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The article below is an excerpt from Steve Fowler’s DriveSmart newsletter. To get the email delivered straight to your inbox every Monday, simply enter your email address in the box above.
Plug-in hybrids are one of the hottest talking points in the car market right now, with new models from China in particular drawing plenty of attention for their looks, value and real-world range. Against that backdrop, as The Independent’s electric vehicles editor, I have been hearing from readers weighing up whether these fast-rising new brands are really worth the risk.
I recently received an email from Bob Richardson, who asked: “I saw that the Jaecoo 7 has become the best-selling car in the UK, but can I ask you for an honest view – is it any good? I am seeing them all over the place now, and they’re great looking cars, but I’ve also heard of a few reliability issues, too. Should I take the plunge or would I just be following the herd?”
Bob wasn’t the first – and probably won’t be the last – person to ask me that question. The Jaecoo 7 (and to a lesser extent the Jaecoo 5) is very much the car of the moment and it’s been one of the UK’s best-sellers for quite a while.
With so many new Chinese brands arriving in the UK over the past couple of years – and more on the way – it’s becoming increasingly difficult for them to stand out. Jaecoo, however, has a clear point of difference: design.
Steve Fowler behind the wheel of the Jaecoo 5 (Steve Fowler)
Its models bear more than a passing resemblance to Range Rover products, with the larger Jaecoo 7 echoing the Velar and the smaller Jaecoo 5 reminiscent of the Evoque. Yet despite those premium looks, both start in the £20,000s – a long way south of the cars they appear to emulate.
Are they the most sophisticated cars to drive? No. The ride can be on the firm side, and the steering lacks the precision of some European rivals.
When I drove the Jaecoo 7, the constant beeps and bongs quickly became tiresome, although software updates have improved matters and the newer Jaecoo 5 is a step forward. Both cars also rely too heavily on touchscreens for basic controls, and usability could be better.
That said, the powertrains – particularly the 7’s plug-in hybrid system – are impressively advanced, delivering strong efficiency. Build quality is also remarkably solid for the price, and the level of kit on offer comfortably outstrips similarly priced models from more established brands.
Wrap all of that in bodywork that turns heads, and it’s easy to see why Jaecoo is attracting attention – especially with some tempting finance deals currently available.
There have been some reports of reliability issues, and it remains to be seen how Jaecoo and its dealer network respond, including to a recent recall – something that, it’s worth noting, is not uncommon in the industry. As more cars hit the road, more issues are inevitably reported, so it will be important to watch how widespread these problems prove to be and how effectively they’re handled.
So, should you buy one? As my recent comparison of seven Chinese plug-in hybrids showed, the Jaecoo 7 isn’t the best all-rounder. But it is, by some margin, the best looking – and that alone makes it hugely appealing.
I wouldn’t blame you for choosing it over alternatives from MG, BYD, Geely, Chery or Omoda – or even the new Lepas models. (Jaecoo, Omoda and Lepas are all part of the wider Chery group, mirroring the Volkswagen Group’s long-standing strategy of sharing technology across multiple brands.)
Looks matter enormously in the car-buying process, and on that front Jaecoo is getting it absolutely right. The question now is how rivals – both new and established – respond.
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