The Jaecoo 7 was the UK’s best-selling new car in March 2026. And it was by a lot.
March is considered one of the strongest months of the year for car sales, which makes Jaecoo’s domination even more impressive. During a month when people were buying cars, they bought more Jaecoo 7s than Ford Pumas, Nissan Qashqais, and Kia Sportages combined.
A total of 10,064 units were registered in March, making the total for Q1 2026 15,569 registrations so far. After a successful March, the Jaecoo 7 is the second-most purchased vehicle of 2026, just behind the Ford Puma. Jaecoo, a brand owned by Chery, has been rapidly growing in Europe, selling more models than brands like Mazda and Citroen. But is the Jaecoo 7 worthy of all the hype?
Jaecoo 7 may be priced lower than other luxury SUVs for a reason
The Jaecoo 7’s appeal is being a more cost-effective option in the luxury family SUV segment (it calls itself a premium SUV). It costs £29,435 (~$39,500), which is shockingly cheap for a luxury family SUV. It’s no wonder that it was able to swoop in and get a ton of buyers, with everyone looking for more affordable options. But being cheap isn’t enough to make a vehicle hype-worthy.
The Jaecoo 7 appears pretty luxurious at first glance. Autocar noted that the interior offers a “premium” look at a budget price, with a lot of eye-catching details. But Business Car wasn’t impressed: “Get closer, and the interior finishes aren’t so impressive, and the Jaecoo 7 feels more built to its affordable starting price.” For example, the seats are covered in faux leather and look nice, but Business Car noted that they are not as comfortable as they look. Still, there is automatic lights, multi-colored ambient lighting, and other premium features.
Business Car was skeptical of the Jaecoo 7’s performance as well. While the Chinese brand has boasted about its off-road abilities, the Jaecoo 7 had very slow acceleration and had “steering devoid of feel.” Even putting the SUV into “Sport” mode appeared to only make the engine noisier (in the 1.6-liter turbocharged gas-powered version). The plug-in hybrid faired no better — it was the “most disappointing” version to drive, with over-stiffened suspension creating a hard ride. “This car feels nervous when changing direction, and is even worse at speed.”
The conclusion? “The Jaecoo 7 appeals because of its affordability, long warranty, and premium look inside and out. However, its dynamics and running costs mean established rivals are a far safer bet,” the review read.
First impressions are that Jaecoo has made a decent fist of its promise to offer a ‘premium’ look and feel at a budget price point. The 7’s finish is good, and its looks are certainly eye-catching, while inside it feels well screwed together and luxurious, from its faux-leather electric seats to its sat-nav, full-length glass roof, automatic lights, wipers, and rear-view mirror, and other premium features, such as selectable multi-coloured ambient lighting.
I think the gist is, you get what you pay for. Many car enthusiasts online were shocked to learn it was the UK’s best-selling car last month. Those who had experience inside of it called it “horrible” while others mentioned that the battery dies quite fast, pointing at how many of them are already being dumped onto the marketplace. Added one skeptic: “In a few years, the used car market will be littered with this.”
So, probably not one of China’s best offerings. Or were their offerings always this underwhelming? Were we blinded by how enticing the prices were? There is no denying that China has dominated the EV market over the past year, to the point that other automakers have even canceled EV plans. But will the bubble burst? I’d say possibly, if they keep being made like this.
