The highly-anticipated Jaecoo J7 PHEV is slated for its Malaysian launch in just a few days’ time. But how different is it compared to its pure-petrol sibling, the Jaecoo J7? Well, to find out, we’re pitting the two siblings against each other in a series of head-to-head tests to find out.
Amongst the tests for the Jaecoo J7 PHEV and Jaecoo J7 shootout include a drag race to test their acceleration from a standstill, a slalom course to test their agility, and a road trip drive to Sekinchan, to gauge their fuel efficiency.
Who won in the end? Well, that’s for you to find out in the video.
The new Jaecoo J7 PHEV is powered by what the carmaker calls the ‘Super Hybrid System’, which consists of a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, connected to a dedicated hybrid transmission (with integrated motor), and an 18.3 kWh hybrid battery pack.
Altogether, the Jaecoo J7 PHEV puts down a total max output of 347 hp (255 kW) and 525 Nm of torque towards the front wheels, which culminates in a 0-100 km/h time of 8.5 seconds. Additionally, the car also has the option to drive either on pure petrol or pure electric power.
READ: Chery Malaysia begins exports of CKD Jaecoo J7 SUVs to Southeast Asia, more models to follow
On the other hand, the Jaecoo J7 rocks a larger 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder that puts down a much lower 197 hp and 290 Nm to its 2WD or all-wheel drive (AWD) drivetrain. Century sprint times for both drivetrain configurations are recorded at 9.2 seconds for the FWD version, and 9.9 seconds for the AWD version.
Currently, the ICE version Jaecoo J7 is priced from RM138,100 for the 2WD version and RM148,000 for the AWD version. Pricing is unknown for the Jaecoo J7 PHEV, and until its official launch in a few days, we’ll only know for certain that the hybridised version will have an estimated price tag of RM170,000.
ALSO READ: First CKD Jaecoo J7 PHEV rolls off the assembly line in Shah Alam – Launch in Feb 2025
