mode when required. You get a notification when it goes into ‘Intelligent Saving Mode’.
The PHEV can also DC fast charge up to 40kW which gives you 20 to 80 per cent charge in under 20 minutes. This is a lot better than most PHEVs that only AC charge. AC charging will give a full battery in six to seven hours.
There’s also vehicle-to-load charging with the 7 SHS, so you can charge your home devices from the car’s main battery pack.
Jaecoo claims you can get 745 miles of combined driving range thanks to its ‘Super Hybrid System’. The EV range is 56 miles alone – a cut above the rival Hyundai Tucson’s 43 miles
The 7 starts from £29,435 for the Front-Wheel drive petrol. The Luxury All-wheel drive petrol comes in at £32,850 and the Luxury PHEV Front-wheel drive costs £35,065 – the one we drove
The PHEV SHS can DC fast charge which is unusual for a plug-in hybrid but very handy. You can get 30-80% charge in under 20 mins
Pricing and trims – how cheap is cheap and what do you get as standard?
Before going into the driving experience, it’s a good idea to have a monetary figure to keep in mind.
The 7 starts from £29,435 for the Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) petrol car. The Luxury All-Wheel Drive (AWD) petrol comes in at £32,850 and the Luxury PHEV FWD costs £35,065.
As well as the range, this car delivers a lot of kit for that money. And we mean a lot.
The interior has some cheaper plastics but you can so much for your money – from huge screens to plush heated and ventilated seats, and loads of tech and safety features
The panoramic roof, which also opens up, is an especially nice standard feature and makes the cabin very light and airy
For base price your 7 will come with a panoramic sunroof, heated front seats which are electronically adjustable and finished in faux-leather, wireless phone charging, a 13.3-inch central infotainment screen and 10.25-inch digital driver cluster, as well as lane departure warning, emergency braking and intelligent active speed limit, adaptive cruise control and three driving modes (four on AWD versions).
Not to mention a 540-degree panoramic camera with transparent view, keyless start and a power tailgate.
Even top Luxury level you’re only paying just over £35k and for that you also get a bigger 14.8-inch touchscreen, head-up display, a (very good) Sony eight-speaker sound system heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, heated seats front and rear and lumbar support.
And we haven’t even got onto practicality.
Driving experience isn’t the 7 SHS’ strong point and it doesn’t match up to German luxury rivals. But does that matter for a bargain price when you get so much else for the money?
While there’s a lot of room for improvement in the way the car handles, the driving position is great and it’s extremely comfortable. But the driving assists were constantly interfering
It’s sprightly enough, managing 0 to 62mph in 8.5 seconds and 201bhp. The double-glazing gives it one of the quietest cabins I’ve tested in a long while – it’s a lovely cabin to spend time in
What’s it like to drive?
Despite being incredibly frugal and providing a typically hushed EV ride, the 7 SHS is let down by the rest of the driving experience.
It will get you from A to B, but it definitely isn’t going to knock your socks off.
I would describe it as underwhelming at best and sub-par at worst.
It picks up road surface jarringly (it was developed on German roads which are much smoother than our pothole-riddled ones) and jolts over bumps and rough patches of tarmac. And the tyres lack traction too. It didn’t help that the brakes are bracingly strong.
The 7 body leans in corners and the steering is very loose and doesn’t give you much more feedback when you select the ‘Sport’ driving mode – you never really feel in-tune with it.
On the flip side though, the driving position is good, as is visibility and the seats are really very comfortable.
So, as a passenger, it’s very relaxing place to spend time and as the driver you can spend hours behind the wheel and not feel body fatigue from the seats.
It’s sprightly enough, managing 0 to 62mph in 8.5 seconds and 201bhp.
And on motorways the double-glazing is especially welcomed, with a noticeably silent cabin that makes cruising much more enjoyable. In fact, it’s one of the quietest cabins I’ve tested in a while.
The petrol has a 500-litre boot but the PHEV SHS only has 412 litres, so it’s decent, if not as big as some rivals, but all options have an automatic tailgate
Practicality and the interior
As I’ve already listed, many of the interior features you get for not much money.
All you really need to know is it’s very well designed for family life and is a real selling point of the 7.
It’s extremely comfortable, the design is crisp and stylish and there’s plenty of storage throughout.
The petrol has a 500-litre boot but the PHEV SHS loses space, down to 412 litres, so it’s decent, if not as big as some rivals, but all options have an automatic tailgate.
It’s very easy to adjust your seat electronically, and the upper trim has ‘welcome seats’ that remember your personalised settings.
Some of the materials are a bit plastic-y and it’s definitely not Audi, BMM, Mercedes or JLR level interior. However, it doesn’t feel ‘cheap’, mostly thanks to the premium features installed inside.
The cabin has an air purification system which filters PM2.5 particles from the air and can remove pet hair – a thoughtful feature for anyone with allergies and something new to us
Storage is good throughout and the front seats are heated (as well as ventilated on Luxury trims). The rear seats are also heated on Luxury trims
The sound system pulled its weight and the ambient lighting pulsates to the beat of your music which is sure to be a hit with teenagers and kids.
The panoramic sunroof is a luxury you don’t expect on such an inexpensive car, and being able to open up and let fresh air in makes it feel more rugged and like an actual off-road capable car even if you’re unlikely to ever go off-piste with it.
The Luxury trim also has an air purification system – something I’ve never experienced before – which will filter PM2.5 particles from the air and can remove pet hair – a thoughtful feature for anyone with allergies.
The tech – a touchscreen only system and driving assists with a mind of their own
While you are given a lot of inches of touchscreen for such a cheap car, there is room for improvement with the system.
It’s unfortunately very fiddly and isn’t intuitive to use. There are shortcuts which are appreciated, but even swiping to get to those can be a faff.
Apple CarPlay makes life a lot easier, so I’d recommend just using that, especially as it is very quick to connect your smartphone to the car and it comes with both wireless and cable connectivity.
Head-up display was clear and the driver’s display nice and simple which helps make life a bit easier for the driver and there are steering controls too.
The touchscreen is huge and connects very easily to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto both wirelessly and via cable, but the system itself is very confusing to use
However, the driver drowsiness detection system was alarmingly distracting.
It would get it into its head that you weren’t looking at the road even though both eyes were glued on it, hands were at nine and three o’clock and you’d only just started driving, at which point it would start beeping like a reversing bin lorry and…
Read More: Jaecoo 7 SHS review: China’s £35k Range Rover rival promises 745 miles of range