The Jaecoo 7 SHS is a massive hybrid SUV with extensive range

When you first stand in front of the Jaecoo 7, its imposing presence is undeniable. Its large size, combined with sharp angles and flat surfaces, evokes the image of an almost military off-roader, a welcome sight in a world of rounded, eye-friendly SUVs.

However, this also poses a challenge, as for the Spanish market, it borders on being 'too large'. While difficult to convey in text, here are the dimensions: 4.5 metres long, 1.86 metres wide, and 1.67 metres high. On paper, these measurements may not seem excessive, but when parking, the experience is quite different.

Jaecoo is one of two brands – the other being Omoda, which is enjoying strong sales – with which the Chery Group has entered Spain after deciding to reindustrialise the Nissan factory in Barcelona. Additionally, they provide the technology for Ebro, which assembles at this plant.

While Omoda has focused on more compact and urban SUVs, with pure electric and combustion engines, Jaecoo has taken the opportunity to introduce the group's plug-in hybrid propulsion to the Western market. It effectively addresses the mechanical criticisms levelled at Omoda's engines, primarily that they consumed too much and lacked sufficient range (the electric ones).

The plug-in hybrid Jaecoo 7, which the brand calls the 'Super Hybrid System', features an 18.3 kWh battery that allows it to travel 90 kilometres electrically and provides a total range of nearly 1,200 kilometres.

However, one of the main criticisms of the car is that while this system is powerful and gives it considerable agility when driving, every time the vehicle starts, the chosen settings revert to the default system. In terms of propulsion, this means it will be in fuel-saving mode and will deplete the battery completely before switching to thermal mode.

This goes against what a plug-in hybrid vehicle should be, whose raison d'être is fuel savings aided by a battery. The Lamborghini Revuelto may not be the best example of an efficient hybrid engine – it is, after all, a 1,015-horsepower supercar – but its engineers know that to make use of electricity, the battery cannot be allowed to run out.

In the case of the Jaecoo, a minimum battery percentage can be set (the car will use the thermal engine to recharge it if it falls below that level), but it must be done manually each time it starts, just like deactivating the assistance systems.

The interior is well executed and features details not found in models with considerably higher prices. The centre of the dashboard is dominated by a large screen which, despite having high-resolution cameras, lacks physical buttons for controlling volume or air conditioning.

The Jaecoo 7 SHS is now available in Spanish dealerships with subsidies of up to 7,000 euros from the Moves Plan, reducing its price to 27,990 euros.