Jaecoo 7 review

Interior:

Dashboard & tech

Despite the Jaecoo 7’s low price tag, it certainly doesn’t feel cheap inside with lots of soft-touch materials dotted about the place, while fewer physical buttons give it a more minimalist design.

In terms of tech, the entry-level car comes equipped with a 13.2-inch portrait touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while flagship models are fitted with a larger 14.8-inch device. However, the lack of physical dials does make it difficult to operate functions while on the move, with the climate control settings buried within the touchscreen.

Comfort

The 7 is not the most composed car in its class when it comes to comfort, as the ride struggles to settle down with any imperfections in the road, upsetting the chassis.

At high speeds, the car is agitated by larger potholes, though at slow speeds, even the smallest of bumps is picked up behind the wheel, making the whole driving experience feel unpolished.

Quality

Chinese cars have come a long way when it comes to quality and the 7 is no exception. The interior is accompanied by lots of soft-touch materials that feel plush and durable, while top-spec cars feature synthetic leather upholstery with heated outer rear seats - a feature normally found on more expensive cars.

Practicality & boot space:

Interior space

Space is a strong point in the 7 as the boxy design makes it the perfect counterpart for carrying rear-seat passengers, offering plenty of head and legroom, while the flat floor makes it easier for a third person to sit in the middle seat.

Access to the back is easy too, as the rear doors open nice and wide and there are plenty of charging ports to cater for everyone's electronic devices.

Boot space

Boot space varies depending on which powertrain you go for with the 7. The standard petrol model packs an impressive 580 litres of space and 1,423 litres with the rear seats folded down - which is more than what you’d get from a Nissan Qashqai.

However, the plug-in hybrid variant pinches some space for the battery pack, dropping the overall volume to 410 litres with the rear seats upright, while that expands to 1,335 litres with the rear bench folded down.

Versatility

Despite the smaller boot capacity in the plug-in hybrid model, the 7 can fit five passengers in its cabin without fuss, providing plenty of handy storage areas like the split-centre armrest, cup holders, a large glovebox and wide front door bins.

Driving:

Driving experience

Out on the road, the 7 is let down in many key areas. The biggest issue comes from the steering, which is vague, too light and feels artificial. In the plug-in hybrid model, the petrol engine roars into life under hard acceleration, which sounds coarse and unrefined while the jittery ride makes the whole experience not as composed as its European rivals.

Around town, the 7’s high-driving position gives you a better view of the road ahead and its square-shaped proportions help out in those tricky car park manoeuvres.

Performance

The standard petrol model produces 145bhp and 275Nm of torque, which can take the car to 60mph in 10.1 seconds, or 11.6 seconds in the four-wheel drive variant.

The plug-in hybrid car develops 201bhp and 310Nm of torque, while 60mph comes round in a much quicker 8.3 seconds, while Jaecoo claims the car can travel up to 56 miles on electric power.

Both models are fitted with automatic transmissions, though the petrol engine is noisy and lacks mid-range grunt at higher speeds.

Running costs:

Fuel economy & CO2 emissions

The 7 isn’t too thirsty when it comes to running costs as the petrol model is claimed to achieve around 37mpg and emits 169g/km of CO2. The four-wheel drive model does increase fuel consumption, averaging a claimed 35mpg.

The plug-in hybrid variant can manage a claimed 403mpg - though that figure should be taken with a pinch of salt, with real-world figures suggesting the car will achieve around 50mpg. It also only emits 23g/km of CO2, making it much more beneficial for company car drivers.

Value for money

Value for money is the Jaecoo 7’s party trick with the entry-level car coming in at £30,115 and boasting a 12.3-inch touchscreen, heated front seats and a six-speaker sound system. That makes it £3,000 cheaper than the BYD Seal U plug-in hybrid and £12,500 less expensive than an entry-level Range Rover Evoque.

Second-hand examples are also very affordable, with a 20,000-mile petrol model priced at £23,800 and a low-mileage plug-in hybrid car on the market for £26,600.

Reliability & warranty

Jaecoo may have only been selling cars in the UK for 18 months, but a recent recall - affecting 7,500 models in the UK built between April and December 2025 - follows in the wake of an electrical issue found where models could be fitted with incorrect wiring harness clips to their Electronic Control Units (ECU).

All Jaecoos come with a seven-year or 100,000-mile warranty with no mileage limit for the first three years, which gives peace of mind for those buying new or second-hand.

Safety:

Safety features

The 7 scored the maximum five-star Euro NCAP crash test safety rating, while the car is fitted as standard with the latest ‘Advanced Driver Assist Safety Systems’ (ADAS): adaptive high beam assist, traffic sign recognition, lane-keep assist, blind spot monitoring and a 360-degree surround camera.

Trims & engines:

Jaecoo keeps things simple with the 7 as there are just two trim levels to choose from with Deluxe and Luxury.

Trim levels:

• Deluxe: The entry-level model. It features a 13.2-inch portrait touchscreen infotainment system, heated front seats and a six-speaker sound system.
• Luxury: The flagship model that boasts an all-wheel drive setup, heated outer rear seats, a larger 14.8-inch touchscreen, a heated steering wheel, a head-up display and a Sony eight-speaker premium audio system.

Engines

The Jaecoo 7 is available with two powertrains. The standard petrol model is equipped with a 1.6-litre turbocharged unit that develops 145bhp and is mated to an automatic transmission. It’s a rather loud engine with not much low-down grunt which makes it feel underpowered.

The plug-in hybrid is powered by a smaller 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to an electric motor and 18.3kWh battery pack, which makes it much more brisk, delivers better fuel economy, produces less CO2 and makes more sense if you cover lots of miles.