JAECOO J5 Review – The Cost and value matter
JAECOO is one brand that has entered the market with an aggressive outlook in terms of where it will slot into the South African market, with the J5 coming in as a viable cross-over SUV; and don’t be surprised when you think that you will mistake it for a more established brand that you might recognize.
The powertrain comprises of 115kW @ 230Nm driven to the front wheels, with all that power going straight to the front-wheels. Now JAECOO also claims that the car will average 7.5L/100km on the drive, but I averaged 9.8L/100km – and this has been when driving in the city, but I do have a theory around this.
The highest models come with an electric tailgate, run on 18” alloy wheels and a huge panoramic moonroof fitted which do add to the value dynamic of the car. The 13.2” infotainment screen is the central point of functionality where the cabin is concerned, with majority of the functions being tied into this central point.
The JAECOO J5 comes into a competitive market* with the likes of the Chery Tiggo Cross, the Omoda C5, the Haval Jolion Pro, the MG ZS Pro and the Volkswagen T-Cross all throwing weight in the boxing ring.
And this adds on to consumers ever-growing list of options where it is concerned; there is plenty of options to go with.
My biggest issue with the car, aside for the fuel consumption, has been the “jerky” drive of the car especially when driving in normal/eco mode. I did feel like there is a slight lag but that it becomes a lot better when driving in sport mode. Then again, I doubt that anyone would be driving this car is like they stole it, even if one is driving on the open road.
The JAECOO J5 starts at R339, 900 for the base model Core and goes all the way to around R479,900 for the Inferno (might change according to exact spec) which still offers great value for money for a price point under R500 000.
JAECOO also offers a 10-year engine warranty (conditional on the 1st owner)/unlimited km roadside assistance; a 2 year/30 000km (on the Core) and a 5 year/ 75 000km (on the Vortex, Glacier and Inferno) service plan.
*Complete competitive market breakdown
| Model | Engine options available in SA | Approximate Price Point |
| Chery Tiggo 4 Cross | 1.5L naturally aspirated petrol; 1.5L turbo petrol; 1.5L hybrid (HEV) | R279,900 – +R449,900 |
| OMODA C5 | 1.5L turbo petrol; hybrid variants, depending on derivative | R339,900–R479,900 |
| Haval Jolion / Jolion Pro | 1.5L turbo petrol; hybrid on selected versions | R348,950–R521,450 |
| MG ZS Pro | 1.5L turbo petrol | R397,600+ |
| Volkswagen T-Cross | 1.0L TSI turbo petrol | R399,900–R548,400 |
| Kia Sonet | 1.0L turbo petrol; 1.5L naturally aspirated petrol, depending on derivative | R284,995+ |
| Honda Elevate | 1.5L naturally aspirated petrol | Approx R400,000–R460,000 |
| Toyota Corolla Cross | 1.8L naturally aspirated petrol; 1.8L hybrid | Approx R390,000–R570,000 |
Now, at the time of this test, there is some hearsay with regards to the JAECOO bringing a full EV model to the South African market and this model has a 58.8kWh battery that delivers 155kW and an acclaimed range of 461km in travel range. This model might be of great interest considering that the fuel price is not easing off at the current moment.
If you are looking into a bigger JAECOO, then the J7 might just be an option to consider.
