The Jaecoo J7 has entered South Africa's market. It is the first vehicle from the new marque under the Chery group to enter the South African market, with more to follow. We drove the vehicle during both the pre-launch test drive and the main launch.
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The J7 exudes a high level of sophistication, and the specifications on offer are tops. You have three variants, with interesting names like Vortex, Glacier, and Inferno. Classy yet rugged design finds its way into the J7, and it's not just great for urban areas but also for the great outdoors. Surely, with that large spectrum, you need the performance to match. With this in mind, how is the J7's performance?
What's on offer?
The J7 range is powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, which sends power to either the front or all four wheels.
| Engine | 1.6 TGDI |
| Power | 145kW |
| Torque | 290Nm |
| Fuel Economy | 7.0l /100km (2WD) 7.8l /100km (AWD) |
How is the performance then?
The J7's 1.6-litre engine delivers peak power at 5500rpm and maximum torque from 2000-4000rpm. It delivers more of a power surge when it comes to the front-wheel-drive models and a more linear delivery with the all-wheel-drive models. To control the AWD system in the J7, you have the All Road Drive Intelligent System (ARDIS), engineered to adapt to the vehicle to off-road and on-road conditions. Performance from this vehicle is pretty decent. If you're sold on the J7 then feel free to search AutoTrader for the latest used and new offerings and sell your car too.
