Weak Sales Push GAC to Rework the Trumpchi S7 Hybrid Crossover

GAC's Trumpchi S7 hybrid crossover launched in China last spring and later crossed into the Russian market under the simplified GAC S7 badge, since the Trumpchi sub-brand stays exclusive to the home market. Despite the export push, the model struggled domestically, with only 6,980 units sold in China during the first half of this year - a figure that clearly pushed the automaker toward a mid-cycle refresh rather than waiting for a full redesign.

The updated crossover, now open for pre-orders, brings a reworked front bumper featuring a larger lower air intake. The upper lighting signature stays put, but the bumper-mounted lamp units have dropped their vertical LED strips. Instead, a turquoise accent light now appears in those units, in the mirror housings, and at the rear, signaling when the semi-autonomous driving system is active - a small but useful visual cue for drivers and pedestrians alike.

Body dimensions remain unchanged: 4,900 mm long, 1,950 mm wide, 1,780 mm tall, with a 2,880 mm wheelbase. Standard wheels stay at 19 inches, with 20-inch rims available as an option.

Inside, the five-seat cabin keeps its familiar layout but gains a new brown trim choice. The dashboard still houses an 8.88-inch digital instrument cluster paired with a 15.6-inch infotainment screen. Base equipment continues to include dual-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats (with massage for the driver), and wireless phone charging. Pricier trims add heating and ventilation for the second row, while the 17.3-inch ceiling-mounted rear display is now reserved exclusively for the range-topping version.

Every trim except the entry-level one now gets an upgraded lidar unit, jumping from 126 lines to 192 lines. The driver-assistance suite has also been standardized across the lineup at 12 ultrasonic sensors, up from eight on the previously basic configurations.

Under the skin, the hybrid setup still pairs a 160-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter gasoline engine with an electric motor, but the front motor's output has climbed from 231 to 272 horsepower. The all-wheel-drive flagship retains its secondary 109-hp rear motor. Worth noting: in Russia, the 'official' GAC S7 hybrid has its software locked to prevent the turbo engine from sending torque directly to the front wheels, which cuts the rated peak output from 501 to 340 horsepower.

Battery capacity has grown from 36.3 to 38.9 kWh, stretching the front-drive version's electric-only range from 205 to 255 km and the all-wheel-drive variant's from 180 to 240 km under CLTC testing. Combined range now reaches 1,200 km and 1,084 km respectively. In China, the refreshed S7 is priced from 149,800 to 199,800 yuan (roughly $22,100 to $29,500), while the pre-update model currently sells in Russia for 5,899,000 to 6,249,000 rubles before discounts. Export shipments of the updated hybrid are expected to follow at a later date.