The Jaecoo J7 plug-in hybrid SUV has been spotted testing in India for the first time, that too without any camouflage. This comes about a month after a Jaecoo J5-based midsize SUV - another model from the Chery-owned sub-brand - was spotted testing on our roads. A J7-based SUV could be one of the models that JSW Motors could bring to India.
- J7 is positioned above the J5 in Jaecoo's portfolio
- It's available with turbo-petrol, strong and plug-in hybrid powertrains abroad
- J7, if launched, will take on Tata Harrier, Jeep Compass SUVs
JSW plans to enter the Indian market as a standalone company by launching rebadged cars of China's Chery, which also owns Jetour and iCar. Alongside the J5, the JSW-Chery partnership will also bring the Jetour T2-based plug-in hybrid SUV and the iCar V23-based electric SUV to the country.
Jaecoo J7 spy shots explained
Up front, the SUV features a large grille with 'JAECOO' lettering at the centre and a multitude of vertical slats. It's flanked by LED DRLs with a pixel-like pattern, while the main headlights are positioned lower down in a stacked layout. Small fog lamps sit at the bottom of the bumper.
In profile, the J7 has a boxy stance, somewhat similar to the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It gets flush-fitting door handles and aero-style wheels. While the exact size isn’t clear from the images, the UK-spec model comes with 19-inch cast aluminium alloy wheels. Plastic cladding around the wheel arches and along the lower body adds to the SUV look.
At the rear, the squared-off design is reminiscent of the Maruti Grand Vitara. It gets connected LED tail-lamps linked by a black strip with ‘JAECOO’ lettering in the centre. A ‘PHEV’ badge at the back confirms the plug-in hybrid powertrain. While the interior of the J7 was not visible, depending on the market, the J7 offers a 14.8-inch portrait-syled touchscreen, heated and ventilated front seats, 8-speaker sound system by Sony, panoramic sunroof and a wireless smartphone charger.
Jaecoo J7 powertrain
In international markets, Jaecoo offers the J7 with a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, which works together with an electric motor to deliver combined outputs of 306hp and 525Nm. The e-motor draws power from an 18.3kWh battery pack, allowing for an electric-only range of 90km. The combined range of this front-wheel drive petrol-hybrid setup is 1,200km. Being a PHEV, the J7's battery pack can be charged via external chargers - 40kW DC (30-80 percent in 20 minutes) and 6.6kW AC (25-100 in 2.4 hours). Regular petrol and strong hybrid versions of the J7 are also sold in some countries.
Jaecoo J7 market positioning
The 4.5-metre-long Jaecoo J7, if launched in India, will compete with executive SUVs such as the Tata Harrier and Jeep Compass. All of these models, including the J7, are five-seaters. What sets the J7 apart is its plug-in hybrid option, something none of the competitors currently offer. As mentioned earlier, it's also available with a strong-hybrid setup in some markets, which again is not offered by the Tata and Jeep SUVs. As of now, there is no clarity on the J7's launch timeline here.
Suraj Viswanathan
Dhruv Dhaka
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Glenn Noronha
Dipan Sur
