Plugged, Charged, and Ready to Roll: A First Drive in the Jaecoo J7 SHS PHEV - Motourismo

Words and images by Monch Henares

The first time I eased into the driver’s seat of the Jaecoo J7 SHS, it didn’t feel like just another crossover trying to impress. It felt like a car with two distinct personalities: calm and efficient for the weekday grind, then playful and confident once you hit the open road. In the city, the electric motor takes the lead, gliding you forward in near silence. That makes EDSA traffic feel a little less soul-crushing. But put your foot down and the hybrid system responds with a satisfying surge of torque, enough to make merging onto SLEX or overtaking on NLEX a breeze. Out on long stretches, the suspension smooths out the ride as if the pavement were freshly ironed, keeping you comfortable without sacrificing stability.

Inside, the J7 knows how to spoil its passengers. The ventilated leather seats keep you cool when the sun is blazing, and the ambient lighting makes night drives feel more premium than the price tag suggests. There’s even a sunroof to bring in a touch of sky, which is perfect for late-night expressway runs or just clearing your head after a long day. The cabin feels generous, with plenty of room for passengers up front and flexible cargo options at the back. Fold the seats down and you’ve suddenly got enough space for a weekend’s worth of golf clubs, scuba tanks, or even a spur-of-the-moment IKEA haul. Everyday convenience is also built in: wireless charging, smartphone mirroring, and enough USB ports to keep everyone’s devices alive during road trips.

Where the Jaecoo J7 SHS really shines, though, is efficiency. Keep the battery charged, and you can handle most weekday errands, grocery runs, school drop-offs, and coffee hops without burning a single drop of fuel. When you’re ready to go farther, the gas engine seamlessly blends in, extending your range to nearly 1,500 kilometers with a full tank and full charge. That’s Manila to Laoag and back… twice. The best part? You don’t have to choose between being eco-conscious and road-trip ready. The J7 does both.

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Safety and driver assistance tech are also well thought out, and they don’t feel like gimmicks. Adaptive cruise control makes long highway drives less tiring, while lane keep, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking keep you out of trouble. Parking in tight Makati slots or weaving through narrow provincial roads is stress-free thanks to the 540° camera system, which even gives you an under-chassis view, handy when you’re trying to avoid potholes or unexpected humps.

Practicality-wise, the cargo area is solid, with more than 420 liters of luggage space with the seats up. It’s not van-like, but it’s more than enough for most Filipino families who juggle daily commutes with weekend adventures. The rear seats fold down flat, giving you flexibility whether you’re hauling sports gear, balikbayan boxes, or the results of a “just window shopping” trip that got out of hand.

In the end, the Jaecoo J7 SHS is a crossover that doesn’t just tick boxes—it blends them. It’s city-slicker smooth and eco-friendly, yet it has the heart of a road-trip warrior. It’s the kind of car that feels just as at home crawling through traffic in Bonifacio Global City as it does cruising up Kennon Road on the way to Baguio. If you’ve been curious about electrification but aren’t ready to go full EV, this is the sweet spot: a stylish, tech-loaded ride that gives you the best of both worlds without the stress of charging anxiety. For the Monchster, that’s a win.