The Jaecoo J7 is a tech-filled Chinese SUV that’s primed for the UK

Who’s ready for yet another ambitious Chinese startup looking to disturb the already bloated SUV market? Well, Jaecoo has announced that it will launch its maiden ‘J7’ model in the UK next summer, shortly after its sister brand Omoda has arrived with the 5 crossover. 

The J7 will apparently bring with it an eclectic mix of off-road capabilities and AI technologies, cocooned within a rather attractive body which really wouldn’t look out of place with a European badge on it. Oh, and in case you're wondering, the name Jaecoo is apparently a portmanteau made up of the German word 'jäger' and the English word 'cool'. Right. 

Still, we're told that customers will have a choice of either a 1.5-litre hybrid system or a small-sounding 1.6-litre petrol engine, with both benefitting from an 'All-Terrain Driving Intelligence System'. Jaecoo also claims a global five-star safety score thanks to an 'energy-absorbing, cage-like structure' in unison with a suite of active safety tech. Could this be the Nokia 3310 in vehicular form?

The cabin will also be equipped with plenty of amenities to worry the Europeans, including a large sunroof, an interactive head-up display, panoramic imaging and various other multidimensional cockpit technologies, potentially providing function to the J7’s fine form. 

That's about all we know so far and pricing is yet to be confirmed, but we reckon it’ll sit in the region of £35,000 to £45,000. And we're not about to start listing potential rivals because otherwise we'll be here all day. Weren’t we supposed to have flying cars by now, as opposed to an all-out family SUV war?