I'm on a mission to discover how the Jaecoo 7 stands up to the rigours of family life over the next few months, and I got off to a good start with a trip to Somerset to visit my parents for a few days.
That meant kids, dogs, bags, walking gear and more, which would provide a stern test for the 145bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine. With those 'kids' now aged 19 and 16, the prospect of a long motorway journey in the back seats is usually greeted with groans, but both daughters were impressed by the Jaecoo.
Although the rear bench is fairly low-set, they were pleased with both how much elbow and leg room they had and the amount of creature comforts: even rear-seat passengers get heated seats and a pair of USB charging ports. And in spite of their maturing years, they were thrilled to discover the additional set of controls on the side of the front passenger seat (in China, being chauffeured in your car is a sign of success), which meant they could move Mum's seat into uncomfortable positions while she dozed to give her a surprise upon waking.
The dog in the boot was a bit less happy. Although it's a nice, square shape and easily big enough for day-to-day use, its 412 litres are quite quickly filled with bags, leaving his bed hemmed into the corner and him with a very high load lip to negotiate. It isn't helped by the load-bay cover, which makes it shallow and is mounted a good few inches aft of the rear seatback, leaving a gap through which the contents it's supposed to conceal can be seen.
Up front, it's a game of two halves. No complaints about the luxury of the heated and ventilated seats (standard on the AWD version, it being tied to Luxury trim), the heated steering wheel or the light pouring in from the glass roof, but the climate control could be more responsive and, although there is four-way electrically adjustable lumbar support, I find the front seats flat and unsupportive, leading to an ache in my lower back after a long drive.
All loaded up with somewhere to go, I could immediately feel the difference in the way the Jaecoo drives. Because it's softly sprung, when fully laden it rolls like a boat in corners, forcing me to take it easy on country lanes. The weight makes a noticeable difference on the motorway too, with the drivetrain struggling to maintain 70mph in the Eco mode to which it defaults every time the car is turned on.
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