It looks as if there’s a brand new Chinese language-built SUV arriving in Australia each week.

And now right here’s one other one, the all-new Jaecoo J5that may land in native showrooms quickly.
It’s the little brother to the J7 that launched Chery’s adventure-seeking sister model earlier this 12 months, and will probably be provided with the selection of three totally different powertrains – petrol, hybrid, and absolutely electrical, as examined right here.
The J5 goes up in opposition to the likes of the Hyundai Kona, Kia Seltos, MG ZS, Nissan Qashqaiand loads of others within the ever-expanding compact SUV phase.
We bought behind the wheel of the range-topping, battery-powered Jaecoo J5 throughout a flying go to to Chery’s headquarters in Wuhu, China, final week for an unique preview drive earlier than it arrives in Australia.
How a lot does the Jaecoo J5 price?
Jaecoo Australia has confirmed the J5 shall be provided domestically with a selection of three powertrain choices together with an entry-level variant with a traditional 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, a mid-spec hybrid, and the range-topping battery-electric model we’re testing right here.

Apparently, the EV variant would be the first to hit showrooms from subsequent month, with the petrol and hybrid fashions to comply with in February subsequent 12 months.
Last pricing has but to be revealed, however the J5 is predicted to undercut the bigger J7 by a big margin, with a sub-$30k drive-away value for the petrol model and a sub-$40k sticker for the EV.
Regulate CarExpert for extra particulars nearer to the J5’s official native launch.
Allow us to provide help to discover your new automobile
Purchase your new automobile with out the stress. It is quick, easy and fully free.

Nice service from Travis and workforce, second time I’ve used this enterprise wouldn’t hesitate to suggest them to anybody
Craig C.
Bought a Ford Ranger in Sunshine Coast, QLD
CarExpert helped Craig save hundreds on his Ford Ranger, now allow us to prevent in your subsequent new automobile.
What’s the Jaecoo J5 like on the within?
There’s rather a lot to love in regards to the cabin of the five-seat Jaecoo, regardless that it presents with a really minimalist design.

For starters, it’s far more spacious than its compact exterior dimensions recommend, with beneficiant headroom in each rows and loads of legroom within the rear for 2 adults to journey comfortably, or three youngsters throughout the bench.
And there’s 480 litres of cargo area within the boot, which is greater than most compact SUVs and across the identical as some soft-roaders in a category above.
That’s, in most half, due to the J5 driving on a 2620mm wheelbase and its entrance and rear axles being pushed to the extremities and the flat-floor format with its battery pack mounted beneath, which opens up extra packaging freedom contained in the cabin.
It feels much more ethereal when the digital blind that covers full-length panoramic sunroof is retracted and showers the dark-coloured cabin in gentle.
The entrance seats are snug and supportive, though the underside cushion is a bit quick, and there’s loads of adjustment to go well with all sizes.
Outboard rear occupants get nearly the identical degree of consolation as these up entrance, separated by a flip-down arm relaxation within the center. However anybody in the course of the rear bench seat sits greater and can depend on these both aspect for lateral help.
Nonetheless, there’s a single rear air vent and USB energy outlet on the again of the centre console to maintain them recent and their cell units charged up.
The supplies are typically of excellent high quality, with a mixture of material and artificial leather-based trim for the seats, black plastics within the door trims, piano black highlights on the centre console, and soft-touch material on the sprint prime.


Uniquely, Jaecoo says the J5 is the world’s first licensed pet-friendly automobile with accreditation from the German authority, TUV SUD, for its anti-bacterial and anti-scratch natural silicone seat coverings.
As for its total design, the J5 follows the same theme to its bigger J7 sibling with a easy T-shaped sprint format. The horizontal part contains an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster in entrance of the motive force and an array of air-conditioning vents throughout to the passenger aspect.
To be trustworthy, the small instrument cluster is all you want and locations the entire important info in straightforward view. Maybe the addition of a head-up show can be a great praise, nevertheless it’s not a deal-breaker.
As compensation, the centre console is intersected by an outsized 13.2-inch portrait-style infotainment touchscreen that’s positioned at an angle and flows right into a felt-lined twin telephone holder with a single 65W wi-fi charger on the left-hand aspect.

