2026 Jaecoo J5 EV review

In the words of American music icon, DJ Khaled – “another one”.

Compact electric SUVs have been hitting Australian shores en masse over the past few months, and this – the Jaecoo J5 EV – represents the final arrival of 2025.

Based on the same platform as the Chery E5 which landed last year, the J5 EV is fashionably late to the local market. I say fashionably because it’s quite kind on the eye, in a shrunken Range Rover sort of way.

Beyond that, the J5 EV will likely draw attention for its surprisingly low price tag. I expected the figure to start with a four, but Jaecoo will launch the J5 EV at just $36,990 drive-away, making it the second cheapest model of its kind on the market.

Is that enough to make this boxy little runabout stand out from the crowd? We flew to the local launch event in Sydney to find out.

How much does the Jaecoo J5 cost?

Not much, not much at all. The first 1000 people to order a J5 will pay just $36,990 drive-away regardless of location, while pricing will revert to $35,888 before on-road costs thereafter.

Even then, the J5 EV represents a bargain when compared to other small electric SUVs. Well, at least on paper.

Direct rivals include the Leapmotor B10, BYD Atto 2, Kia EV3, Hyundai Kona Electric, Zeekr X, and MG S5 EV, most of which are priced at least $3000 dearer once on-road costs are accounted for. The Zeekr, Kia and Hyundai all top $50,000.

To see how the Jaecoo J5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

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What is the Jaecoo J5 like on the inside?

The inside of the J5 EV is a bit generic, but there’s plenty of space and kit for the money.

Jaecoo told us that the cabin design was inspired by the natural world, more specifically the flow and surrounds of a waterfall – how lovely. However, Mercedes-Benz has wowed new car buyers with its waterfall-style infotainment screen for years, and even my 2008 Volvo C30 is similar in its presentation.

With that said, I quite fancy this curvaceous look, and the J5 EV feels brighter and more welcoming than some European SUVs thanks to its light-coloured upholstery and the fitment of a colossal glass roof. An abundance of natural light also contributes to the sense of spaciousness that the J5 EV emanates, despite its compact dimensions.

And unlike my old Swedish hatchback, the J5 EV isn’t cluttered with buttons and switchgear, for both better and worse.

On a positive front, the elimination of hard buttons opens up space for two large cupholders and a pair of smartphone pads on the central bridge. Indeed, the cabin is hugely practical – additional storage trays can be found both behind and underneath the infotainment screen, while the door bins, glovebox, and centre console are all roomy.

But on the other side of that coin, all key vehicle functions are housed in the centre screen, which forces the driver to take their eyes off the road for longer than necessary when adjusting the aircon. This is both inconvenient and detrimental to safety, especially considering the screen in the J5 EV isn’t the most user-friendly.

Measuring in at 13.2 inches, the portrait infotainment system was slow to respond to touch inputs during our brief test, and popular features such as seat heating/ventilation aren’t readily accessible from the home screen.

There aren’t even that many features, either. Satellite navigation is missing altogether, and app icons only occupy half the main menu. Yet, somewhat humorously, one of the few applications listed is a karaoke mixer – because there’s nothing better than belting out your favourite track on the way home from work.

At the end of the day, most owners will default to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto anyway, neither of which require a wired connection. Devices can also be charged wirelessly, or through a combination of USB-A and USB-C outlets scattered throughout the cabin.

And in fairness to Jaecoo, the infotainment system is set up like an iPhone in how submenus can be found by swiping up or down from the edge of the screen, which quickly becomes familiar. It’s just a shame about the lack of processing power.

Jaecoo has also made the wise decision to stick with a wide 8.9-inch digital driver display for the J5 EV, even as some brands get rid of this feature altogether.

The rectangular screen doesn’t look tacked on. Rather, it sits perfectly flush with the dash, and the visual quality of the graphics is top notch.

You can flick through different readouts using haptic steering wheel buttons that look better than they feel. Some cheaper finishes can be expected in a sub-$40k electric SUV, so this isn’t a complete surprise.

And, on the whole, the J5 EV actually ranks above the majority of sub-premium small SUVs for interior quality. All the panels are screwed together tightly, while most are trimmed in soft-touch plastic or white synthetic leather with contrasting blue stitching. Hard, scratchy stuff is found mostly the belt line, where it’s rarely seen nor felt.

Common contact points have been afforded extra attention – the steering wheel sports a two-tone colour scheme, similar to what you’d find in a Genesis or Bentley. In the same vein, the front seats are perforated, mildly bolstered, and six-way power-adjustable.

That’s not to say the J5 EV is flexible to all body types though, as I found the lowest seating position to still be too high. Bear in mind I measure in at six-one – in other words, not especially tall.

But who cares about seat height when the seats themselves are wear, scratch and odour resistant, right?! Yep, Jaecoo claims its new ‘Super EcoClean Skin’ upholstery is essentially pet- and child-proof – a solid USP if that turns out to be true.

Speaking of children, they’ll be right at home in the second row of the J5 EV.

It’s light and airy for starters, and there’s plenty of headroom. Legroom is also pretty good, if not quite as impressive. A flat floor facilitates use of the middle seat, too.

Rear amenities include a single USB-A port – no fighting, kids – as well as an air vent, fold-down armrest, drink bottle-sized door bins, and map pockets. On the safety front, the J5 EV also boasts safe exit warning sensors for rear occupants – a rare inclusion at this price point. All three back seats are served by top tether child seat anchor points.

Behind the second row you’ll find a generous boot with 480 litres of capacity – more than some large SUVs. It’s easily accessed courtesy of a power tailgate, and the load lip is insignificant. An additional 35 litres of cargo room lies under the bonnet in the form of a ‘frunk’. Don’t go looking for a spare tyre, however, because you won’t find one.

