In a world where electric and hybrid technology is reshaping the way we travel, bold claims are everywhere. And few are as ambitious as Jaecoo’s promise that its new 2025 J7 SHS Summit mid-size hybrid SUV can deliver up to 1200km of real-world driving range.
So, we decided to put the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) medium SUV to the ultimate test on an iconic Aussie road trip; from the tragically hip inner-city streets of Surry Hills in Sydney, starting with a coffee at the famous Bourke Street Bakery, all the way to the outback town of… well, Bourke.
That’s an easy 759km one-way drive through Sydney’s urban jungle and onto its congested freeways, before traversing across the Blue Mountains to Lithgow and then meandering through the fertile farming areas around Mudgee, Dubbo and Nyngan, and finally heading directly north-west to Bourke along one of the straightest, most remote stretches of road on the planet.
The Jaecoo should easily make it Bourke without stopping and, with a claimed electric-only range of 90km from its 18.3kWh battery, get us out of town before using a drop of fuel.
The challenge is, then, how far will it get us back from Bourke before needing to be refuelled or recharged.
How does the Jaecoo J7 compare?
View a detailed breakdown of the Jaecoo J7 against similarly sized vehicles.
Jaecoo
J7
How much does the Jaecoo J7 cost?
The J7 SHS Summit is Jaecoo’s flagship model, blending rugged off-road styling with modern electrification.
| Model | Drive-away pricing |
|---|---|
| Jaecoo J7 Core 2WD | $34,990 |
| Jaecoo J7 Track 2WD | $37,990 |
| Jaecoo J7 Ridge AWD | $42,990 |
| Jaecoo J7 SHS Summit | $47,990 |
If you’re curious about how the Jaecoo J7 compares to its rivals, check out our comparison tool
What is the Jaecoo J7 like on the inside?
Even before you open the doors, the J7 looks right at home on leafy inner-city Sydney streets.
Its chunky stance, bold grille and slimline LED headlights, complete with a chequered pattern, and floating roofline give off baby Range Rover vibes.
Inside, the cabin is classy, with a simple T-shaped relationship between the dashboard and centre console that is fused with good quality materials.
Such materials include chrome trim highlights and a twin digital screen configuration that incorporates a 10.25-inch instrument cluster with a portrait-style 14.8-inch infotainment display.
The heated and ventilated front seats are comfortable and offer plenty of adjustment, and there’s both reach and rake movement for the three-spoke steering wheel that makes it easy to find the optimum driving position.
Thankfully, there’s two cupholders in the centre console for the double-shot lattes from the bakery that I needed to kickstart this road trip, and dual phone pads at the front of the centre console – the left one offering wireless charging.
The final task before hitting the road is to connect my phone to the infotainment system, which is a simple task and provides access to wireless smartphone mirroring. Perfect.
What’s under the bonnet?
Under the bonnet sits a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 105kW of power and 215Nm of torque, paired with a 150kW/310Nm electric motor and a 18.3kWh battery pack.
| Specifications | Jaecoo J7 SHS Summit |
|---|---|
| Engine | 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol |
| Engine outputs | 105kW 215Nm |
| Electric motor outputs | 150kW 310Nm |
| System outputs | 255kW 525Nm |
| Battery | 18.3kWh LFP |
| Transmission | Single-speed hybrid transmission |
| Drive type | Front-wheel drive |
| Weight | 1794kg |
| Fuel economy (claimed) | 1.0L/100km |
| Electric driving range (PHEV) | 90km |
| Fuel tank capacity | 60L |
| Fuel requirement | 95-octane premium unleaded |
| CO2 emissions | 31g/km |
Together, they deliver impressive combined maximum outputs of 255kW and 525Nm, driving the front wheels through an intelligent single-speed hybrid transmission that can shift seamlessly between pure electric, hybrid, or petrol-powered driving.
If you’re curious about how the Jaecoo J7 compares to its rivals, check out our comparison tool
How does the Jaecoo J7 drive?
Now, with a few less litres than a full tank and the battery charge that indicates we have 1116km of range, it’s time to hit the road and get out of Sydney on a cool autumn morning.
As I engage drive on the column-mounted gear shifter and then start rolling, I am immediately alarmed by an odd noise from outside the window that sounds like I’ve run over something. I stop and open the door to check but can’t see anything obvious.
