Malaysia to be first market in SE Asia to launch JAECOO J7

JAECOO is a young brand in Chery’s portfolio, having only been introduced in April 2023. It is primarily used for products outside China and just like Lexus in the Toyota Group, JAECOO is positioned as a premium brand and even has a separate company managing it.

Thus, it is a fresh new brand in the auto market and over the past year, the company has been introducing the brand in many countries and regions. It aims to be a premium off-road brand and has the brand philosophy of ‘From Classic, Beyond Classic’.

JAECOO will have a presence in lefthand drive and righthand drive markets and for the Southeast Asian region, Malaysia will be the first country to launch the J7 SUV (before the middle of this year). The J7 was earlier previewed to the media and other parties in the auto and banking industry.

Extensive off-road testing locally
To ensure that the model will meet the demands of Malaysian conditions, JAECOO Malaysia has been carrying out extensive testing locally. It has been put through a series of challenging conditions and terrain at M4TREC (Malaysia 4WD Training and Experience Centre) in Semenyih, Selangor, and from what we have been told, it has performed impressively.

“The J7’s remarkable off-road capabilities left us astounded, exemplified by its seamless navigation through the rugged and demanding terrain at M4TREC,” one of the testers at M4TREC remarked.

One area that impressed those who tested it was ARDIS – the All-Road Drive Intelligent System in the J7 which acts like a computerised co-driver to help the driver tackle even the most difficult terrain. Different driving modes can be chosen to set the various systems to function optimally, on sand, mud or other surfaces. The high-speed processing power of the system ensures that response time is quick to maintain stability or grip at all times.

With the Bosch Intelligent Power Brake control system, ARDIS can achieve a response time of less than 0.1 second, which is the quickest in its class. It emulates the locking capability of a differential lock, and has advantages such as high integration performance and rapid braking, coupled a maximum rear axle wheel-end torque of 3,000 Nm.

Powerful 1.6-litre TGDI engine
For the Malaysian market, the J7 will be offered with a 1.6-litre TGDI petrol engine and a 7-speed wet dual-clutch transmission (DCT)., plus all-wheel drive, of course. Power output is 145 kW (197 ps)/290 Nm which gives the J7 performance levels that can match conventional 2-litre turbocharged engines.

JAECOO J7 undergoes tough testing in local conditions