It looks like we can expect to see the JAECOO J7 on our soil before any of our neighbours.
Chery Malaysia’s reception by the market has been really encouraging so far. Almost every day I see at least one Omoda 5 or Tiggo 8 Pro when I’m on the road, which is more than I can say for a lot of traditionally popular car nameplates in 2024. This is probably why China’s top car exporter has decided to use Malaysia as the first market in South East Asia to launch their all-new JAECOO J7 – both a new sub-brand and a new model too.
The Jaecoo J7 was previewed in Malaysia alongside the larger J8 when the brand first made its local debut. I was in China about a year ago when they let us test drive pre-production units and I have to say that they really do move fast at Chery. This time last year, the word JAECOO probably would have yielded zero results on Google. Now we’re getting confirmation of its ASEAN debut in Malaysia in 1H 2024 just a week after its global launch in Mexico.
So, why should you get excited for the Malaysian debut of the JAECOO J7? Well, the first thing to think about is what price it will be sold at. While we don’t really have much to go on, we know Chery Malaysia is really aggressive with their pricing strategy, coming in within 5% of Proton’s pricing. Let’s say they do the same here but price within 5% of their Japanese or Korean equivalents, we could be looking at a JAECOO J7 that’ cheaper than the latest Honda CR-V or Mazda CX-5 while providing premium styling, power and features. That would be very appealing to a lot of potential buyers.
Plus, the JAECOO J7 is getting everything but the kitchen sink thrown in to boost its value proposition. The J7 features All Road Drive Intelligent System (ARDIS), which gives it the ability to tackle various terrain types and still be great on tarmac. There are driving modes for 10 different scenarios and BOSCH Intelligent Power Brake control system, allowing for a class-leading response time. It also has the ability to emulate the locking capability of a diff lock. All-in-all, if you’ve been a fan of Range Rover but can’t afford their SUVs, the JAECOO J7 could your ticket to something with similar looks and capabilities.
The JAECOO J7 also comes with a very advanced, high output powertrain. The 1.6 TGDI engine here sends 145kW and 290Nm of torque to all four wheels via a 7-speed dual clutch transmission.
For more exciting information about JAECOO Malaysia, follow JAECOO Malaysia’s Facebook page.
