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- 2 days ago
The Chery Jaecoo 7 tries hard to look like a proper off-roader, but the real question is whether this affordable Chinese SUV can challenge legacy brands on the road. This compact crossover is sold in Europe alongside the Omoda 5, comes in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and in this review the all-wheel drive version takes center stage with its boxy styling, large grille, light bar rear, and fake skid plates.
Inside, the Jaecoo 7 impresses at first with solid build quality, a large central screen, head-up display, heated seats, and plenty of storage, but the software quickly becomes the weak point. Android Auto was unstable, some functions lagged or behaved oddly, and the touchscreen layout often made simple tasks more distracting than they should be. Practicality is mixed too, with a good-sized boot on paper but awkward packaging around the spare wheel and false floor.
On the road, the 1.6 T-GDI engine and automatic gearbox deliver better acceleration than expected, yet refinement, sound insulation, and handling confidence are all inconsistent. The car has multiple drive modes and can manage light off-road tests, but it feels less composed on twisty roads and can be hesitant in everyday driving. This is a detailed Chery Jaecoo 7 review, SUV test drive, and Chinese car comparison for anyone searching for compact crossover impressions, all-wheel drive practicality, infotainment problems, and real-world driving feedback.
Created for viewers looking for Chery Jaecoo 7 review, Jaecoo J7 test drive, Chinese SUV comparison, compact crossover review, and affordable SUV buying impressions. If you want real-world thoughts on design, boot space, Android Auto issues, ride comfort, and off-road modes, this review is made for you.
Inside, the Jaecoo 7 impresses at first with solid build quality, a large central screen, head-up display, heated seats, and plenty of storage, but the software quickly becomes the weak point. Android Auto was unstable, some functions lagged or behaved oddly, and the touchscreen layout often made simple tasks more distracting than they should be. Practicality is mixed too, with a good-sized boot on paper but awkward packaging around the spare wheel and false floor.
On the road, the 1.6 T-GDI engine and automatic gearbox deliver better acceleration than expected, yet refinement, sound insulation, and handling confidence are all inconsistent. The car has multiple drive modes and can manage light off-road tests, but it feels less composed on twisty roads and can be hesitant in everyday driving. This is a detailed Chery Jaecoo 7 review, SUV test drive, and Chinese car comparison for anyone searching for compact crossover impressions, all-wheel drive practicality, infotainment problems, and real-world driving feedback.
Created for viewers looking for Chery Jaecoo 7 review, Jaecoo J7 test drive, Chinese SUV comparison, compact crossover review, and affordable SUV buying impressions. If you want real-world thoughts on design, boot space, Android Auto issues, ride comfort, and off-road modes, this review is made for you.
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MotorTranscript
00:00Do all crossovers look dull to you?
00:02Are you looking for something that would at least resemble an off-roader?
00:05What would you say to a JQJ7?
00:08Chances are you have no clue, and that's why you're here to watch this review.
00:12So let's crack on!
00:26I also recorded a comparison of the JQJ7 and the Kia Sportage.
00:30Yes, these two cars are virtually identical in size, although they offer different levels
00:35of performance and refinement.
00:37Channel members get to watch this comparison early and without ads.
01:17JQJ7 or J7 is one of the two models from China's carmaker Cherry available in Europe, the other
01:24one being Omoda 5.
01:25The Omoda 5 is a small crossover about the size of the Kia XCeed or Hyundai Kona.
01:30The JQJ7 is a compact crossover of similar dimensions to the Kia Sportage or Hyundai Tucson.
01:38JQJ7 is a rebadged Cherry Tansuo 06.
01:42Sorry for the pronunciation, it is available in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
01:47The latter has more equipment and slightly smaller boot.
01:51This is the all-wheel drive model.
01:54The boxy shape gives the JQJ7 a somewhat off-roady look.
01:58Without context, it looks like a much bigger SUV.
02:02Front is dominated by a massive grille.
02:05On the sides are horizontal daytime running lights with a sort of matrix design.
02:10Lower are the proper headlights.
02:12The profile is clean and simple.
02:15Black cladding at the bottom and piano black around the windows make the JQJ look slimmer
02:21and visually add some ground clearance.
