Jaecoo 7 vs Chery Tiggo 7: two similar Chinese cars, but Mat Watson has a clear favourite

The Jaecoo 7 is selling phenomenally well. Considering the brand has only been around for a couple of years, this Chinese SUV is the third most-popular new car on sale in the UK.

Since it launched at the end of 2024, Jaecoo’s parent brand, Chery International, has launched loads more midsize SUVs, including the Chery Tiggo 7. It’s around the same size as the Jaecoo, is similarly well-equipped and it’s slightly cheaper, but is it better?

I’ve tested both cars for my in-depth reviews, and I’m going to compare their designs, technology, interiors, practicality and tell you what they’re like to drive so you can choose which one is best for you.

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Jaecoo 7 vs Chery Tiggo 7: prices, specs and deals

Let’s start with the dirty topic of money, because the main selling point for these cars is value.

The Jaecoo 7 starts from just under £30,000, but you can save over £2,300 on one through Carwow at the time of writing. I think you’d be better off leasing one though, because over three years and 24,000 miles it’ll cost you £270 per month with a £3,572 upfront payment, which works out to around £13,000 in total.

According to Cap HPI, an industry body for car valuations, it’ll lose around £14,500 in depreciation over the same term if you buy one, so leasing actually saves you money.

All versions come with loads of kit as standard, including a panoramic glass roof, adaptive cruise control, a surround view camera and a power tailgate. I’d also shell out for the top spec model. It costs between £3,600 and £3,800 more depending on which engine you go for, and it adds things like heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel and wireless phone charging.

The Chery Tiggo 7 is quite a bit cheaper. It starts from just under £25,000, and you can save an average of almost £2,700 on one through Carwow at the time of writing. Interestingly though, it’s only around £10 per month less than the Jaecoo to lease over three years. It’ll cost £12,500 in total over the term.

It’s not quite as well-equipped as the Jaecoo though. You do still get adaptive cruise control as standard, but a sunroof is only available on the top-spec plug-in hybrid model, and you have to upgrade to the higher trim to get a surround-view camera as well.

But even when you do upgrade to the range-topping car, it still costs more than £2,000 less than a basic Jaecoo 7. The Tiggo 7 is better value for money.

Jaecoo 7 vs Chery Tiggo 7: design

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but there’s no getting away from the fact that the Chery Tiggo 7 is quite dull-looking.

It’s by no means an ugly car, but it just looks like an amalgamation of every generic SUV on the market. There’s no real stand-out feature, and it doesn’t look especially premium. That’s fine if you just want a cheap family car, but if you want something which looks more desirable then the Jaecoo 7 is the better bet.

It has more than a hint of Range Rover Evoque about it, and the boxy shape just makes it look a bit more imposing. Neither of these cars is quite as head-turning as a Peugeot 3008, but I prefer the Jaecoo 7’s styling out of the two.

Jaecoo 7 vs Chery Tiggo 7: interior and technology

Both of these cars feel really solid and impressively posh for their price, but the Jaecoo does feel slightly more premium thanks to the lack of shiny black plastic. I do like the fact you get some physical shortcut buttons for the climate control in the Chery though, something the Jaecoo does without.

That said, the Jaecoo 7’s infotainment screen is much better. Not only is it a lot bigger, measuring 14.8-inches across in top-spec models compared to 12.3-inches in the Chery, it’s also more responsive and has clearer graphics. Both cars get wireless smartphone mirroring though, which means you rarely have to use the car’s own software.

It’s a close race, because both of these cars punch well above their weight in terms of quality, but the Jaecoo 7’s cabin just feels that bit posher.

Jaecoo 7 vs Chery Tiggo 7: space and practicality

The Chery Tiggo 7 is slightly larger than the Jaecoo 7, and as such it has a bit more luggage space. It has a 565-litre boot, which is 65 litres up on the Jaecoo. That said, it drops to 484 litres in plug-in hybrid versions, and neither car is especially impressive compared to the cavernous Kia Sportage with its 591-litre capacity.

Things improve in the rear seats though, because both of these cars offer loads of legroom. There’s not much between them really, but the Jaecoo 7 is slightly better with three in the back thanks to its squarer body.

I also prefer the Jaecoo’s driving position, because I found that the Chery’s steering wheel doesn’t quite extend far enough for me. Both cars offer plenty of in-car storage though, with deep centre console cubbies, decent-sized gloveboxes and big door bins.

It’s a close race, but I reckon the Chery Tiggo 7 is a bit more practical thanks to its larger boot. Neither car is as practical as a Kia Sportage though.

Jaecoo 7 vs Chery Tiggo 7: engines and driving

These two cars are built by the same parent company, and as such they share the same engines. As standard you get a 1.6-litre petrol engine with 147hp, but I’d avoid this one because it’s quite noisy and you’ll be lucky to get more than 30mpg in the real world.

Then there are the plug-in hybrids. They both use a 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with an electric motor, and combined you get 204hp. It’s a smooth and efficient hybrid system, with both cars getting up to 56 miles of all-electric range.

You can also get the Jaecoo 7 with a self-charging hybrid engine with 224hp, and it’ll do 50mpg. This is the engine I’d go for, because it’s around £5,000 cheaper to buy than the plug-in hybrid and you’re not likely to make that money back in fuel savings. Unless you’re a company car driver that is, in which case the tax savings make it look more tempting.

Out on the road, these cars are both best described as fine. Neither feel quite as refined or planted as something like a Skoda Karoq, but they’ll go where you point them and they deal with bumps pretty well.

That said, the Jaecoo 7 does feel more fidgety over broken surfaces than the Chery, and it’s a bit noisier on the motorway as well. The Chery Tiggo 7 is slightly nicer to drive, but there’s really not much in it.

Mat’s final verdict: Which car should you buy?

There’s no denying that the Chery Tiggo 7 is fantastic value for money. At less than £25,000, you’re getting a spacious and well-equipped SUV for the same price as some small hatchbacks.

However, I think you should buy the Jaecoo 7 instead. The lease prices are very similar, and leasing is the most cost-effective way to buy either of these cars once you factor in depreciation. It looks cooler and feels posher inside, plus the technology is slightly better as well.

That’s why the Jaecoo 7 wins this test.

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