Currently reading: Jaecoo 7 - the ultimate test: My family holiday in £30k Chinese SUV

We load up this 1.6-litre Chinese SUV with kids, dogs and kit to find out if it’s more than just a bargain price

I'm on a mission to discover how the Jaecoo 7 stands up to the rigours of family life over the next few months, and I got off to a good start with a trip to Somerset to visit my parents for a few days.

That meant kids, dogs, bags, walking gear and more, which would provide a stern test for the 145bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine. With those 'kids' now aged 19 and 16, the prospect of a long motorway journey in the back seats is usually greeted with groans, but both daughters were impressed by the Jaecoo.