2026 Jaecoo J5 EV Review: Cool looks, hot price … is this the sub-$40K electric SUV to beat?

Things are heating up in the sub-$40K small electric SUV segment and the Jaecoo J5 is the latest newcomer to raise the temperature.

The five-seater five-door is the entry point to the Jaecoo line-up and arrives with a familiar sales pitch: a city friendly EV packed with gear for not a whole heap of money.

A quick recap. Jaecoo is one of the sub-brands of Chery, which is itself one of the big hitters among Chinese car makers. Jaecoo is being positioned as a premium mainstream brand alongside another spin-off called Omoda.

And while Jaecoo is still finding its feet locally – it’s already very popular in the UK – execs are expecting big things from the J5.

READ MORE: Omoda, Jaecoo the latest brands to take on BYD, Deepal, Zeekr, GWM, Leapmotor and XPeng
READ MORE: Jaecoo J5 EV Aussie details confirmed
READ MORE: Sharper pricing for Jaecoo J7 PHEV: Undercuts BYD Sealion 6, takes aim at Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid and Geely Starray EM-i

The J5 goes up against the likes of the BYD Atto 2, MG S5, Geely EX5, Leapmotor B10, Kia EV3 and Hyundai Kona EV.

2026 Jaecoo F5 EV price and equipment

The Jaecoo J5 will eventually be available as a petrol-only model, a hybrid or an EV.

For now the EV version is the only one in dealerships, with others arriving throughout 2026.

The EV – or BEV, as the writing in the front bumper says – comes in a single model variant. It was briefly known as the as the Track but has now dropped its model designation altogether, to be simply known as the J5 BEV.

It’s priced from $35,990 plus on-road costs and during the launch period (likely the first couple of months of 2026) it’s being sold for $36,990 drive-away.

Standard gear includes 18-inch alloy wheels, synthetic leather trim, heated and ventilated front seats, dual-zone ventilation, power tailgate, adjustable ambient lighting, 360-degree camera and a wireless phone charger capable of charging at 50W (most phones will take a lot less).

Yes, there’s plenty included, something that makes it appealing against petrol and hybrid alternatives from the likes of Toyota, Hyundai and Mazda.

There’s also an 8.88-inch digital instrument cluster and 13.2-inch central infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

The J5 gets a single 155kW/288Nm electric motor driving the front wheels.

There’s a 58.9kWh lithium ferrous phosphate (LFP) battery claimed to provide 402km of WLTP range.

DC fast charging can be done at up to 130kW, which Jaecoo says can top the battery up from 30 to 80 per cent – 201km of claimed range – in 28 minutes.

Safety includes seven airbags, including centre front airbag as well as a suite of active safety gear.

Jaecoo is also offering a range of accessories, some of which could be useful (the removable boot light, luggage divider and subwoofer) while others appear to be more about the novelty (a cat carrier, collapsible dog carrier and karaoke microphones).

The J5 is available in four colours: grey, white, blue and black.

Servicing is required every 12 months or 20,000km and has capped price service pricing ranging from $155 to $225 (the total for the first eight years or 160,000km is $1520).

The J5 also gets an eight-year warranty, unlimited kilometre warranty, which – impressively – extends to the battery pack.

2026 Jaecoo J5 EV: What we think

There’s a cool factor to the design of the Jaecoo J5.

If you squint, from some angles there are hints of Range Rover. And at the very least the clean lines and bold proportions give it a mature aesthetic.

That mostly flows through to the cabin, too, which is dominated by its portrait-oriented centre screen.

Finishes all around are classy and the digital instrument cluster is neatly integrated into the well-presented dash.

While there’s a smattering of fixed (real) buttons, the lack of a volume dial is frustrating.

Jaecoo has applied some marketing gloss to the polyurethane upholstery, branding it Super EcoClean Skin.

To be fair, the company claims there is substance to the marketing spin; the leather-look finish is claimed to be more resistant to scuffs and marks, making it easier to keep clean and looking like new.

It’ll be owners that determine whether it holds true, although the material looks convincing enough.

There’s no shortage of storage, either, including a sunglasses-friendly space behind the centre screen, a bag-friendly space beneath the floating console, cupholders and a covered space beneath the central arm rest.

The boot swallows 480 litres of gear – there’s even space for a spare wheel beneath the floor, although it’s currently devoid of a replacement wheel – and there’s also a smaller binnacle under the bonnet.

Space is good up front and while it’s a small SUV it’s also respectable in the rear, albeit with only modest knee room.

The J5 is easy to drive with plenty of EV goodness on tap.

It’s not overloaded with power, but there’s ample for zipping around town. It’ll easily maintain freeway cruising speeds too.

Channelling that much through the front wheels isn’t always seamless though.

Get greedy with the throttle out of corners and the inside Continental tyre will squeal as it scrabbles for grip.

That wheelspin would no doubt be more prominent on a wet road, something that could keep the traction control busy.

The steering isn’t as crisp as some but is responsive enough.

It’s similar with the rest of the driving experience; more body control would be appreciated to settle things over busy surfaces, but it’s far from badly behaved.

The J5 is not a road trip EV, though.

It’s claimed range of 402km is towards the skinnier end, and we’d expect more like 300km on a freeway. 

The charging speed is nothing spectacular, either, taking half an hour to add a couple of hundred kilometres of range.

All of which is fine for around town driving – and for those who’ll be charging up at home.

2026 Jaecoo J5 EV: Verdict

Value is the biggest appeal with the Jaecoo J5 BEV.

There’s plenty packed in and it’s all nicely presented. That it looks neat and classy will also no doubt be part of the J5’s appeal.

That said, it’s not the sharpest to drive and it doesn’t have a huge EV driving range.

Still, for those chasing a solid small electric SUV it should be on the consideration list.

Score: 3.5/5

Jaecoo J5 EV specifications

Price: $35,990 plus on-road costs
Basics: EV, 5 seats, 5 doors, SUV, FWD
Range: 402km (WLTP)
Battery capacity: 58.9kWh
Battery warranty: 8 years/unlimited km
Energy consumption: 14.3kWh/100km
Motors: 1 front 155kW/288Nm
AC charging: 10.3kW, Type 2 plug
DC charging: 130kW, CCS combo plug
0-100km/h: 7.7 seconds