Mat’s Car of the Day: the Jaecoo 7 is great-looking and even greater value

I recently test-drove the Chery Tiggo 7, which is a good-value, roomy and well-equipped five-seater SUV. But despite this, I don’t think you should buy one – because for not much more money, you can get the Jaecoo 7 instead.

The Jaecoo is very similar to the Chery under the skin, but it looks so much better. Those copycat looks have led to it being dubbed the ‘Temu Range Rover’, but does the 7 deserve more praise than this?

I’m going to give you three good reasons to buy the Jaecoo 7, as well as three annoying things that might make you think otherwise.

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.

Three reasons to buy a Jaecoo 7

1. The looks

There’s no doubting that Jaecoo was ‘inspired’ by Range Rover while styling the 7. The thing is, if you copy a really good-looking car, what you end up with is… a really good-looking car. The Jaecoo 7 has a bold grille, a cool floating roofline, and boxy proportions that make it look quite rugged. It definitely appears much more expensive than it really is, and it avoids looking chintzy with it – it’s just quite classy.

. The plug-in hybrid engine is great

There are three engine options for the Jaecoo 7 – more on the petrol version later – but the pick of the range is the SHS-P. This is a plug-in hybrid based around a 1.5-litre petrol, and it’s great – you get up to 56 miles of electric range, and because it holds some battery back you even get decent fuel economy on a longer journey.

3. Standard equipment is generous

The top-spec Jaecoo 7 still undercuts its mainstream competition by some margin – at £36,000 for the very poshest ‘Black Luxury’ PHEV, versus the very cheapest Volkswagen Tiguan at nearly £39,000 for a base-trim petrol. For your money you get everything – full LED lights, a massive sunroof, heated and cooled front seats and a Sony stereo to name but a few.

Jaecoo 7 deals: save even more money

You can save even more money on the Jaecoo 7 if you buy through Carwow.

The best savings are to be found on the Luxury model with the 1.6-litre petrol engine, but I think you should get the plug-in hybrid instead. With a retail price of just over £35,000, you can still save more than £2,000 buying through Carwow, making it just over £33,000. Or if you just want to spend as little as possible, you can save nearly £1,700 on the entry-level Pure model with a self-charging hybrid engine – coming in just over £27,500.

Lease deals are similarly impressive. That base-spec Pure car can be yours for just £218 per month over a two-year deal, after a £3,000 initial payment. And my preferred Luxury model is just £278 a month with just over £3,600 down. That’s wildly cheaper than most of the alternatives, and barely any more than the Tiggo 7.

Three annoying things about the Jaecoo 7

Before you take a look at those amazing prices and head straight to the Jaecoo 7 deals page, though, there are a few features this car has that you might not love so much.

1. It’s not great to drive

If you’re a pretty low-mileage driver, or you mainly do short journeys, then this is unlikely to bother you. But it’s worth pointing out to people who drive long distances, or just want a car that’s a bit of fun on the back roads. The Jaecoo’s suspension doesn’t really do anything well – it’s not super comfortable, but it still leans a lot in the bends. The steering doesn’t give you any feedback about what the front wheels are doing either, so it can be hard to judge in the bends. Avoid the 1.6-litre petrol engine, too – it’s noisy, thirsty, and really inefficient, spoiling the car even further.

2. The warranty doesn’t cover everything

Jaecoo advertises its cars with a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty, but there are some caveats. First off, if the car’s ever been used as a taxi, ride-share vehicle, delivery or courier vehicle, driving instructor’s car or emergency service vehicle, coverage drops to just four years. Then there are the exceptions – many components are only covered for three years or 40,000 miles, including relatively major systems such as the starter motor, fuel pump, alternator and even the infotainment screen.

3. It could be more practical

The Jaecoo 7’s seats all have plenty of room, but the boot isn’t great. The petrol models have 500 litres of space, which is about the same as a Nissan Qashqai, but in PHEV models that drops to just 410 litres. That’s small enough that it might be a problem if you’re trying to fit the whole family’s kit and clobber inside.

Car change? Carwow!

Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

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