China's Jaecoo planning to launch in Canada late 2026

After a spring and summer full of buzz about Chinese cars landing in Canada, one automotive giant from the People’s Republic has set a marker in the ground for its launch date — and it might not be the one you think.

Jaecoo and Omoda are sister brands from Chery Automobile, set up mainly for export to markets outside of its home country. It’s generally understood Omoda is typically positioned further up the food chain when compared to Jaecoo; think Lexus versus Toyota, for example.

Full Screen is not supported on this browser version.

You may use a different browser or device to view this in full screen.

Well, late September, a new website for the Canadian market cropped up for both of those brands, promoting Omoda and Jaecoo as purveyors of “premium electrified vehicles” that are “designed for modern Canadian life.” While there aren’t yet any build-and-price-type tools on the site, or even mention of specific models, a key word in that phrasing is “electrified.” Could this mean Jaecoo might bring its popular J7 hybrid or plug-in hybrid to Canada as part of its product launch?

We mention that model in particular because the J7 has taken markets like the U.K. by storm, quickly finding a place for itself based on price, powertrain, and styling. The latter is of no small consequence, with more than one person directly comparing it to a Range Rover, but at a fraction of the price.

Further down the landing page, it promises “coming late 2026” in reference to the Omoda and Jaecoo brands. Whether that refers to actual vehicles landing for sale in Canada or a more limited launch of the brand isn’t immediately clear. We have reached out to the company using contact information on that same page, and will update this post accordingly.

As for official information from Ottawa, a government website lists Omoda & Jaecoo Canada Inc. as a business operating out of North York in Ontario. Another company, Investor: Wuhu Purui Automobile Investment Co., Ltd. – generally understood to be Chery’s investment and holding arm – is listed as its ‘investor’.

Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on X, TikTok, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice.

2021 Castrol-Wakefield Automotive Writing Award, runner-up

Runner Up - 2023 AJAC Adventure and Travel Journalism Award presented by Genesis Canada

Winner - 2023 AJAC Road Safety Journalism Award presented by Volvo Canada

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matthewkguy