Jaecoo 7 SHS review: Driven to distraction by the ‘Chinese Range Rover’

August 22, 2025 Matt Allan

Are keen pricing and high specification enough to allow the Jaecoo 7 SHS to compete with the Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage?

It can’t have escaped anyone’s attention that there are a whole heap of new Chinese brands piling onto the UK scene at the minute.

From those with familiar names like MG to unknown quantities like Xpeng, there’s no shortage of newcomers and the latest to arrive on EV Powered’s overcrowded driveway is a Jaecoo.

Owned by automotive behemoth Chery, Jaecoo is the more premium wing of the joint OmodaJaecoo operation that arrived in the UK in late 2024. While many of its Chinese compatriots focus on all-electric models Jaecoo is going down a more traditional route with purely petrol or plug-in hybrid options alongside EVs.

Obviously, we don’t care about the basic petrol model but with a 56-mile claimed EV range and unusually quick DC charging, the Jaecoo 7 SHS is worthy of our attention. But is it worthy of buyers’ money?

Design, interior and technology

It has been suggested that the Jaecoo 7 SHS is China’s answer to the Range Rover Evoque. Viewed from the B pillar back, it’s clear to see why. There’s a spooky similarity in the way the ‘floating’ roof dips down to meet the rising belt line; in the line of the tailgate and the shape of the rear lights. At the front it’s very much its own design, however. The massive slatted grille might be too ostentatious for some but it does give the Jaecoo 7 an individual identity among sometimes anonymous rivals.

Inside there’s less character. Like so many new entrants to the market, the Jaecoo 7’s cabin is dominated by a 14.8-inch central touchscreen and elsewhere there’s the familiar black plastics with slivers of chrome-coloured trim. It’s dull to look at but feels impressively well made.

jaecoo 7 shs interior image — The Jaecoo 7 SHS relies on a touchscreen for virtually every control

As a mid-sized alternative to the likes of the Kia Sportage, Nissan Qashqai and Ford Kuga PHEV, the Jaecoo offers competitive rear legroom but a relatively small 412-litre boot.

While initial impressions are good, things go downhill when you start using the car. Virtually every function is controlled via the screen and hidden in a confusing jumble of menus and submenus. Want to tilt your wing mirrors? That’s in the touchscreen. Need to turn the temperature down? It’s in the touchscreen and if you’re using Android or Apple you’ll need to swipe up to reveal a hidden menu to access it.

That’s a bad start but things get worse on the move, with some of the worst driver “assistance” systems I’ve encountered this year – and that’s saying something.

The driver attention warning has a screaming fit if you dare look down at the speedo or glance towards a side road to check it’s clear. The lane keep assist violently yanks the steering wheel should you get anywhere near a white line, and the traffic sign recognition bings and bongs like a child’s toy as it completely fails to understand UK road signs.

Trying to switch it off, of course, involves messing about in the touchscreen deactivating what feels like a dozen buttons, most of which have a second “are you sure?” screen. Even when you think you’ve deactivated it all, you’ll discover you missed one button or another somewhere in the endless scroll of the touchscreen.

Powertrain

The SHS in the Jaecoo 7 SHS name stands for Super Hybrid System – quite a bold label to give what is, basically, a regular plug-in hybrid setup.

But the Jaecoo system is a pretty impressive one. An 18.3kWh battery provides an official EV range of 56 miles, and there’s surprisingly quick 40kW DC charging that allows a 30-80% top-up in 40 minutes at compatible chargers. Based on official testing, it’s capable of a claimed 403mpg but don’t expect that in the real world. You can still expect well over 50mpg even with the battery running low – impressive for a family SUV with a 1.5-litre petrol engine.

That engine is supported by a single electric motor to give a total of 201bhp, which feels well matched to this sort of car. It responds pretty well to a sharp prod with the right foot and makes good progress up to motorway speeds. The shift between electric only and combustion assisted power is pretty seamless but on more than one occasion the acceleration was interrupted by an odd stutter that felt unconnected to the hybrid operation.

jaecoo 7 shs review driving image — The rear looks like a Range Rover but the Jaecoo 7’s front is distinctively different

In my week with the Jaecoo 7 the powertrain proved to be the only acceptable part of the driving experience. The steering appears to have been borrowed from the Skywell BE11, with a horrifically vague and delayed input that leaves you guessing just how much the wheels are going to turn. I can live with overly-light steering as long as it feels accurate. The Jaecoo isn’t too light but feels like there’s a sponge in place of a steering rack and leaves you lacking confidence even at low speeds.

The ride is, likewise, horrible. There’s an ever-present sharp edge to it that brings an endless juddering through the entire cabin at any speed and on virtually any surface.

Price and specification

So it’s not going to win over anyone with its on-road manners, but Jaecoo is betting people will be drawn to its budget-friendly pricing.

The non-hybrid versions start at £29,435 but the plug-in Jaecoo 7 SHS is priced at £35,065. There’s just one trim – Luxury – and no options. Everything from full LED lights and keyless entry to heated front seats, a panoramic sunroof and powered tailgate are standard across every trim. To that the SHS’s Luxury grade adds heated rear seats, cooled front seats, tinted rear windows and a head-up display as well as a larger main touchscreen and two extra speakers for the stereo.

Verdict

The Jaecoo J7 HSH has already enjoyed some sales success in the UK, something that can, presumably, be attributed to that strong equipment list and low retail price.

It gets some of the basics right. The drivetrain is plenty powerful enough, economical and is fairly quiet. The overall build quality is pretty good, too. But the driving experience – from the awful steering to the harsh ride and odd powertrain stutter – is miserable, and the user interface is an over-complicated mess. No matter the on-paper value of the car, these are issues likely to grow more, rather than less, frustrating with time.