Jaecoo Malaysia recently put the Jaecoo J7 to the test at the Malaysia 4WD Training and Experience Centre (M4TREC) in Semenyih. Navigating an off-road circuit featuring six courses, yours truly witnessed first-hand the J7’s off-road capabilities.

Just a little refresh on the Jaecoo J7, power comes from a 1.6-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder producing 197 PS and 290 Nm of torque.

The engine is mated to a Getrag 7-speed dual-clutch transmission which channels power to the front wheels or all-four wheels through Jaecoo's AWD system with 7 terrain driving modes. Jaecoo says the AWD torque intervention offers a reaction time as low as 0.1 seconds during challenging conditions. 

There’s a surround-view camera that served as a significant tool to navigate the M4TREC obstacle course. With visuals presented on a 14.8-inch infotainment screen, the camera provided drivers with a three-dimensional (3D) and transparent view of the car’s surroundings at the touch of a button.

As for the off-road courses, the Jaecoo J7 tackled side slope, frame twister, ridge crossing, roller ramp, water wading environments.

Starting with the roller ramp, which is used to demonstrate how quickly the AWD system distributes the torque across four wheels. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of vehicle's traction control, working in conjunction with the AWD system to ensure the precise level of torque needed on each wheel to get the vehicle moving under slippery conditions.

While I can't confirm its claimed 0.1 second reaction time, the J7 effectively directed power to the wheel with traction whenever the traction control indicator briefly flashed on the digital instrument cluster. As a result, the J7 tackled the roller ramp without any difficulty.

Next up, the frame twister. This test demonstrates vehicle structural stiffness and integrity. Excessive flexing and creating noise may indicate potential weakness. It also shows the SUV's AWD system intervention in conjunction with the stability system. Torque transfers from the lifted wheel (where it’s not needed) to the remaining 3 wheels.

Going through this felt less dramatic than how it looked from the outside. The body flex can be heard as the wheels articulated diagonally, but nothing too alarming. Power is directed to the wheels with traction as soon as slip is detected and the J7 went through without a hitch.

What follows is the side slope, used to highlight the J7's ability to maintain stability when driving on tilted surface. This helps to determine if the vehicle feels secure and composed or if dangerous tipping may occur. Having driven through it with the instructor’s guidance, at no point did the J7 feel unstable.

Ridge crossing is done on the same course as the side slope, but instead of driving on the slope, the challenge is to drive over it. This shows off the car’s ability to traverse steep inclines and rugged terrain without risking damage to the body or undercarriage.

As is usually the case, there’s a sense of nervousness when attempting this sort of terrain, especially when the car is at its tipping point where one wheel touches the ground while another lifts. But like all the earlier terrains, the J7 tackled it without a hiccup.

Last but not least, deep water wading, which we were told is 550 mm deep. Good thing the Jaecoo J7 boasts wading depth of 600 mm without compromising performance or damaging any of the vehicle’s components. Again, the J7 waded through the water and came out the other side with unflinching confidence.

And that wraps up the off-road challenge. Jaecoo has announced plans to officially launch the J7 in Malaysia in mid-2024, with more detailed specifications to be gradually revealed closer to the launch date. Registration of interest (RoI) for the Jaecoo J7 is currently open.

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Also read: Jaecoo J7: Alternative to Honda CR-V, Priced below RM 200k, RoI to open this week