Jaecoo J7 SHS: Value for money and range for weeks

The Jaecoo J7 impressed me when I had it on test earlier this year. It was also a contender for SA Car of the Year 2025 in the family car category.

It had everything we’ve come to expect from Chinese vehicles and the inclusion of a 1.6 litre turbocharged engine placed it above its competitors. The interior was also very comfortable. 

Jaecoo launched the J7 SHS — the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the J7 — in June and when I received it on test, I was excited to test just how far this car could take me on a single charge and one tank of fuel. 

It’s always good to know that, so I can understand if it is worth paying the extra money for the PHEV over the internal-combustion engine (ICE) version. 

Usually, it’s difficult to judge because the PHEVs come in far above the ICE variants. 

But with the Jaecoo J7, it’s slightly different. 

It has three ICE variants: the J7 Inferno (R519 900), the J7 Glacier (R579 900) and the J7 Vortex which is an all-wheel-drive (R679 900). 

The J7 SHS comes in at R689 900, which is just R10 000 more than the top-of-the-range petrol variant, but it must be noted that the SHS is a front-wheel-drive vehicle. 

Jaecoo claims that the 18.3kWh battery pack will provide 90km of all-electric range and a combined range of over 1 200km. 

To test it, I took the car on a few long journeys during the week that I had it. 

On the first day, I did my usual stroll around Bakerton in Springs just to get a feel for the car and, in the evening, I did my trip to Boksburg and back for padel. Nothing extraordinary, but I could feel that difference in power and a smoother driving experience in the short time I spent on the road. 

The Jaecoo J7 SHS has an electric motor that works with a four-cylinder 1.5 litre engine to produce 255kW of power and 525Nm of torque. 

Due to the electric motor, you do feel that slight rush of power when accelerating, but it otherwise picks up speed in a linear fashion, which keeps the car comfortable. 

On day two, I took a trip to Sandton, then to Rosebank and came back to Springs in the evening. The drive still felt well over a million bucks but there was one slightly annoying feature. 

The camera facing the driver, meant to detect fatigue and when you are distracted, allowing the digital cluster to remind you to stay focused on the road, was way too sensitive. Every time I glanced at the infotainment system, whether it was to check the navigation or even just change the music, the vehicle would start freaking out like my high school teacher when I hadn’t done my homework.

There were even times when I had my eyes fixed on the road but it was still on my case. I guess I just look tired all the time. 

I had to contend with this annoying feature on every trip I took. 

On day three, I took a trip from Springs to Azaadville and back. By now, I had done more than 500km in the car, and while the battery sat around 30%, thanks to the help of regenerative charging, the combined fuel range was still well over 700km. 

On day four, I took another trip to Sandton and back in the day and then, in the evening, I took another trip to Boksburg and back. So it was yet another 200km day for me, but the vehicle was still sitting with a combined range of over 500km. 

The next few days of testing involved me taking the car to Boksburg and back twice, which amounts to 150km, and I drove it in and around town. No charging, no stops at the petrol station. 

When I returned the car, the battery was still at 30% and there was 380km of fuel, meaning that there was still about 400km of range left, combined. 

I could not believe it. I feel that, if you are not driving with a heavy foot, you can take this car from Johannesburg to Cape Town on a single tank and a full charge. However, it would be an anxious trip and I do not recommend taking on that challenge. 

But that’s the beauty of a PHEV. You don’t need to worry too much because, if you are running low on range, you can always fill up with fuel. 

Verdict

I like that Jaecoo has kept the SHS in line with the other versions of the J7 and not changed too much. The rims have been altered on the outside to make it look like an electric vehicle, and there are a few other minor changes, such as replacing the buttons in some places on the inside. 

I maintain that this is one of the best compact SUVs in terms of comfort and drive quality. At R689 900, this PHEV is one of the most affordable in South Africa and screams value for money. It also will definitely save the buyer a lot of money on running costs.