You’re looking at the Jaecoo J6, an all-new entry for Chery’s emerging premium sub-brand. However, unlike the J7 and J8 with combustion engines or PHEV drives, the smaller J6 is a fully electric vehicle. As you can see, it’s definitely a cool looking SUV, even if its design doesn’t necessarily match the rest of the Jaecoo range.
That’s because the J6 isn’t a Jaecoo at all, at least not at birth. In China, it will be sold as iCar 03 (completely unrelated to the much-rumored Apple Car), another sub-brand under the Chery umbrella aimed at fashion-conscious young people. However, for export markets it will be called Jaecoo J6.
You may also have noticed that we have two sets of images here: one showing the car with the Jaecoo emblem and the other with its original iCar name. The Jaecoo grille is unfortunately missing the illuminated i logo, which is replicated on both the headlight and taillight designs.
Another difference is the large box at the back, which is missing from the Jaecoo exhibition vehicle. However, the outer rectangular box, modeled after the iCar’s traditional tailgate-mounted spare tires, predates the similar charging cable storage solution on the just-unveiled electric Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen.
Additionally, the J6 has a very distinctive block design that will definitely stand out on Malaysian roads when it arrives here. The shape certainly gives off Land Rover Defender vibes, while its small size is also a bit reminiscent of the Suzuki Jimny 5-door. It must be said, however, that unlike the countless Chinese copycats seen at the ongoing Auto China 2024 in Beijing, the J6 actually has an original look all its own.
Interesting details include the Defender-style side-hinged tailgate and flush door handle. However, the latter folds out to the rear rather than popping out as a whole like other Jaecoo models (one of the few features that allows comparison with Range Rovers).
In terms of size, the Jaecoo J6 is 4,406 mm long, 1,910 mm wide and 1,715 mm high. Its wheelbase is relatively long for an SUV of this size at 2,715 mm. The dimensions make it only slightly shorter than the J7 (4,500mm), although the J6 is slightly wider (+45mm) and taller (+35mm).
Inside, it features a large center display and a wide horizontal dashboard layout. It feels rather plush – perhaps even softer than the J7 – especially with the crystal drive mode selector on the center console. The doors open via push buttons à la Tesla, while the grab handles with visible rivets are inspired by the Defender.
In China, the iCar 03 is available with either rear- or all-wheel drive electric motor configurations. According to local Chinese reports, the dual-motor version is rated at 279 horsepower and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds. However, the top speed is limited to just 150 km/h. The range is up to 501 km in the CLTC test cycle with the largest LFP battery option supplied by CATL at 69.8 kWh.
Also available are a range of roof-mounted solar panels that can help charge the battery, as well as ADAS cameras from popular drone maker DJI. Similar to Tesla Vision, the J6 relies solely on high-resolution cameras around the vehicle for driver assistance functions, with no radar or sensors.
We’ll know more when exports begin, which we’re told will be fairly soon. Would you like to see the Jaecoo J6 in Malaysia? Comment below.
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