Behind that may be a pair of cupholders working 45-degrees throughout the console and a deep, lidded cubby with an armrest. There’s an extra open storage space beneath, housing USB and 12V energy shops.
The one bodily buttons are beneath the infotainment display screen for the three totally different driving modes – Eco, Regular and Sport – plus the hazard lights, and to unlock the doorways. In any other case, all different capabilities are managed by way of the show.
Fortunately, there’s a logical menu construction with phone-style widgets and shortcuts for the air flow, car settings, and a house button alongside the underside of the display screen.
There’s even an in-built Karaoke perform with optionally available wi-fi microphones so your passengers can sing alongside to their favorite tunes.
What’s beneath the bonnet?
The Jaecoo J5 EV has a single electrical motor that produces 155kW of energy and 288Nm of torque, and drives the entrance wheels by way of a one-speed transmission.

Offering vitality to the powertrain is a 58.9kWh battery pack that may ship a claimed 402km of vary on the WLTP cycle. Jaecoo claims it could actually speed up from 0-100km/h in 7.7 seconds on its technique to a most pace of 175km/h.
It’s able to 80kW DC fast-charging, and Jaecoo says it may be replenished from 30-80 per cent in round 28 minutes.
How does the Jaecoo J5 drive?
Contemplate this as style check somewhat than full evaluation of the J5’s on-road behaviour, as we drove it solely on Chinese language public roads and at Chery’s check monitor – neither of that are consultant of the number of situations it would face in Australia.

Even so, after a few hours behind the wheel, we are able to say the J5 is a powerful little machine that, if priced proper, may appeal to new EV patrons.
Simply over 400km of vary is sufficient to persuade urbanites that solely commute throughout the metropolis limits, who will admire its seamless acceleration, zippy efficiency, and conservative regen braking properties.
That mentioned, the J5 feels extra regular than many different EVs. It has respectable efficiency with out ever over-exciting the entrance wheels and, even in probably the most aggressive of its three-mode regen braking settings, it doesn’t bob your head ahead the second you elevate off the ‘throttle’ pedal.

The general dynamic character feels effectively planted too, with sure-footed dealing with and optimistic – if lifeless – electrical energy steering. However as soon as once more, we’ll reserve our remaining judgement on the J5 for after we get to expertise it first-hand on Australian roads quickly.
The identical goes for assessing its complete suite of ADAS security methods which, oddly, appeared far much less intrusive in China than we’ve skilled in different Chery autos up to now in Australia, regardless of the chaotic behaviour of Chinese language drivers with little regard for lane markings.
What do you get?
As talked about on the prime, Jaecoo Omoda Australia has but to disclose remaining specs for the J5 throughout all three of its native powertrain variants.
Jaecoo J5 EV gear highlights – anticipated:
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Unique EV entrance styling
- LED headlights and tail-lights
- Combined artificial leather-based and material trim
- Twin-zone local weather management
- 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster
- 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen
- Embedded satellite tv for pc navigation
- Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Wi-fi telephone charger
- DAB+ digital radio
- Sony six-speaker audio system
- Ambient inside lighting
Is the Jaecoo J5 secure?
The Jaecoo J5 has but to be examined by an impartial NCAP authority, however Jaecoo Omoda expects it would match the five-star score of its J7 sibling due to a complete suite of superior driver aids and crash avoidance methods.

Customary security options embody:
- 8 airbags incl. front-centre, driver’s knee
- Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
- Adaptive cruise management
- Lane holding help
- Blind spot detection
- Rear cross visitors alert
- Pace signal recognition
- Pace restrict help
- 360-degree parking show
How a lot does the Jaecoo J5 price to run?
Like all Jaecoo Omoda fashions, the J5 is predicted to return with the identical degree of aftersales provisions, together with an eight-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee with free roadside help and capped-price servicing for a similar interval.

It should additionally fall beneath Jaecoo’s Future Worth Promise scheme, which ensures a minimal worth for the entire Chinese language auto model’s fashions over set time durations, no matter how the car was bought – both via dealership finance, third-party finance, or outright.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Jaecoo J5
Our first impressions of the Jaecoo J5 are fairly optimistic.

Trusted Evaluations, Smarter Decisions, Higher Costs
The place skilled automobile evaluations meet skilled automobile shopping for – CarExpert provides you trusted recommendation, personalised service and actual financial savings in your subsequent new automobile.
It appears to be like cute on the skin and is extra spacious than you’d assume on the within, which is able to make it enticing to hip urbanites and younger households. Plus, it’s bought an honest vary and drives extra like a traditional automobile than most EVs.
If the worth is true, the compact Jaecoo J5 electrical SUV might be a watershed mannequin that brings lots of consideration to one among Australia’s latest auto Chinese language manufacturers.
Click on the photographs for the complete gallery
