Jaecoo J7 – what are the differences between the PHEV and ICE variants?
Last week, Jaecoo Malaysia launched the J7 PHEV at a very enticing price of RM158,800, which is more than RM10,000 lower than the estimated price announced in October last year.
At first glance, the J7 PHEV appears to be a spitting image of the ICE-powered J7, but both models are rather distinctive, not only when it comes to powertrain but also in the aspects of exterior and interior design.
Powertrain
As its name suggests, the J7 PHEV comes with a plug-in hybrid powertrain rather than an internal combustion engine like the J7. The powertrain, dubbed as the Super Hybrid System, combines a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder Deep Miller-cycle engine producing 141 hp and 215 Nm of torque, with an electric motor that generates 204 PS and 310 Nm of torque.
The combination results in a total system output of 347 PS and 525 Nm, which is transmitted to the front wheels via a single-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission or DHT.
Exterior
From the outside, the J7 PHEV can be distinguished by several features. This includes the wheels, as the J7 PHEV is fitted with aerodynamic 19-inch rims wrapped in Kumho tyres.
Additionally, the newly launched SUV can also be identified by its more aerodynamic mirror design (with silver trim), a Range Rover-esque rear bumper with zero visible exhaust tips, a ‘PHEV’ badge on the tailgate, and a charging port located on the right side.
Interior
Get inside and the first thing you will notice is that the J7 PHEV’s centre console is visibly tidier than that of the J7. This is because the conventional gear lever found in the latter has been removed and replaced with a column shifter.
The wireless charging tray remains, but the drive mode selector is now gone while the cup holders are now positioned horizontally to make room for a row of buttons for the hybrid system. Additionally, the J7 PHEV showcases a simpler door card design compared its non-hybrid sibling.
Features
The infotainment system in both the J7 PHEV and J7 is one and the same, comprising a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel, a 14.8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a head-up display, and a Sony audio system with eight speakers.
Boot Space
Despite being equipped with a battery located beneath the boot floor, the J7 PHEV offers greater boot space compared to the J7, measuring 500 litres. However, the kicker is it does not come with a spare tyre – buyers get a tyre repair kit instead.
Jaecoo says the tonneau cover on the J7 PHEV can be used as a projector screen, which can be directly powered by the vehicle through the Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function.
Pricing
As aforementioned, the J7 PHEV is priced at RM158,800. The J7, on the other hand, is available at RM138,800 for the 2WD variant and RM148,800 for the AWD variant.
The J7 PHEV comes with a seven-year engine warranty or up to 150,000 km, and an eight-year warranty or up to 160,000 km for the battery, power motor, and power motor control unit. The eight-year warranty offers a one-to-one replacement if the State of Health (SOH) of the battery falls below 70% within the warranty period.