02:24In the rear we have the trendy light bar running across the tailgate from one tail lamp to the other.
02:29Inside this plastic element is the JQJ badge.
02:33The bumper features some grey plastic, which is a fake rear skid plate.
02:38Also fake are the exhaust tips.
02:40The real exhaust tips, two of them, are under the bumper.
02:45So, this is what it looks like.
02:47Before I go any further, I'd just like to say I turned off all the proximity access features
02:51like the door handles popping out as I approach the car,
02:55welcome lights or locking and unlocking or opening of the tailgate.
02:58Like in Hyundai's and Kia's, also here there is no gesture control,
03:02so no swinging your foot under the tailgate.
03:05The tailgate starts opening as you approach the car with a key and I'm not a fan.
03:11According to the specification, the boot volume is 480 litres in 5 seat configuration
03:17and 1256 litres with the second row backrest folded.
03:21The front wheel drive version boot is some 84 litres bigger
03:24because the AWD model has AWD and a slightly larger fuel tank.
03:31While 480 litres sounds great, what you see here is about 350 litres.
03:36So, there remaining 120 litres is under the false floor.
03:40Great, let's drop the floor then.
03:42Well, that would be too easy.
03:45The mini spare is mounted on a styrofoam stand because there's a bulge above the rear differential.
03:51If it were up to me, I'd try to find a different spare wheel design to rest directly on the
03:56bulge.
03:57Also, the styrofoam insert around the mini spare basically renders this space useless.
04:03I've seen videos of the front wheel drive version where the spare is lower and so is the floor,
04:08but then there's a higher load lip and no flat cargo area with the rear backrests down.
04:14It's as if this car was designed by someone who's never used a car before.
04:22Good job, doors cover the sills.
04:25I always prefer cars which allow me to keep my trousers clean throughout the wet and snowy months.
04:34I'm 175 cm tall, the driver's seat is set to my driving position and I have good legroom and headroom.
04:41The headroom is a bit of a cheat though because the backrest is tilted a bit more than I'd like
04:46and the angle is not adjustable.
04:49The door pockets accommodate my water bottle.
04:52There are also cup holders in the armrest.
04:54The backrest splits 40-60, there is no ski hatch.
04:58The rear seat doesn't slide.
05:02There's only one air vent so the rear passengers will have to draw straws.
05:06Who's going to be hot or cold?
05:08There are two USB ports, one is a USB-A and the other a USB-C.
05:12Side seats are heated.
05:15IceFix anchor points are on the side seats.
05:19The JayQ7 cockpit looks promising.
05:22The build quality is good.
05:24Everything feels solid.
05:26Nothing squeaks, nothing rattles.
05:28There are no unpleasant smells like in older Hyundai and Kia cars
05:32and like in some Chinese cars just a few years ago.
05:35All this is good news.
05:37More good news is the instrument layout
05:41with the gauge cluster, the head-up display and a central screen.
05:46This one is almost 15 inches across
05:48and fortunately designers didn't succumb to the temptation
05:51of putting the speedo and other driver information here.
05:55However, this is where the good news ends
05:58and I'm not talking about the interface.
06:02It's how stable or rather unstable the software is.
06:06One of the first things I do in a car is to pair my phone
06:09with the car's Bluetooth hands-free system.
06:12Usually at this stage there is a prompt
06:13whether I'd like to connect Android Auto.
06:15Sure. Let's.
06:18This is where I encountered a problem
06:20because for the first few days the Android Auto connection was unstable.
06:24On a good day the phone remained connected for about 15 minutes.
06:27On a bad day it kept breaking connection every dozen seconds or so.
06:30If at least it remained disconnected but it tried to reconnect.
06:35So, I'm browsing through the settings Android Auto drops in the background
06:39and when it reconnects I'm taken from the settings I was browsing to Android Auto.
06:44And then it drops again.
06:45The only way to get out of this vicious circle is to delete the Android connection.
06:49However, when I restart the car there will be a prompt to reconnect
06:53and there doesn't seem to be an option to cancel only to accept.
06:57Or the customizable button on the steering wheel.
07:00I set it to take me to the driver assist features.
07:03When setting off from home one morning
07:05I pressed the button to go into the settings and disable ESAP.
