Jaecoo J6 Electric RWD Review: City-friendly ruggedness
The steering, much like the interior, is designed with comfort as the priority.
A breath of non-bulbous air has been introduced into Category A.
Hot on the heels of the lifestyle-focused J6 All-Wheel Drive (AWD), Jaecoo has introduced a smaller battery-equipped Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) variant that carries forward most of the features from its Cat B sibling.
Decidedly the more appealing package of the two, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the RWD model apart from the AWD variant: You get the same aggressive boxy silhouette, with squared-off wheel arches, and beefy proportions that hint at its rugged nature. Some of the visual cues seem familiar, but Jaecoo owns it by infusing the “iCar” touches through the front and rear fascia.
The tough off-road vibes end as you enter the cabin, though.
Just like its sibling, interior space is every bit as modern. The soft-touch surfaces don’t creak when stressed, contrast-stitched two-tone interior (the test car came in the green and black combination) looked great, and you’re treated with premium features like ventilated seats all around and a panoramic sunroof. An excellent reminder that sometimes compromise isn’t necessary, even in Cat A.
Squarely aimed at the more active and adventurous amongst us, the J6’s side-hinged rear door opens to 450 litres of space for any equipment hauling duties. That almost triples when you fold the rear seats down flat.
Muddy shoes or sweat-soaked clothes? Stuff them in the separate rear door-mounted box instead.
Driving it
Getting behind the wheel of the J6 reveals a few notable aspects.
First thing you’ll notice is the 9.2” instrument cluster that sits behind the steering wheel. Occupying a thin slit, you’ll find yourself adjusting your seat height to make sure you get a view of the entire screen, which isn't ideal.
With the lack of tactile buttons on the centre dash, the 15.6” touchscreen takes you on an adventure of guessing where certain controls might be. The interface isn’t the most intuitive, and exploring the different sub-sections to find the glove box release isn’t the step forward I had in mind for EVs in 2025.
On the road is where things start lightening up. The steering, much like the interior, is designed with comfort as the priority. The lightweight steering brings a muted road feel that clearly demonstrates what the J6 was meant to be: A very comfortable soft-roader.
That vision is realised with the Macpherson front and multi-link rear setup, which straddles between harshness and waftiness well enough to keep the J6 planted on smooth roads and over humps.
The J6 RWD comes with a smaller 65.69kWh battery that powers the single rear-mounted electric motor, producing 99 kW and 220 Nm of torque. For the almost two-ton J6, the confident delivery of power is enough for daily driving situations without you wishing for more.
The verdict
Taking a big picture view on both the cost and what you get, the RWD variant bangs home value with an SUV that weighs less (by 99kg), goes further (37 km more WLTP city range), with the same full list of safety tech and advanced driver aids as its more expensive variant.
And then there are quirks you will need to come to terms with, but these aren’t deal breakers.
If you’re in the market for a rugged-looking soft-roader with (a) the trappings of comfort, and (b) safety with the benefit of being in Cat A, the Jaecoo J6 RWD variant deserves your attention.
Photos by Jegan Das
---
Car you sell, Carousell. Get the highest quote for your car in just 24 hours, with assistance on paperwork too.
Get the Best Price for your used car
from 500+ dealers in 24 hours
- Convenient and Hassle-Free
- Consumer Protection
Transparent Process
With No Obligation
