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— Kris Ashton
Attempts to position Jaecoo as an ‘affordable luxury’ brand have thus far hit wide of the mark, with both the Jaecoo J7 mid-sizer and Jaecoo J8 large SUV bringing some bling but failing to deliver under the bonnet. The Chinese car maker is taking a different tack with its Jaecoo J5, debuting the small SUV as an EV model (with PHEV and ICE variants coming in early 2026). A $35,990 starting price before on-road costs, together with styling that’s easy on the eye, makes a compelling first impression. But does the Jaecoo J5 have the dynamic steak to match its visual sizzle?
For its initial Australian launch, the Jaecoo J5 is available in a single high-spec variant for $35,990 plus on-road costs, with a special offer of $36,990 drive away (including free premium paint) for the first 100 customers.
‘Small electric SUVs’ is a market segment in flux, due mainly to a sudden surge in cheaper Chinese models, so prices are all over the place. The Jaecoo J5 pops in at the cheaper end alongside the likes of the BYD Atto 2 ($31,990), Chery E5 ($36,990) and Leapmotor B10 ($37,888), while some competitors that arrived earlier in the space retain ‘legacy’ pricing, such as the Hyundai Kona ($54,000) and Kia Niro ($66,590).
The Jaecoo J5 is covered by a competitive eight-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which includes the battery. Servicing is every 12 months/20,000km and adds up to $1520 over the eight-year warranty period.
Because the J5 EV is trimmed to Jaecoo’s top-grade Ridge specification, interior presentation is excellent. The light two-tone theme in the launch models gives the cabin a fun and airy feel (darker interior colours will be introduced later). Hard surfaces are few and the materials used look good and are quite tactile. The steering wheel is particularly nice to look at and feels good in the driver’s hands. A driver information screen that sits flush with the dashboard adds class.
Seat comfort front and back is commendable and the polyurethane upholstery now has a silicone coating that, according to Jaecoo, makes it more durable and easier to clean. (It should have been used on the armrest upholstery, too, because that was already stained in our test vehicle which only had a few hundred kilometres on it.) The front seats are ventilated as well as heated, a valuable inclusion in the Australian market.
The large central touchscreen ‘flows’ like a waterslide from the dashboard to the centre console, which provides visual appeal but is somewhat form over function as it makes the storage nooks hard to access. The armrest also houses a small storage box.
The second row provides substantial leg and head room, and rear passengers get two cup holders in the rear armrest, one air conditioning vent, and one USB-A port, but no interior or reading lights. The massive 1.45 square metre sunroof stretches all the way back to the cargo area, giving the rear seats an even greater sense of space.
In addition to a capacious 480-litre cargo space, the Jaecoo J5 has a 35-litre frunk (I still reckon Aussies should call it a froot) with a drainage hole so it can be filled with ice and used as an esky if desired.
Standard inclusions are generous for an electric vehicle at this price point. The list includes 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, keyless entry, remote starting and air conditioning, an 8.8-inch driver information display, 13.2-inch central touchscreen, synthetic leather upholstery, eight-speaker sound system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 50-watt wireless phone charger, voice command functionality, rain sensing wipers, heated mirrors, a 360-degree around view monitor, powered tailgate and charge port door, and a glass roof with powered sun shade.
Stone Grey paint is standard, while the other three colours (white, black and blue) are a $600 premium option.
Jaecoo is also upselling branded ‘lifestyle’ merchandise, including pet-related accessories (collar, bowl, pet carrier, retractable lead etc.) and two microphones ($165) to use with the J5’s karaoke function.
The Jaecoo J5 is yet to be awarded an ANCAP safety rating, but Jaecoo confirmed the vehicle would undergo crash testing protocols and was confident of a five-star result. It will be interesting to see if the enormous glass roof affects structural integrity during impact tests.
The J5’s extensive array of safety equipment includes seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking, emergency lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, and forward collision warning.
Pleasingly, while the Jaecoo J5 does have speed sign recognition with overspeed alert, the audible chimes can be switched off and stay off – according to a Jaecoo spokesman, ANCAP mandates either a visual or audio warning for a five-star rating.
A 58.9kWh battery provides energy for a single electric motor (155kW/288Nm) that drives the front wheels. The 0-100km/h time is a claimed 7.7 seconds and the Jaecoo J5 EV has a theoretical range of 402km (WLTP).
Its maximum 130kW DC charging rate translates to a 30-80 per cent charge time of approximately 28 minutes. The Jaecoo J5 EV also has 6.6kW single phase and 10.3kW three phase AC charging, plus three-level regenerative braking.
Exterior styling reminiscent of a Range Rover gives the Jaecoo J5 serious road presence and the inviting interior treatment doesn’t disappoint, either.
Power from the single electric motor is ample without being performance-level, which is just as well because even with the amount it has, putting your foot down results in torque steer (while rolling) or wheelspin (when taking off). This is in part due to the Macpherson strut/multilink suspension tune, which provides an extremely comfortable ride at the expense of driving dynamics.
The bouncy ride also means the Jaecoo J5 tends to lean laterally in bends. This, in concert with vague steering that provides minimal response at initial turn in and then a lot a few degrees later, doesn’t inspire handling confidence outside an urban setting.
The regenerative braking is another unexpected issue. It’s fine on the low setting, as it’s virtually unnoticeable, but switch it to high and there’s a full second between lifting your foot off the accelerator and the resistance kicking in – not only irritating, it makes one-pedal driving all but impossible. It also further serves to highlight the suspension’s comfort bias, with the J5 pitching forward each time the regen braking applies resistance.
On the technology side of things, the J5 deserves more bouquets than brickbats.
The large infotainment screen houses pretty much every instrument except the drive modes, hazard lights and central locking button – something that continues to be a controversial proposition. Air conditioning controls (including recirculation) are always present on the screen, however, which aids usability. Once you take time to familiarise yourself with the screen’s functions – such as swiping down from the left side to reveal the passenger’s volume controls – there’s an agreeable simplicity to it, even if it’s not the most responsive touchscreen on the market.
The high-resolution 360-degree camera system provides good quality images and parking guidelines, the electronically opening and closing charge port door is a frivolous but luxurious touch, the ADAS systems are unobtrusive and only yank the driver’s chain with good cause, and the door lights that warn exiting passengers of approaching traffic are a well-considered safety measure.
Good looks, a comfortable ride and a sensible price tag are sure to garner the Jaecoo J5 EV plenty of plaudits and test drives. The potential buyer’s opinion of its driving dynamics will likely determine whether cash changes hands.