It happens again the moment I move off, and then I realise it’s the sound of the motorised pop-out door handles retracting backwards into the body.
Let me tell you, it doesn’t sound right. And, even after driving the Jaecoo for a week, it was a shock each time.
Anyway, with the EV mode engaged, first impressions of how the J7 drives are extremely positive, as it effortlessly glides through the chaos of Sydney’s tangled inner-city streets on battery power alone. The electric motor feels punchy and responsive, and the single-speed transmission is seamless in delivering its power to the road.
It can induce a bit of tugging on the wheel under heavy acceleration, but I’m conscious of limiting my heavy right foot to maximise the battery’s range.
Another oddity is the distorted view through the central rear-view mirror. With a heavy convex on its glass, you see a lot more of the rear seats than you normally would and, subsequently, any traffic behind you appears much further away than it probably is.
It seems weird at first, but becomes more natural over time. And it’s undoubtedly a good thing for families that often carry small kids in the back, as the driver can easily see more of them without having to swing around and take their eyes off the road.
The J7 continues to draw on its battery as we hit the freeway and feels just as relaxed at highway speeds as it does around town.
The petrol engine only starts to chime in as we begin to ascend into the Blue Mountains. With the battery set to maintain a minimum 25km of range (you can adjust the percentage in the energy settings), we achieved more than 65km of mixed driving conditions in pure EV mode.
We could have got more – and closer to its claimed maximum of 90km – but I wanted to see how the remainder of the trip would pan out with a mixture of petrol and electric power, and not just rely on the internal combustion engine alone.
Considering that most Australians drive less than 40km on their daily commute, the Jaecoo J7 certainly offers the everyday benefits of an electric vehicle without the negatives of range anxiety.
It’s barely perceptible when the engine does kick into life. In fact, the Jaecoo J7 is remarkably quiet at highway speeds, even on coarse country roads.
And it’s pretty comfortable too. The suspension can get a little slappy on corrugations, and the steering is overly light and lacks feedback, but for the most part it rides nicely and feels surefooted through the bends.
The steep descent down Mount Victoria recouped a good portion of energy and refilled almost a quarter of battery’s capacity thanks to the regenerative braking capability, which – even in its highest setting – feels smoother than many other rivals.
The active lane keeping assistance, however, is a little overzealous, constantly tugging at the wheel at the sight of a white line.
The adaptive cruise control also doesn’t like bends and will slow the car a little too dramatically. And the driver monitoring system incessantly bings and bongs the moment you glance at the infotainment screen.
Thankfully, the former and latter can be deactivated through the driving menu on the main screen. But you have to do this each time you start the car.
The drive westward saw the J7 settle comfortably into highway mode. The plush seats, large panoramic sunroof and decent Sony audio system made the cabin a pleasant place to spend hours on the road.
We rolled into Dubbo – the halfway point – to refuel ourselves at the Pastoral Hotel on Talbragar Street (the steak sandwich was delicious, by the way), but the Jaecoo’s petrol gauge had barely moved and we still had more than three quarters of a tank. Impressive.
It wasn’t until we were deep into outback NSW, on the lonely road between Nyngan (with its Big Bogan statue proudly on display in the main street) and Bourke, with nothing but red dirt and herds of feral goats on the sides of the road for company, that we began watching the range more carefully.
Bourke came into sight well before the J7 showed any real signs of concern. Arriving at one of Australia’s most remote EV chargers (yes, Bourke has a charging station now — and it’s powered by a clever combination of solar and battery storage), we still had just over a quarter of tank of fuel and an estimated range of more than 300km until empty.
With a quick top-up of the battery, I figured we could easily match – if not beat – Jaecoo’s claimed 1200km range.
However, after spending the night at the quaint Darling River Motel and dinner at the Port of Bourke hotel, we woke up to a massive desert storm brewing on the horizon.
The black sky provided a dramatic backdrop against the scorched red earth, and it soon started to bucket down, which not only slowed our speed to below the posted limit but created a headwind and more drag on the drivetrain, which ultimately had a negative impact on our challenge.
The rain chased us all the way back to the outskirts of Dubbo before the fuel warning light came on, forcing us to stop there again to refuel – this time for both me and the car.
Still, we had covered a total of 1128km before the car needed a drink, which is impressively close to the promised 1200km — especially considering the sub-standard real-world conditions, including elevation changes, headwinds, and a car loaded with gear.
