In fact, the Chinese are very flattered if their crossover is compared not with other cars from China, but with the Range Rover. But this newcomer doesn’t look like a “British” at all, but Motor found out what kind of car is hidden under this marketing ploy on the roads of the Moscow region.
When you open the price list and see the figure of 2.3 million rubles for the basic modification of a 2WD crossover with a 1.5 engine, the first reaction is that you want to joke about the old days and the BMW X3 xDrive20i M Sport for about the same amount just 10 years ago. But jokes aside. In the current realities, the J6 looks at least no bolder than its competitors. Its price positioning is an entry ticket to the world of the Jaecoo brand and a step ahead of the J7 and the flagship J8.
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo
The company devoted a lot of time to the design of the J6 during the presentation of the model. The company calls the radiator grille “whalebone,” and this is perhaps the only poetic thing about the car. The rest is a classic “parquet” silhouette with short overhangs and a horizontal line of optics. The car looks larger than it actually is: in the parking lot next to the J7, the oldest in the model range, the new crossover objectively looks larger.
Jaecoo
Jaecoo J6 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo
What makes it so chic? But what is there to hide – Chery actually hacked the design code of the British brand. Fortunately for the Chinese auto industry this is not something bad. Therefore, all coincidences are not accidental. However, if we put aside thoughts about this, the car is perceived positively in terms of proportions and style – at least there is no such bad taste with all sorts of frills and body kits, like other compact crossovers from China.
Interior
Inside, the J6 is greeted with the minimalism already familiar from many Chinese new products – all the buttons are “hardwired” into a vertical multimedia tablet: 13.2 inches in the “Prestige” version, 9 inches in the poorer car. The dashboard looks scanty and uncomfortable to look at; the graphics are clear, but very simple.
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo
Literally everything is tied to the multimedia display: from climate settings to the choice of driving modes. There are almost no physical keys. This global trend of saving cannot be powdered with high aesthetics and beautiful epithets, so you’ll just have to get used to it. As well as controlling the gearbox under the steering wheel a la Mercedes-Benz. This experience, by the way, comes quickly.
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo
A special “thank you” is dedicated to the engineers and marketers of the Chery concern for the usual “non-locking” turn signals, and not the fashionable “plug-in” ones that you drive in different directions until you turn them off.
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo
The interior finishing materials are also pleasing. The artificial leather is good quality, so to speak, the plastic is soft where needed. The company separately emphasizes that the materials are certified by TÜV SÜD – they are safe and resistant to animal claws and fangs. That is, a dog can chew off a piece of paneling, and nothing will happen to it. Customers with four-legged friends are officially the target audience of this car.
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo
The driving position is, in principle, acceptable, the cushion is a little hard, the back is amorphous, but the torso holds, and in this regard the J6 is no worse than other seats in this class. What’s missing is projection—it’s inconvenient to be distracted by small instruments under the steering wheel. The advantage is that you can display a separate skin on the tablet with speed. There was a thaw outside, apparently, so at first there was confusion with the temperature: you set it to 21 degrees – stuffy, 19-20 degrees – cool. The problem is solved by automatic climate control mode.
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo
In the rear there is exactly as much space as you would expect from a car with a wheelbase of 2610 mm. Two adults will sit without problems, a third will be superfluous. The headroom for passengers taller than 185 cm can be critical – the sloping roof line affects it. For the city and short trips – the norm. The budget orientation of the model is revealed by the lonely air duct in the back row, like the eye of a cyclops. He can only look in one direction, or the passengers will be blown from the “stove” one by one.
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo
But the trunk can be considered one of the trump cards of the model. The claimed 480 liters with the seats up is more than many rivals in the class. Under the floor there is a stowage, which is a weighty argument for our roads. Folding the second row, we get 1180 liters, however, the floor still has a step. The opening is wide, large items will fit in without problems, there is a backlight, an electric drive and pockets with mesh, but there is no 12 V socket.
Power unit
Technically, the J6 is still a front-wheel drive crossover with a 1.5-liter Acteco turbo engine (147 hp, 210 Nm) and a 6-speed Getrag robot with two wet clutches. The unit has been tested and is installed on many models of the concern. The box, by the way, is familiar from the compact models of BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The all-wheel drive car will be available closer to summer, the additional payment for it will be approximately 150 thousand rubles.
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo
The claimed acceleration of the 2WD version to 100 km/h is exactly 10 seconds. The passport consumption is 7.5 liters, the real one, judging by the on-board computer, is around 9-10 liters. The dynamics are far from racing, but enough for the city. Another thing is important: the settings of the engine and gearbox combination here are focused on smoothness and comfort in order to maximize the life of the power unit and fit within the warranty period.
At the low end, the engine is not as playful as, for example, the Belgee X50 and Geely Coolray. This is not a problem of turbo lag, but rather safety settings. On a slippery surface, if you press on the floor, nothing will happen: the electronics simply do not allow the wheels to slip, which can lead to getting stuck in a snowdrift. Therefore, it is better to turn off ESP on soft ground or loose snow in advance. The engine can be heard quite well. Another source of sound is the rear arches, but otherwise the car is well protected from noise.
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo
Controllability and smoothness
Independent suspension (MacPherson strut at the front, multi-link at the rear) is perhaps even overkill for a car that doesn’t pretend to drive fast. But the J6 turns confidently, holds its trajectory and does not give in to a light imitation of a moose test. A ground clearance of 176 mm allows you not to shy away from curbs and calmly drive off the asphalt. The main thing is that the ground under the wheels is solid. According to the documents, the car is certified with a towbar and can tow a trailer weighing up to 750 kg – a useful option for summer residents and fishermen.
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo
If you have driven the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro, then the Jaecoo J6 suspension will not be a revelation for you. It is soft, handles unevenness acceptably, but the rebound travel of the shock absorbers is small. On a speed bump, if you do not reduce the speed to 20 km/h, then this sound will be painfully felt in the wallet area. A plus on the Jaecoo J6 are 18-inch wheels (in the upper trim levels), which, no doubt, gave the car a more harmonious image, but in return significantly increased the unsprung weight.
The steering has settings typical of a modern “electric power steering”: light in a parking lot, heavy at speed. The information content is average, but for ordinary use this is enough.
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo
Options and prices
Active (RUB 2,290,000): LED optics, air conditioning, full winter package (heated steering wheel, seats, windshield, injectors), 17-inch wheels, airbags (4 pcs.), rear parking sensors, 9-inch screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Comfort (RUB 2,499,000): adds dual-zone climate control, electric trunk, rear view camera, faux leather, electrically adjustable driver’s seat, heated rear seats, 13.2-inch screen, 6 speakers, 18-inch wheels.
Prestige (RUB 2,649,000): panoramic roof with an area of 1.45 m², front seat ventilation, laminated sound-insulating glass, 540° all-round visibility system, ADAS complex (adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, blind spot monitoring), 50 W wireless charging, audio system with 8 speakers.
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo 
Jaecoo J6
Jaecoo
The bottom line: the Jaecoo J6 is another attempt by the Chery concern to offer the buyer the maximum for the money that is today considered the “entry” to the segment of new crossovers. Yes, this is a paraphrased copy of the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro, but this car is not trying to seem premium, it is trying to be honest: modern design, proven technology, adequate equipment, as sad as it may sound, for your money.