07:09I pressed it several times and nothing happened.
07:11A few minutes later I was taken out of Android Auto into the driver 8 settings several times.
07:18Probably as many as I clicked the button when I set off.
07:22After a few days at least the Android Auto connection was stable
07:25but delays with the function button on the first start of the day remained.
07:30This doesn't inspire confidence.
07:32I don't know what else is going to crash.
07:34I just hope it's not going to be me.
07:37The vehicle settings menu is quite extensive
07:40so it's worth going through it and finding out what features your car has
07:46so later you can disable some of them.
07:49For example I suggest you disable the 360 camera view with indicator at low speeds.
07:55If you're navigating somewhere and there are many maneuvers
07:58the camera will obstruct the satnav directions.
08:01Theoretically these will be repeated on the head-up display
08:05but only when you're using the OEM satnav.
08:07Android Auto navigation is only on the central screen.
08:10That is if Android Auto is currently available.
08:14When using Android Auto you have several unmarked menus at your disposal.
08:20On top left of the screen is a pull-down menu with notifications
08:23and on top right is a pull-down menu with shortcuts.
08:28And at the bottom is the AC menu but I still haven't figured out which part of the screen I
08:34should click to launch it.
08:36The screen even in its darkest setting can be too bright for some on a cloudy day.
08:41Headlights aren't tied to the display mode.
08:44I suppose there is a setting somewhere to force the dark display mode
08:47but there are so many settings and in so many places that I'm not always able to find what I
08:53was looking for again.
08:55I understand the first iPad generation entered adulthood
08:59and I don't mind using a tablet to check who's that actor playing a supporting role in a show I'm
09:05watching at the moment.
09:06However, I'd rather have simple and direct access to settings of a vehicle that I'm driving on public roads.
09:14Also, looking in the rearview mirror too long will upset the driver attention monitor.
09:19Forget playing with the car settings while you're driving.
09:23Fortunately, the windscreen defroster and the seat heater buttons are repeated here on the central console next to the drive
09:31mode selector knob.
09:33Perhaps the drive modes should be on the screen and this could be used to control the infotainment system.
09:43But what do I know?
09:46Under the central display is a place for two phones.
09:49One of them is a wireless charger.
09:51It's the one on the passenger side.
09:53Perhaps this will change in the future in cars for right-hand drive markets.
09:57The charger isn't very powerful, but it certainly heats up the phone.
10:01Perhaps it would be more effective if it didn't lose contact with the phone all the time.
10:06Like the system drops the Android Auto connection.
10:09No, these two problems are not related.
10:11That would be too simple.
10:12Under the center console are two USB ports.
10:15One of them can be used to play videos on the central screen and it is also possible to watch
10:21them while driving.
10:22There is also a 12-volt outlet and a cubby for stuff.
10:26On the console, beside the few controls, are also cub holders, storage under the armrest and a narrow opening which,
10:35as it turns out, is to pull out tissues.
10:38Apparently there is a soft tissue pack just the right size.
10:41It seems to be the go-to size in China and these tissues seem to be widely available on Chinese
10:47e-commerce websites.
10:50Storage under the armrest is good size.
10:52It is heated or cooled depending on what you set the climate control to do.
10:55The glove box is on the small side, but the door pockets are large.
11:01The seats are comfortable.
11:03Seat setting memory is displayed on the central screen.
11:30I'll go back to what I said about Jaycu being designed by people who probably never drove a car before.
11:36For example, the automatic gearbox has a sequential mode.
11:40Usually this requires pushing the selector to the side and moving it up or down to upshift or downshift.
11:47Here some beautiful mind decided it is possible to do it cheaper without moving the lever.
11:52So there is a button labeled M for manual, but you have to long press it quite long enough for
12:01it to work.
12:02Otherwise you may put the car in neutral by accident, which is actually quite easy because the lever is very
12:11light.
12:14Performance is better than what Cherry declares.
12:17The 0-100 kmph time should be 11.4 seconds, I got 10.5 seconds in normal mode and 9
12:24.9 seconds in sport mode.
12:26The problem is that when I really need performance, like to get out of a junction,
12:31it takes precious fractions of a second for the car to decide whether it can let me do it.
12:36And then the driver in the approaching vehicle is saying bad things about me.
