Jaecoo – the upcoming sub-brand of Chinese carmaker Chery – will be positioned and distributed as a separate brand when it launches in Australia later this year, company executives have confirmed.
Speaking with CarExpert, Chery Australia chief operating officer Lucas Harris confirmed the Jaecoo sub-brand will stand alone Down Under, despite the Omoda and Tiggo sub-brands falling under the Chery umbrella locally.
“Jaecoo will be a separate brand and separate network in Australia,” Mr Harris said.
“We’re still on track [to launch in] the second half of this year, we’re just working through some of the finer details – but it’s progressing along nicely.”
Mr Harris clarified that while some Jaecoo showrooms will likely “share a wall” with Chery dealerships, Jaecoo as an entity will be “a separate franchise” to the Chery brand.
Jaecoo J7
As for how the Jaecoo brand and its products will stand out from the Tiggo and Omoda lines offered by Chery, Mr Harris said the design and intent of the sub-brand’s vehicles will set it apart.
“The design language is obviously considerably different, and it’s a lot more [of a] boxy, adventurous vibe,” Mr Harris said.
“The intent with the product is to make it off-road capable… and it’s targeted much more at that youthful, design-oriented customer [that wants] that go-anywhere type of feeling.”
“We’re still working through some of the finer details around exactly ‘who’ is the buyer profile in Australia,” Mr Harris added.
Overseas model shown
Chery has previously communicated the first Jaecoo product to land in Australia will be the mid-sized five-seat Jaecoo J7 SUV – with both front- and all-wheel drive versions set to be offered.
In terms of design, the J7 sports a very upright and boxy shape, albeit with a rising belt line and a rakish tailgate.
The company says pricing and specifications will be announced closer to launch, though it has confirmed the J7 will offer a 14.8-inch portrait-oriented infotainment touchscreen.
An available All Road Drive Intelligent System – or ARDIS for short, not to be confused with the blue telephone box – has also been confirmed for the Australian market in previous announcements.
The Toyota RAV4 and Subaru Forester rival offers both a 145kW/290Nm 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine and a 1.5-litre plug-in hybrid in overseas markets.
It boasts 200mm of ground clearance, just 20mm shy of a Subaru Forester, and measures 4500mm long, 1865mm wide and 1680mm tall on a 2672mm wheelbase. That makes it around 100mm shorter but 10mm wider than a Toyota RAV4.
In China, standard equipment includes a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a power-adjustable driver’s seat, while some models also include heated and ventilated front seats, 64-colour ambient lighting and a head-up display.
Available safety equipment includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic assist, traffic sign recognition, and traffic jam assist.
Founded in 2023, Jaecoo is the name used for exports of Chery’s Tansuo 06 (aka Explore 06) and Tiggo 9. The Jaecoo name is a portmanteau of the German word ‘jäger’ (or hunter) and the English word ‘cool’.
Stay tuned to CarExpert for all the latest on Jaecoo in the coming months.
MORE: Chery’s Jaecoo launching in Australia with Toyota RAV4 rival
