Jaecoo 7 vs Kia Sportage: Mat Watson tests two family SUVs to pick his favourite

For years now, the Kia Sportage has been the go-to family SUV for many. It was the second best-selling car in April 2026, and it also came runner up in the 2025 new car sales charts overall. However, there’s a newcomer which is quickly catching up.

That would be the Jaecoo 7. It may have been around for less than two years, but it’s already among the 10 most popular new cars in the UK. Why has the Jaecoo 7 exploded in popularity? Well that’s what I’m going to find out.

I’ve thoroughly tested both the Jaecoo 7 and the Kia Sportage, and I’m going to compare them on practicality, interior quality, technology and standard equipment, as well as tell you what they’re like to drive so you can decide which is best for your family.

Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.

Kia Sportage vs Jaecoo 7: prices, deals and value for money

One of the biggest factors when choosing a family car is the price you pay, and on paper these cars are pretty similar. The Kia Sportage starts from just over £31,000, while the Jaecoo 7 costs a shade over £29,000.

But what really matters is the price you’ll pay at a dealer, and right now you can save an average of £3,200 on a new Kia Sportage through Carwow. The Jaecoo 7 is available with an average saving of £2,100, so it does still work out slightly cheaper. New deals are dropping all the time though, so make sure to compare offers to get the latest prices.

It’s not like you’ll feel short-changed in terms of equipment either, because the Jaecoo 7 comes with loads of kit. As standard you get:

• 13.2-inch touchscreen
• Wireless smartphone mirroring
• Adaptive cruise control
• Heated front seats

The Kia Sportage also comes with plenty of standard equipment. All cars get:

• Adaptive cruise control
• 12.3-inch touchscreen
• Wireless smartphone mirroring
• Reversing camera

Heated seats are only available on mid-spec cars and up though, so the Jaecoo 7 wins on the value front.

Kia Sportage vs Jaecoo 7: interior and technology

Inside, the Jaecoo 7 looks like a much more expensive car than it is. All the materials look and feel premium, although I’m not sure I like the massive central gear lever you get in the petrol version. Hybrid cars get a much neater column stalk, which I prefer.

The massive portrait touchscreen is the dominating feature, and on the whole it’s nice and easy to use. It’s bright and responsive, and the menus are all pretty easy to navigate, but I’d still prefer a few more physical buttons for things like the climate control.

That’s something the Kia Sportage does have, and it’s a clever panel which can be toggled between your heating and multimedia controls. It’s much easier to use on the move than the screen-based setup in the Jaecoo, but the Kia’s touchscreen is smaller and a bit less impressive to look at thanks to the dark graphics.

The Sportage is about on-par with the Jaecoo in terms of interior quality. Everything feels pretty posh and feels solid, like it will stand up to the tests of family life. The cabin just isn’t quite as stylish as the Chinese alternative.

Choosing between the two is tricky, but I think the Jaecoo 7 scrapes a win here. It may not be as user-friendly, but the interior looks more modern than the Kia’s.

Jaecoo 7 vs Kia Sportage: space and practicality

The Kia Sportage is really roomy in the back seats. There’s plenty of space to stretch out, and the rear backrests even recline so you can get comfy for a long journey. Fitting a bulky child seat is easy as well thanks to the easy-access ISOFIX points.

As for the Jaecoo 7, it matches the Kia in terms of overall space, but in some ways it’s better. You have a completely flat floor, meaning there’s plenty of room for everyone’s feet. I also think it feels a bit brighter in the back thanks to the larger windows. That said, the Kia’s rear bench offers more under-thigh support.

You get 591 litres of boot space in the Kia Sportage, which is 91 litres more than the Jaecoo has to offer. The Kia also has a lower load lip, which makes it easier to haul heavy items into the back.

So the practicality prize goes to the Kia Sportage. While the Jaecoo 7 is slightly better if you have to carry three people in the back, that doesn’t make up for the much smaller boot.

Jaecoo 7 vs Kia Sportage: engines and driving

Both of these cars are available with petrol and hybrid engines, although I’d avoid the base petrol version of the Jaecoo 7. It’s more expensive to buy than the hybrid, which is bizarre, and it’s also pretty noisy and not very economical.

The hybrid will return around 50mpg, and around town you can drive at lower speeds using electric power alone. There’s also a plug-in hybrid model, which is the one I would choose because it can do up to 56 miles on electric power alone, and it’s really smooth and punchy.

The Sportage’s base petrol engine is better than the Jaecoo’s, but I’d still pay a bit extra for the hybrid because it’s just a tad more refined and it’ll return around 10mpg more than the petrol. A plug-in hybrid version isn’t available right now, but it will be joining the lineup soon.

Out on the road, the Kia Sportage is pretty boring – but in a good way. Family SUVs don’t need to handle like sports cars, they just need to be relaxing. It may be a bit firm over bumps, but on the whole it’s a comfortable car which feels really solid and predictable through the bends. It’s also quiet on the motorway.

The Jaecoo 7 isn’t quite so confidence inspiring. The steering is quite light and vague, which is fine around town but on a country road you never quite know what it’s doing and you find yourself making constant little adjustments. It’s just not quite as nice to drive as the Kia.

Jaecoo 7 vs Kia Sportage: my final verdict

So then, which of these cars is best?

Well the Kia Sportage is a fantastic family SUV, just as it always has been. It’s really practical, good to drive, affordable to buy and the interior feels nicely made. I’ve been recommending the Sportage to people for years, and I will continue to do so.

That said, the Jaecoo 7 is a really interesting alternative. I can see why they’re selling like hot cakes, because you get a posh interior and loads of kit for less than the price of the Kia. It also looks a bit Range Rover-esque, which I reckon tempts buyers in.

Overall, I think the Kia Sportage is a slightly better car because it’s nicer to drive than the Jaecoo and a bit more practical. However, the Jaecoo 7 is better value for money, and if you can live with the slightly wobbly handling and smaller boot then it’s a real bargain.

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