If you’re curious about how the Jaecoo J7 compares to its rivals, check out our comparison tool
What do you get?
There are a total of four Jaecoo J7 variants available.
2025 Jaecoo J7 Core 2WD equipment highlights:
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Temporary spare wheel
- Roof rails
- Power-retracting door handles
- Gloss black side mirrors
- Gloss black rear spoiler
- Projector LED headlights
- LED tail-lights
- Rear fog light
- 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
- 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- 6-speaker sound system
- Intelligent voice assistant
- Satellite navigation
- AM/FM/DAB+ radio
- Front and rear USB-A and USB-C ports
- Manual air-conditioning
- Electronic gear shifter
- Premium steering wheel
- Synthetic leather upholstery
- 6-way power driver’s seat
- 4-way power front passenger seat
J7 Track 2WD highlights:
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Acoustic glass windscreen
- Power tailgate
- 50W wireless charger
- 8-speaker Sony sound system
- Dual-zone climate control
- Colour-selectable interior ambient lighting
- Illuminated vanity mirrors
- Heated front seats
- Power child safety locks
- Boot 12V power outlet
J7 Ridge AWD highlights:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Full-sized spare wheel
- Red brake calipers
- Panoramic glass sunroof
- Privacy glass
- Puddle lights
- 14.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Head-up display
- Alloy pedals
- Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
- Heated steering wheel
- Perforated synthetic leather upholstery
- Ventilated front seats
- 4-way power driver’s seat lumbar
- Driver seat and mirror position memory
J7 SHS Summit adds:
- Unique aero-design side mirrors
- Dark grey roof rails
- 19-inch aero wheels
- Tyre repair kit
- J7 SHS-exclusive interior design
- Steering column-mounted gear selector
- *Removes heated steering wheel
If you’re curious about how the Jaecoo J7 compares to its rivals, check out our comparison tool
Is the Jaecoo J7 safe?
The Jaecoo J7 PHEV was recently awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on 2025 testing.
| Category | Jaecoo J7 SHS |
|---|---|
| Adult occupant protection | 81 per cent |
| Child occupant protection | 85 per cent |
| Vulnerable road user protection | 80 per cent |
| Safety assist | 84 per cent |
Standard safety features include:
- 7 airbags incl. front-centre
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Pedestrian
- Cyclist
- Junction
- Reverse pedestrian (backover)
- Adaptive cruise control
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Driver monitoring system
- Lane departure warning
- Emergency Lane Keeping assist
- Lane centring
- Lane change assist
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Reversing camera
- Rear parking sensors
- Traffic Jam Assist
- Tyre pressure monitoring system
J7 Track 2WD adds:
- 8 airbags incl. driver’s knee
- Surround-view camera
- Front parking sensors
J7 Ridge AWD and SHS Summit add:
If you’re curious about how the Jaecoo J7 compares to its rivals, check out our comparison tool
How much does the Jaecoo J7 cost to run?
The Jaecoo J7 has a strong ownership promise from a new brand.
| Servicing and Warranty | Jaecoo J7 SHS Summit |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 8 years, unlimited kilometres |
| Roadside assistance | 8 years – service activated |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km |
| Capped-price servicing | 8 years or 120,000km |
| Total capped-price service cost | $3368 |
If you’re curious about how the Jaecoo J7 compares to its rivals, check out our comparison tool
CarExpert’s Take on the Jaecoo J7
Given that most of our drive involved sitting at highway speeds — conditions where hybrids traditionally struggle compared to pure petrol engines — the result is nothing short of remarkable.
Beyond the numbers, the J7 SHS Summit impressed us with its refinement. The ride quality was excellent, the cabin was whisper-quiet even on rougher surfaces, and the real-world tech worked without fuss.
At $47,990 drive-away, the Jaecoo J7 SHS Summit is one of the most affordable plug-in hybrids available in Australia at the moment. And, unlike some its Chinese rivals, it delivers on more than just value for money.
For starters, it proves that plug-ins can offer the best of both worlds – being an everyday electric car and a long-distance, cross-country cruiser – and surprises with an impressive level of standard equipment, quality and overall refinement.
It definitely feels more at home in Bourke Street than it does in Bourke. But it will certainly get you there – and beyond – without stopping.
Interested in buying a Jaecoo J7? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
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