I drove the Chinese car that looks exactly like a Range Rover - but costs £60,000 less

Chinese vehicles are slowly becoming a serious player on Britain's roads with a host of new brands now challenging established Western products. BYD was the first to break through the glass ceiling with data published earlier this summer showing that sales had beaten market leader Tesla.

MG and Ora could prove to be sturdy competitors to the saloon and hatchback markets with Leapmotor, Kia, and now Chery's Jaecoo challenging the SUV behemoths. Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) are big businesses in the UK, with the concept making up 62% of total vehicle sales. Jaguar Land Rover has led the way for a while with their Range Rover products proving to be a step above much of the opposition. But could China dethrone them? The Jaecoo 7 may not be the best car on the roads, but at almost £60,000 cheaper, the Jaecoo could steal many customers with its affordable luxury selling point.

From the outside, the Jaecoo 7 could pass for a Range Rover Evoque or Velar; the models are really that similar. The Jaecoo's curvy roofline, front grille, stylish headlamps, and pop-out door handles could have almost been copied and pasted.

Take the Jaecoo logo off the front and show the body shape to 90% of road users, and they wouldn't tell the difference. There is a reason for this: Jaecoo's parent company, Chery, enjoys a lucrative stake in Jaguar Land Rover, and the two firms share a revolutionary 50:50 partnership. The two firms have enjoyed long-term collaboration since 2012, so it's no surprise the car has visual similarities.

This is where the Jaecoo really stands out from the pack. The new model hits the market for just under £30,000 (£29,435). The higher-spec plug-in hybrid model, the Jaecoo 7 SHS, is priced at around £35,000 but is still massively cheaper than its rivals.

Motorists are likely to pick up a Range Rover Evoque for around £40,000, with a plug-in model close to £45,000. The larger Range Rover Sport P460e starts from £90,000, and the Electric Range Rover, set to hit the roads in 2026, is expected to be well over £100,000.

The only plug-in SUV at a similar price point to the Jaecoo is the Dacia Bigster at £24,995 but Chery's product offers more.

Buyers can secure the Jaecoo in two different formats: a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a plug-in hybrid model affectionately dubbed the 'Super Hybrid System'. This is equipped with a 1.5-litre petrol engine, hybrid transmission, and lithium-ion battery capable of achieving 202hp.

The plug-in SHS model we tested has an impressive range of over 700 miles on a single tank, but can only run 56 miles on pure electric power. Like any hybrid or electric vehicle, acceleration and torque is almost second to none. Press down on the throttle pedal even an inch and the car will shoot off into the distance.

This really is one of the standout features of modern vehicles, and the Jaecoo is no exception. It delivers an almost inch-perfect throttle and a burst of acceleration to nip between cars and change lanes with ease. The only drawback is that the car feels very on/off on the throttle and brake, making it almost impossible to feather the acceleration to adjust to cruising speeds.

The steering is generally smooth in urban areas, and the Jaecoo offers a comfortable ride for city centre travel. However, the Jaecoo's limitations are more noticeable in quick direction changes, and the model does not lean as well into the bends as petrolheads would like.

Taking the car off-road was a different matter with the Jaecoo bouncing around under light gravel as we stopped at a car park. Much more than you'd want to expect from an SUV. The car is packed full of safety features with speed assistance, Lane-Keeping Assist and Lane Departure Warning systems all fitted.

Personally, I'm not a fan of lane-keeping systems and the Jaecoo automatically jolts the wheel back into place if you dare stray over the white line with the indicators disabled. With the car as wide as the Jaecoo, nothing but perfection will prevent some interference. Unfortunately, some of this is out of Jaecoo's hands, with EU law stipulating models must have certain safety features fitted.

These can be turned off through a few switches on the infotainment screen, but will automatically revert back into place when the car is powered down. Although, by far the worst feature is the new Driver Monitoring System tool which in my experience was borderline dangerous.

The tool analyses driver behaviour, and issues an audio warning if the system detects motorists' eyes have wandered away from the road. However, looking around is critical to the driving experience and something Jaecoo punishes you for. Looking at road signs, into the mirrors, through the passenger window to gauge blind spots was enough to trip the system.

This culminates in a short, sharp repetitive beep that almost makes you stop concentrating on the road altogether as you work out a way to turn it off.

Inside, the Jaecoo is stylish and comfortable for a car at this price point with leather seats, appealing plastics and plenty of tech. Overhead, a stunning panoramic sunroof can be opened up all the way from the front to the rear passenger seats, which is a nice touch in the summer. It doesn't have the feel of a full convertible but it is a cut above any sunroof you'll find on the market today.

A 13.2inch touchscreen is fitted into the centre console with a further screen placed just in front of the driver's eyeline as a digital speedometer. Higher-end models are fitted with a heads-up display projected onto the glass, meaning road users don't have to take their eyes off the car ahead to check how fast they are going.

The touchscreen menus are easy to navigate, with each screen loading quickly with almost no input lag. I had trouble working some of Jaecoo's built-in features with navigation, real-time traffic updates requiring a SIM card to access. However, connecting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto took no time at all with calls coming through clearly.

Instead of scrolling through menus, drivers can make changes through built-in voice commands using the catchphrase 'Hello Jaecoo'. I did see this feature working before I took the car out, but the system struggled to detect my voice and I eventually reverted back to the touchscreen keyboard.

Added extras that enhance the Jaecoo's interior include mood lighting around the door frames and dashboard. Meanwhile, I loved the addition of warning detectors which act as a perfect feature for an extra level of safety to a family SUV.

At a standstill, the car will issue an audio alert and flash red when a car or cyclist is passing through, ensuring passengers don't accidentally open their door at the wrong time. This is also a feature behind the wheel, with road users able to benefit from an orange glow when a car is overtaking or undertaking.

The Jaecoo is fitted with 412 litres of storage space, enough for families to feel satisfied, but a value that is lower than the Hyundai Tucson (620 litres) and Citroen X5 Aircross (720 litres), which are considered close rivals.

The Jaecoo 7 isn't the absolute best SUV on the market and isn't the best Chinese vehicle on sale either. The car fails to deliver the full Range Rover experience and is let down by some handling gripes that die-hard motorists are likely to notice.

However, for the casual motorist or family looking for something a bit different, the Jaecoo becomes an attractive option. Decent acceleration, over 700 miles of range and a classy interior mean the Jaecoo offers more than most at this price point.

If people vote with their wallets rather than their hearts, Jaecoo could seriously challenge Range Rover's dominance in the coming years.