12:40It doesn't help the car starts in eco mode by default.
12:44It feels just like European brands a decade ago when car makers started to curb emissions.
12:50JayQoo7 is powered by the same 1.6 liter TGDI engine like the Omoda 5.
12:56For Europe it's been down tuned to 147 horsepower and 275 Nm of torque.
13:02But that's how it meets the Euro 6 E emissions criteria.
13:08Promised fuel economy of 8 liters per 100 kilometers is combined, I guess,
13:12and this is more or less what I averaged.
13:15It's more in the city and on motorways, but less on B roads.
13:20At the time of recording, JayQoo already announced it'll soon launch the 7 with a PHEV powertrain.
13:29Like in other Chinese cars I've reviewed so far, soundproofing in JayQoo7 is not great.
13:35Up to about 80-90 kilometers per hour you can hear other vehicles.
13:41And above 100 kilometers per hour it's all wind noise and engine noise,
13:46and this is not a pleasant car to do a long journey in.
13:49Driver aids don't inspire much confidence.
13:52Ride and handling, they're all so iffy.
13:55It's fine to sit in traffic, but on twisty roads JayQoo feels unpredictable.
14:01Torque is sent to the rear too late and too abruptly in my opinion.
14:04And yes, I'm talking about quite extreme situations which a regular driver will probably never experience.
14:10However, the front wheel drive Omoda 5 from the same manufacturer I drove just a couple of days before JayQoo
14:16handled much better.
14:19So, perhaps JayQoo is set up for off-road driving?
14:24Because of my tight filming schedule I wasn't able to attend a local JayQoo off-road event where unsurprisingly the
14:29car performed quite well on a prepared off-road course.
14:36I'm still putting together my one-man off-road recovery kit so I decided against taking JayQoo to my more
14:43challenging obstacle course and I just performed the usual diagonal approach test.
14:48JayQoo 7 has many modes. We'll start with normal mode.
14:53There's quite a bit of slip before ESP intervenes, but the car gets up the incline.
14:59I also attempted to drive up with ESP off, but all the power was escaping through the wheels with no
15:06grip.
15:07Also, be aware that changing modes doesn't turn ESP back on.
15:12Snow mode looks pretty much the same from the outside and feels the same from the inside like the first
15:17attempt in normal mode with ESP on.
15:21Mud mode quickly catches the wheels with no grip and transfers power to those with traction.
15:27The car gets up no problem. However, in mud mode I'd expect more slip to ditch some of the mud
15:33which sticks to tires.
15:35In sand mode there is a lot of wheel spin, which I'd expect from mud mode, but the car gets
15:41up the incline.
15:43And finally, off-road mode, in which the car behaved pretty much the same as in mud mode.
15:48It quickly detects wheels with limited traction, applies brakes and pushes the power to the wheels where the power is
15:56needed.
16:00Visibility front and to the sides is okay, and so is visibility over the shoulder.
16:05However, I get the impression the rearview mirror isn't designed for this car.
16:09I see too much of the rear seat and too little of what's outside.
16:14They could have added a separate mirror to watch the kids or a camera.
16:17I'm sure they could have used a part of this massive infotainment display to show what the kids are doing
16:24in the back.
16:25That's what they've done in the Voya 3, which has a much smaller screen.
16:29And, if you live in the UAE, it's called the Robdan 1 over there.
16:34The 360 camera system is good and it helps parking because the parking sensors beep very close to the obstacle.
16:53Prices of the JQ7 start at around 31,500 Euro for the front-wheel drive model.
16:58The all-wheel drive JQ7 also gets things like HUD, heated steering wheel, front seat ventilation, electric lumbar support adjustment
17:07or driver seat memory settings and it costs 36,000 Euro.
17:15JQ7 looks great, but it's meh to drive.
17:18Also, I'm concerned about the unstable infotainment system.
17:21And how do you like the JQ7? Let me know in the comment section below.
17:28If you like my sarcastic, down-to-earth and possibly mildly amusing car reviews, join me every Friday at 3
17:35p.m. Central European time.
17:36And don't forget to subscribe and like this video as it helps me with the YouTube algorithm.
17:41Thanks for watching and I will see you in the next one.