I suppose the Chery brand will already be familiar to you because it has recently arrived in Europe with the Omoda 5 as its first model. Its presence in Europe is still very discreet, but soon the Asian giant will be launching new models here. Meanwhile, in their country of origin, they have an extensive catalog and continue to increase it, among others, with the recently arrived Jetour Shanhai L9. A plug-in hybrid SUV is somewhat larger than a Toyota RAV4, with a maximum range of 1,100 km and which, however, is available for just 21,200 euros at direct currency exchange.
The Jetour Shanhai L9, as I was telling you, is a new plug-in hybrid SUV available in both five-seat and 7-seat configurations. Its range is made up of four different versions and within a price range from 21,200 euros at least and up to just under 24,000 euros at most. We are talking about a model larger than a Toyota RAV4 and, in addition, it is a plug-in hybrid instead of a ‘conventional’ hybrid, as is the Toyota model. Let’s not forget that the RAV4, in Europe , starts at around 37,650 euros in its entry-level version.
Chery launched the Jetour Shanhai L9 from €21,200
Its body measures 4.86 meters long, 1.92 meters wide, and 1.78 meters high, while a Toyota RAV4 has a body length of exactly 4.6 meters. And in this case, by the way, we have 2.85 meters of wheelbase in addition to a remarkable 62-inch operable panoramic roof. At a design level, the Chery Jetour Shanhai L9 has an imposing appearance with marked shapes and futuristic optics, with an aesthetic with a lot of personality.
In its cabin, which by the way can be configured in either green or black, key technological elements draw attention such as its 10.25-inch diagonal digital instrument panel and its large central multimedia screen, in floating format, with 15. 6 inches. This infotainment system, by the way, is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chipset, and accompanied by a Sony high-fidelity sound system. In addition, it has configurable RGB ambient lighting with 64 colors, 50W wireless charging for smartphones, and an advanced level 2 driving assistance system.
This brand new Jetour Shanhai L9 also has electric adjustments for the driver’s seat, which has heating and ventilation, the same as for the passenger seat. But without a doubt, the most relevant thing is its plug-in hybrid system that is based on a fifth-generation 1.5 TGDi engine manufactured by Chery, and accompanied by an electric motor together with a two-speed DHT transmission. The gasoline engine develops 155 HP and 220 Nm, and the electric engine is 267 HP. The combined power is 422 HP with a notable consumption of only 5.3 L/100 km.
Its range is made up of versions that differ by offering 55 or 108 km of range in fully electric mode. The versions with less range do not know what battery they have, but the highest-end versions use a ternary lithium battery with 19.43 kWh of energy storage capacity. Together, the hybrid system reaches a maximum range of 1,100 km on the CLTC cycle and, in addition, has a fast charging system that allows recovery from 20% to 80% in 25 minutes of charging. In short, in terms of performance, it goes far beyond what a Toyota RAV4 offers here, but at a ridiculous price in comparison.
The bad news is that, at least for the moment, Chery has not confirmed that it will launch this product in Europe. And now that the Chinese brand has a presence in Europe, yes, it is something that could happen, but we don’t know when or how. Come on, if it arrives in Europe we can’t take it for granted that it will have this groundbreaking price of 21,200 euros, which would make it even cheaper than an MG EHS, which currently starts at 25,440 euros offering something relatively similar. It is smaller and less powerful, but it is also an interesting SUV with a good-performance plug-in hybrid engine.
