And yes, we were driving a new Chinese model again. The Jaecoo 5 is a B-segment SUV that will be launched as a fully electric and a hybrid variant, for prices around €30,000. This serves as an alternative to its technically identical but completely different-looking cousin, as the Jaecoo 5 and the Omoda 5 are virtually identical underneath. Only the appearance and design are completely different. Both brands are from the Chinese Chery. We have driven the Omoda 5 several times, although it was still called E 5 at the time, which is why this article focuses on the Jaecoo 5.
Omoda and Jaecoo then, what are the biggest differences?
The Jaecoo 5 has the same wheelbase and the same electric and hybrid powertrain as the Omoda 5. However, it is a completely different car. The lines may remind you of those of Land Rover. Now that we have seen and driven the car in real life, we mainly see the Jaecoo 5 as a competitor to the Suzuki e-Vitara, and therefore also the Toyota Urban Cruiser. From Stellantis, the Jeep Avenger is particularly comparable. Like the Jaecoo 5, it is also available as a fully electric and hybrid version. A Jaecoo is sleeker and cleaner than an Omoda, which has more external frills and is more of a crossover. A Jaecoo looks more robust, more like a real SUV.
Are they the same inside?
No, completely different. The interior of the Jaecoo 5 is on the boring side, partly because the dashboard is built according to the well-known Chinese recipe. A horizontal screen in front of you, a vertical screen in the middle. Few buttons, only the button for the driving modes attracts attention on the center console. Fortunately, the menu structure of the central screen is quite clear. The icons could be a little bigger, but it’s better than in a BYD Dolphin, to name just one competitor. The bottom of the dashboard has quite hard plastics, but there is a soft layer on top of the dashboard. You sit very upright in this 5, and that seating position is similar to that of the Omoda 5, which otherwise has a completely different dashboard.
And is it spacious?
You are talking about a car that is just over 4.30 meters long. Yet if you are slightly taller than 1.80 meters, you can sit comfortably behind yourself. Because the currently smallest Jaecoo – there is also a 7, and a 9 is coming – is drawn rather straight, you have a fairly spacious experience for the compact SUV segment. The luggage space is neat with 372 liters.
How does the Jaecoo 5 drive?
The Chinese brands are learning more and more about European tastes. The damping is a bit firmer, the compact SUV does not suffer from annoying after-bouncing. The steering wheel really offers no feeling at low speeds and you are busy hoping. When the pace increases, the steering feels a little less vague. On the highway, you get some feedback through the steering wheel about the work the front suspension is doing, and you don’t want that. In terms of driving characteristics, the Jaecoo 5, like all those Chinese newcomers, does not make the difference. There is not the finesse in the chassis that, for example, a Toyota Yaris Cross does offer, and that is precisely such a characteristic with which the renowned Japanese and European brands still make the difference now.
Does the electric version perform well?
Yes, with 211 hp you obviously have no shortage of power. On such a November day that the asphalt never gets dry, it causes a lot of wheelspin when you press the pedal too abruptly. The way that is suppressed by the electronics is not too bad, we have experienced worse Chinese electronic interventions. There are three regeneration positions that you can adjust via two screen operations. You can clearly notice the difference between the degree of energy recovery, so that’s good. Shift paddles or a B-position are always nicer when you regularly switch between the regeneration positions. More than 400 kilometers can be squeezed from the battery pack 16.1 kWh/100 km according to WLTP. We could not discover an actual or average consumption during the short introduction, but you can clearly see the remaining range in the screen in front of you. Fast charging is possible with a very neat 130 kW for this class.
With ‘closed nose’ the Jaecoo 5 EV, the version with grille is the hybrid.
And the hybrid version?
We have to be honest now that we took the Omoda 5 to test the hybrid powertrain, but that powertrain is exactly the same as the Jaecoo, with the same specifications and the same operation. Moreover, we had only driven the electric Omoda 5 in recent years, so we are killing two birds with one stone. What does it mean for the Jaecoo 5 SHS-H, as the hybrid variant is called? That you experience a fairly electric experience of the hybrid powertrain in eco mode. The car always drives away electrically and especially in ‘eco’ it takes a long time before the 1.5 turbo petrol engine, a four-cylinder from Chery, kicks in. In Sport it quickly switches to a petrol boost on top of the electric power delivery. You notice that the 144 hp combustion engine plays a modest role for a full hybrid. The electric motor of the hybrid also delivers a lot of power: 150 kW. It works in different ways and can work both parallel and series hybrid. The hybrid Jaecoo 5 also regenerates firmly when lifting the accelerator pedal, there is no way to influence this. On average, it should be able to consume 5.3 liters of petrol per 100 kilometers, which corresponds to a CO2 emission of 120 grams per kilometer. The system power is 224 hp, and that is simply very much for this segment. Hence the fast sprint time from 0 to 100: 7.9 seconds. That’s two tenths less fast than the EV needs.
Are there any typical Chinese gadgets on the Jaecoo 5?
No strings with which you can strum like on a guitar like in the BYD Atto 3, but an ‘in car karaoke experience’. Functionally, the cameras with which you can also look under the car can be useful, because a Jaecoo always stands for off-road properties. That is at least the message. However, you won’t get that far in the field with a front-wheel drive car like this.
What does it cost and where can you buy the Jaecoo 5?
Omoda and Jaecoo are already available at twenty dealers in the Netherlands, and that number will continue to grow in 2026. Think of large dealer companies such as the Bochane group. For the EV, Jaecoo keeps it clear with the 5. There is one version in the price list, for €30,890 you buy the Exclusive FWD. With the hybrid SHS-H you have a choice of two equipment levels: €29,490 costs the Selective. There is a Comfort above for €32,490, which then offers LED headlights, a panoramic roof and heated and ventilated seats.
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