Jaecoo to join growing list of Chinese brands coming to SA

Jaecoo has officially announced its entry into SA. It is Chinese Chery’s newly established subsidiary brand, which made its global debut at Auto Shanghai 2023.

The company says it will initially launch the J7 mid-size crossover and other products in 2024, to be sold through and supported by the existing network of 30 Omoda dealerships across SA.

Just as Omoda is a stand-alone brand, Jaecoo, which is derived from fusing the German “jäger” (meaning “hunter”) and the English term “cool”, will focus solely on the adventure off-roader market.

Not much is shared on mechanical details except that the Jaecoo J7’s mud-plugging prowess is thanks to an all-road drive intelligent system (ARDIS), which offers seven driving modes, each optimising the vehicle’s dynamics, power delivery and other aspects for specific driving scenarios.

SA is among the first markets that will launch Jaecoo products early in 2024.

SA is among the first markets that will launch Jaecoo products early in 2024. The J7 accommodates five passengers in a cabin said to champion the trending minimalist design ethos.

There is not much detail on luxury specifications save for the mentioning of a 14.8-inch vertically positioned touchscreen, two-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive guises, and a high level of safety features.

“Earlier this year, SA was the first country on the African continent to offer the Omoda brand and our nation is now among the first in the world to welcome Jaeoo. We have big plans for Jaecoo, including the expansion of our dealer network to about 50 by the end of 2024,” said Tony Liu, executive deputy GM for Omoda and Jaecoo.

More details and local specifications will be released closer to the J7’s launch next year.