• Good passenger space
• Useful storage options
• Wide-opening tailgate

How much space is there?

Front seat space is generous, with a wide cabin, plenty of legroom and a lofty, Land Rover-like driving position. The electrically adjustable driver’s seat makes it easy to get comfortable, and taller drivers will appreciate the headroom, even with the panoramic roof fitted.

There’s no problem fitting tall passengers in the back. At 6ft 2in, our tester could sit behind their own driving position with space to spare for knees and head. That makes it competitive with the best in the class, and the flat rear floor helps the middle passenger too.

Rivals such as the Skoda Karoq and Kia Sportage are similar in outright space, but the Jaecoo’s airy feel, high seating position, and large glass area make it seem roomier than some. The door bins and storage cubbies are a good size, with useful space for bottles and odds and ends.

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Jaecoo 7 boot space and storage

The plug-in hybrid offers 410 litres of boot space with the seats up, expanding to 1,335 litres with them folded. The petrol model does better, with 500 and 1,423 litres respectively. This compares with 448 and 1,484 for the MG HS PHEV, 504 and 1,447 for the Nissan Qashqai and 521 and 1,630 for the gargantuan (although not PHEV) Skoda Karoq.

The load bay is wide and square, though, making it easy to fit buggies or suitcases, though the loading lip is on the higher side. Three-position shelves in the boot floor add flexibility for smaller items.

In addition, cabin storage is plentiful, with a large glovebox, a deep armrest bin, and twin cupholders between the seats. The wireless charging pad holds two phones side-by-side, though only one charges at a time.

Is it easy to park?

The 4.5-metre length makes the Jaecoo 7 manageable in tight spaces, and all-round visibility is good thanks to slim pillars and large mirrors. A reversing camera is standard, and the Luxury adds a 360-degree camera system, which is clear and responsive. Parking sensors front and rear are also standard.

Safety

• Five-star Euro NCAP rating
• Long list of driver aids
• Strong child safety performance

The Jaecoo 7 PHEV has been tested by Euro NCAP and awarded the full five stars – a significant result for a newcomer to the UK market. It scored 81% for adult occupant protection, 80% for child occupant protection, 80% for vulnerable road user protection, and 80% for safety assist systems. These figures put it firmly on par with well-established European rivals.

Euro NCAP’s testing found the Jaecoo 7’s passenger compartment remained stable in the frontal offset crash, with good protection for critical body areas. One minor issue was observed in the side curtain airbag deployment during the frontal test, caused by a clip in the C-pillar trim being out of place. Jaecoo has since addressed this in production cars.

Standard safety kit is excellent for the price. Every Jaecoo 7 comes with autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and traffic sign recognition. The systems work reasonably well, though the lane assist can be a little keen – thankfully, it’s easy to turn off.

Watch: Jaecoo 7 Euro NCAP safety testing video