Jaecoo 7 review

So if you’re not won over by the middling dynamics or indecisive cabin – and who could blame you – this is where Jaecoo reckons the day is won and lost. Kit. Equipment. Toys.

The cheapest 7 starts at £29,435 for a front-drive version of the 1.6-litre petrol. In ‘Deluxe’ trim, that gets you a staggering list of stuff for the poor engine to lug around.

You get a panoramic glass roof with opening front section. Automatic LED lights, double glazing in the front, heated faux-leather seats with electrical adjustment, nav, digital radio, a cooled wireless charging pad for your phone so it doesn’t overheat while juicing up, four million driver safety and assistance acronyms you’ll quickly tire of disabling when they bong out of turn.

Not finished. Front and rear parking sensors plus a surround-view camera system are thrown in on the house. So’s adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and start and a powered tailgate. Some rivals offer a portion of that. A few get close. But to get all of the above for less than £30k (and Omoda says it’s working closely with resale value calculators to make sure it’s competitive on monthly pricing) is a compelling offer during a never-ending cost-of-living crisis. Could be the perfect car for those weekly trips to the middle of Lidl.

Why would you even consider upgrading to ‘Luxury’ trim, which starts at £32,850 and also adds four-wheel drive? Besides the extra traction, the ‘Super Hybrid System’ is only available with said trim level, so there’s that. Extra goodies arrive in the form of a head-up display, tinted rear windows, Sony hi-fi with two more speakers, heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel, an air purification system (which somehow reckoned the air quality in West London was ‘excellent’) and ventilated front seats. Phew.