Jaecoo cars come to SA

Jaecoo has announced that it is entering South Africa, making this one of the first countries in the world where the newly established urban off-road SUV brand will be sold.

Jaecoo made its global debut at Auto Shanghai 2023 in China in April, when it was announced as an independent brand with a focus on urban off-road SUVs. Its brand slogan is “From Classic, Beyond Classic”.

The brand’s driving solution is called 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. Each mode delivers a different experience that brings out the best in the SUV for that chosen condition.

Technical advancements such as these were brought to life by Jaecoo’s team of highly skilled specialists, such as chief engineer Peter John Matkin, who brought vast experience from his time at a leading British brand. It’s a similar case in the design department, where individuals such as chief designer Chris Rhoades applied extensive styling knowledge from years at top European manufacturers.

Jaecoo will launch with the J7 in early 2024. Positioned as a mid-sized SUV, the J7 boasts seven drive modes and comfortably seats five adults in a luxurious cabin that also features a 14.8-inch, vertically positioned touchscreen. 

The J7 and other upcoming Jaecoo products will be sold through and supported by a dedicated network of Omoda & Jaecoo dealerships, with 30 already established across South Africa.

“Earlier this year, South Africa 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 Jaecoo,” says Tony Liu, executive deputy general manager for Omoda & Jaecoo.”We have big plans for Jaecoo, including the expansion of our dealer network to approximately 50 by the end of 2024.

“At Jaecoo, we’re setting new standards for sports utility vehicles, crafting models that can excel both as luxury on-road SUVs and as capable off-roaders. Our elegant SUVs are as comfortable transporting you to your desk in the city as they are taking you to the dunes in the desert. 

“They will thus appeal to a strong, fearless person in work who is equally adventurous at leisure.”

To lead this new urban off-road SUV space, Jaecoo offers two-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive performance, innovative designs, advanced safety features and intelligent technologies.

The Jaecoo name is inspired by a fusion of the German word “jäger” (meaning “hunter”) and the English term “cool”, capturing two elements central to the brand’s philosophy: outdoor adventure and urbanism.

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