It’s time to man up, to move with the times, to get down with the kids.
My suspicions of all things touchy-screeny are well-documented but this Chinese SUV leaves me with no choice because even the wing mirrors are on the central display.
I’m not even going to drive the Jaecoo 7 until I find what I need so I can do so in safety.
This proves to be good advice. My fingers are a veritable blur as I press all parts of the 14.8in touchscreen and very quickly I become familiar with its various functions – it’s not so bad after all.
The screen is massive and this is good, especially when I have to drive from my countryside sanctuary to the urban morass that is Birmingham for a conference.
In this out-of-comfort-zone arena I need all the help I can get and the gargantuan Google Map, fed via Bluetooth from Apple CarPlay and displayed on the portrait screen, is brilliant.
It even tells me how long I’m going to be delayed on the M6, when the road that should be marked in blue turns an annoying red.
In situations like these, you know what else is good about Jaecoo7? Everything.
From the moment I walk up to this new-to-the-English-market, impressive, vehicle and the chunky door handles automatically pop out of their flush hiding places to greet me, I’m happy.
Just look at the aesthetics. It’s a Chinese Range Rover, for goodness’ sake, probably because someone was persuaded to leave JLR and go work for them, and it looks spectacularly opulent.
Only the grille says made in China but in a good way, like the Leviathan nation’s long, varied and explementary architecture, whether that’s traditional temple or contemporary skyscraper.
It’s a class look, bold, striking and in blue-tinged silver a real eye-catcher.
Climb up into the spacious cabin and all is well, cosseting and protective for the long journey ahead. The interior is lavish. Everything feels crafted not just manufactured and the ambience is sumptuous.
All the materials are tactile and high grade. It is neat and minimalist like a fashionable modern-day home.
Slide back the sunshade on the panoramic sunroof and light floods in so you can enjoy every detail even more.
Just as the door handles know of my approach so the car appreciates that I’m ready to go.
There’s no buttons to press, just engage ‘drive’ on the steering column mounted stalk and it begins to glide away from the homestead.
There’s only one gear so it is super-smooth. It is a plug-in hybrid so it is super-quiet.
Even when the 1.5 litre turbo-charged petrol engine kicks in there is little to alert you, so refined is the motor, so free from noise, harshness and vibration.
Pick-up is rapid – that’ll be the electric motor then – and there’s a healthy amount of power available across the rev range thanks to 204PS and 310Nm torque.
Performance is strong when you need it, such as overtaking, but its ability to cruise at the legal limit with consummate ease is its real strength.
Birmingham seems to arrive in no time at all but the Sony sound system has been a brilliant distraction.
It’s a big old motor yet through the city it is remarkably sprightly and when it comes to negotiating the multi-storey car park it seems to fit through the smallest of gaps and reverse parks easily into the bay, the touchscreen now showing what lies behind.
So what price is this capable, luxurious and endearing vehicle?
It feels like it should be a small fortune and if it was you would still feel it was worth every penny.
Prepare to be amazed, it’s £35,065. Now that’s going to send a shiver down the spines of established motor manufactures. But why not, because Jaecoo7 is one for the consumer.
Factfile
| Engine: 1.5 petrol turbo plug-in hybrid |
| Power: 204PS, 310Nm torque |
| 0-62mph: 8.5 secs |
| Top speed: 108mph |
| Combined MPG: 403 |
| EV range: 56 miles |
| Transmission: one-speed automatic, FWD |
| CO2 g/km: 38 |
| Price: £35,065 |