To see how the Jaecoo J5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

The Jaecoo J5 features the same single-motor, front-wheel drive electric powertrain found in the related Chery E5, albeit detuned in the torque department.

To see how the Jaecoo J5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How does the Jaecoo J5 drive?

Let’s not beat around the bush here, the J5 EV isn’t a driver’s car, but nor is it really expected to be.

Provided you treat it as a laidback means of getting from A to B, this little Jaecoo is an inoffensive enough steer.

The electric powertrain is silent yet punchy enough to provide ample rolling acceleration, and we were also impressed by the smoothness of the ride over Sydney’s sub-par roads.

Chinese vehicles have developed a reputation for overly soft and bouncy suspension tuning, but the J5 EV seemingly bucks that trend with a far more neutral setup – kudos, Omoda Jaecoo.

In combination, the powertrain quietness and comfortable ride suggest a refined urban driving experience, although more discerning drivers will quickly discover some flaws in this package.

For one, the J5 EV really struggles to put its power down from a standstill, chirping the tyres under even moderate throttle input.

That lack of traction is followed by pronounced torque steer – a bi-directional tugging through the steering wheel that forces you to muscle the car back under control – not unusual for a high-powered performance car, but unsettling in a budget city SUV. As such, traffic light drag races are best kept to a minimum.

Bringing the J5 EV to a halt isn’t as easy as it should be, either. The brake pedal feels sticky and inconsistent under foot, while there’s an annoying delay baked into the regenerative braking system, even in its strongest setting.

The best EVs transition smoothly between throttle and regen braking, but that’s not the case here. Instead, there’s a coasting period before the J5 EV starts to slow down, by which point you’ve likely resorted to stamping on the brake pedal anyway.

So, although I’m usually a huge fan of regen, I found myself dialling it down and settling for old-school right foot braking in the J5 EV.

The steering could do with some work, as well. It’s way too light, and gives you no sense of connection to the front wheels. Switching between the three available drive modes – Eco, Normal, and Sport – doesn’t remedy this.

However, the J5 EV at least feels light on its feet and willing to change direction, attributes that suit the hustle and bustle of city driving.

It also feels manoeuvrable in parking situations, and benefits from high-resolution surround-view and reversing cameras.

We didn’t get much of a chance to experience the J5 EV on the highway, but it’s seemingly well-equipped for that environment.

Unlike several small SUVs on the local market, the J5 EV offers Level 2 autonomous driving capability as standard, which takes some of the effort out of long stints behind the wheel. Otherwise known as adaptive cruise control with active lane centring, this system can be operated via haptic buttons on the steering wheel.

Indeed, advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) are plentiful, and none of them are particularly overbearing for a change. Better yet, adjustments made to safety assists through the infotainment system are permanent, so you don’t need to trawl through the menus every time you drive.

To see how the Jaecoo J5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

The J5 EV will be offered in a single well-equipped trim level from launch. Early examples feature a predominantly white interior, although darker trim will become available at a later date.

2026 Jaecoo J5 EV equipment highlights:

• 18-inch ‘aero’ alloy wheels in Continental tyres
• Projector LED headlights
• Intelligent high-beam control
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Electric folding side mirrors
• Glass roof with powered sunshade
• Power tailgate
• Synthetic leather upholstery (pet-friendly)
• ‘Premium’ steering wheel
• 6-way powered driver’s seat
• 6-way powered passenger seat
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Dual-zone climate control
• Multi-colour ambient lighting
• 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• 8.9-inch digital instrument cluster
• 8-speaker sound system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Intelligent voice command
• USB-A and USB-C outlets
• 50W wireless charging pad
• Vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality

To see how the Jaecoo J5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Is the Jaecoo J5 safe?

The J5 has not yet been safety tested by Australian authority ANCAP, although Jaecoo is confident of an eventual five-star rating for its baby electric SUV.

Standard safety equipment includes:

• 7 airbags
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Surround-view camera
• Forward collision warning
• Lane departure warning
• Adaptive cruise control
• Traffic jam assist
• Integrated cruise assist
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear collision warning
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Driver monitoring
• Hill descent control

To see how the Jaecoo J5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How much does the Jaecoo J5 cost to run?

The J5 EV comes with excellent level of aftersales support, including an eight-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty with free roadside assistance and capped-price servicing for the same period.

The aforementioned capped-price servicing scheme is particularly kind on the wallet, too. Eight years of J5 EV maintenance costs just $1520, or $190 per year on average.

For context, you’ll pay twice that amount to service an MG S5 EV each year, while the Kia EV3 costs $1897 to service over seven years. It’s a similar story when you take a Hyundai Kona Electric or Zeekr X into your local dealer.

Petrol-powered rivals can’t match the cheap running costs promised by most EVs, but the Toyota Corolla Cross comes closest with a five-year servicing package priced at $1275.

To see how the Jaecoo J5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the Jaecoo J5 EV

Sharp launch pricing and a generous ownership promise are sure to generate interest in the J5 EV among electric SUV buyers on a budget.

It’s by no means perfect – torque steer under hard acceleration is a carryover issue from the Chery E5, and the steering offers no feedback whatsoever. Inside, the interior is relatively generic and too much emphasis is placed on a laggy, unimpressive infotainment system.

However, none of the few electric SUVs at this price point are without flaws. The Leapmotor B10 is similarly tech-heavy to a fault, while the MG S5 EV falls short in the driving range department.

Meanwhile, the J5 EV is a relatively roomy thing with plenty of range and Sydney-friendly suspension tuning.

So, at least until the next cheap-as-chips Chinese EV arrives, the J5 EV is a decent option in an ever-expanding segment.

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MORE: Explore the Jaecoo J5 showroom