Jaecoo has officially set up operations in Malaysia and will introduce its first model, the J7, in 2024. In an official release, the company also announced the arrival of the first two units of the J7 AWD in right-hand drive guise for road testing and previews with potential dealers.
For those unfamiliar with Jaecoo, it is a brand under Chery – like Omoda – that are specifically for overseas markets outside China. Jaecoo Malaysia already has an official Facebook page up and running, and we can expect the website to go live by January 2024. As for dealers, the company is currently conducting a recruitment programme ahead of its first model introduction next year.
Getting back to the J7 (or Jaecoo 7), we previously reported on the arrival of the SUV during this year’s Chery International Owner Summit in Wuhu. Also known as the Chery Tansuo 06 (or Explore 06), the J7 was previously called the TJ-1 CDM before it got its official names.
In terms of dimensions, the J7, which was also spotted here by paultan.org reader Christopher Loh, measures 4,500 mm long, 1,865 mm wide, 1,680 mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2,672 mm. That makes it smaller than the Mazda CX-5 and outgoing (fifth-generation) Honda CR-V we have here.
Touted as an “exceptional urban off-road SUV within the premium segment,” the J7 has 200 mm ground clearance, a wading depth of 600 mm, 21 degrees of approach angle and 29 degrees of departure angle. For those concerned about practicality, the J7 has a maximum towing capacity of 1,300 kg, a roof load capacity of 75 kg as well as a boot space of 412 litres.
Unlike the car we saw in Wuhu, the two units of the J7 that have landed on our shores are equipped with an all-wheel drive powertrain rather than a front-wheel drive one. Final Malaysian specifications aren’t out yet but based on the global Jaecoo website, the setup consists of a 1.6 litre turbocharged inline-four petrol engine that is rated at 197 PS (194 hp or 145 kW) and 290 Nm of torque.
Together with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and the aforementioned all-wheel drive system, the J7 will get from 0-100 km/h in eight seconds – the WLTP-rated fuel consumption is 7.48 l/100 km.
Available equipment includes a powered driver’s seat, heated and ventilated front seats, LED headlamps, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14.8-inch central infotainment touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a head-up display, a hands-free powered tailgate, a panoramic sunroof, rear air-conditioning vents, up to 10 airbags and comprehensive suite of advanced driver assistance systems (AEB, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, etc).
As per our previous report, other models destined for our market include the Jaecoo 8 with up to three rows of seats as well as the Omoda 9, the latter being a renamed Exeed RX (Exeed is another one of Chery’s brands). For now, the J7 is the focus, so are you looking forward to the rugged-looking SUV’s launch here? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
GALLERY: Chery Jaecoo 7 spyshots in Malaysia
GALLERY: Chery Jaecoo 7
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Really exciting times. Give the Japanese carmakers some competition!
Competition? China cars are still decades away in terms of quality, reliability, and specially after sales service. Who wants to buy a car that after 3 years disappears and has no spare parts for repairs?
bro, the world is changing, go outside, touch some grass, read some books, talk to some wise people, its time to stop fb or tiktok.
I bet you haven’t seen any china make EV before.
What give me some new cars jaecoo new cars
Based on your previous article in relation to this, the only model that I am interested in is the J8, it got 2.0 twin turbo with up 200hp, with AWD, and hoping for the ADAS system as well.
J7 and exceed not so much because one is with 1.6L turbo and the other one doesn’t come with AWD.
hmm, 1.6L turbo 194hp but 2.0L twin turbo 200hp? the numbers don’t add up right.
i see toyota, range rover, rolls royce in this thing, are the chinamen too poor to hire a designer to come out with something original?
Dude, this car is JV with Range Rover, what you wanna expect? come out like cybertruck? Make sense abit la dei
Hmmphh, another chinaman’s ride…..
In global markets, it is necessary to copy for forward improvement. Commentators who aren’t really contributing practical inputs, might as well just keep your fingers from typing away, makes you very laughable honestly…