Jaecoo 7 hybrid: 5.6 l/100 km measured, 8.3 long-distance

At an indicated 136 km/h, the Jaecoo 7 SHS-H consumes around 9.2 l/100 km. On its long-distance route, the Chinese hybrid SUV completed Automobile Propre's test at 8.3 l/100 km, the highest fuel consumption recorded by the outlet for a hybrid vehicle in its measurement database.

The contrast with the 100-km mixed-driving loop is stark: 5.6 l/100 km, just above the 5.5 l/100 km rated under the WLTP procedure. In town, consumption fell to 4.5 l/100 km, compared with 6.8 l/100 km on fast roads. The Jaecoo therefore delivers on its promise of efficiency in everyday use, without nevertheless outperforming the Nissan Qashqai e-Power, which was measured at 4.6 l/100 km in mixed driving.

Its operation explains this versatility. The 150-kW electric motor generally drives the front wheels and draws its energy from a 1.83-kWh battery. When the charge level drops or more power is required, the 143-hp 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine recharges the battery; at high speed, it can also drive the wheels directly. The manufacturer claims a thermodynamic efficiency of 44.5% and a combined output of 224 hp.

The issue is less the claimed power than the mass that has to be moved: the Jaecoo weighs 1,715 kg, 144 kg more than a Hyundai Tucson and 295 kg more than an MG ZS Hybrid+. Automobile Propre measured 0 to 100 km/h in 8.8 s, compared with the 8.3 s claimed by the manufacturer. In in-gear acceleration, a slight response delay brings the 80–120 km/h time to 7.1 s.

So, what does this mean in practice? At €29,990, the Jaecoo 7 SHS-H offers mixed-driving fuel consumption close to its rated figure and a 224-hp powertrain: a profile suited to daily and suburban journeys. For long motorway trips, the result is less favorable than that of the measured competitors, at 8.3 l/100 km versus 6.7 l/100 km for the Nissan Qashqai e-Power at 130 km/h. The test also found a 0.5 l/100 km gap between the displayed figure and the fuel actually added, an indicative result but higher than the 0.2 l/100 km gap most often observed by the outlet.