Jaecoo 5: A smaller, cheaper version of that car you've been seeing everywhere lately
The Jaecoo 5 is the smaller sibling of the now ubiquitous Jaecoo 7 and is similarly packed full of tricks, toys and tech. It's functional, but is it fun?
What do we have here?
I am surprised you are even asking me that. Surely you have seen a Jaecoo before? All I see is Jaecoos, around every corner, in every driveway, parked on every street. When I wake up in the morning, I see a Jaecoo, and the last thing I see before the lights go out is a Jaecoo. Swirling in the aether of my thoughts as I dream, it is nothing but Jaecoo.
You will have seen them. In March this year, the Jaecoo 7 was the most popular new car in the UK. You might know them as the Temu Range Rover. This particular car is the Jaecoo 5, powered by a petrol engine. It is like the 7, but a bit smaller.
Now that I think about it, you’re right, I do see these everywhere….
Yes, considering that the brand only launched in the UK in January 2025, they have done a remarkable job in putting cars just about anywhere you would expect to see a car.
Why is that, do you think?
Simply put, because they are well priced and they look nice. I have written at length about how the Chery brand of Chinese cars (Omoda, Chery, Jaecoo) has simplified the car-buying process to great success. The formula is this: take a car, put everything a buyer would like in it as standard, let them choose the colour, and that’s it. Turns out, affordable and functional luxury is a winning proposition. Who knew.
Spacious, but the perfect size for a 'big car' in London.
Ok. So what is the Jaecoo 5 like then?
It’s an interesting proposition. It looks like the 7, which looks like a Range Rover, but is a little bit smaller. It comes with five seats, a decent-sized boot, and is currently sold with either a petrol engine or as a full EV.
Inside, there is heaps of space, even for a gigantic journalist such as myself. The driving position is nice and high, and I was a big fan of the two space phone holder, and the flying centre console with further storage space below. There is just room to store lots of things all over the place in here, which is useful for both families or those looking to explore and do adventurous things, which I would guess are the two target markets for this car.
There is heaps of tech as standard, most of which is managed via the giant touchscreen that occupies the centre console. Wireless AppleCarPlay and AndroidAuto is easy to connect and works, and you can adjust all sorts of things, such as the glass panoramic roof, the Sony audio system and lighting scheme. It also comes with in-car karaoke, if that’s your thing.
Materials-wise, everything is luxurious and unfussy. Some people might not like it compared to the more whimsical styles of European brands such as Renault, Mini and so on, but everything feels premium-ish, and I like leather seats.
All the safety features you have come to expect are here, and just as importantly, are very easy to turn off, should the bongs of modern life be too overwhelming. I found most of them to be very unobtrusive, which is nice.
That all sounds pretty good.
It is pretty good. As I said, you get a lot for your money with one of these cars. With minimal fuss. A happier world. £24,555 will get you the Pure trim, which comes with most of everything, while £28,050 will get you Luxury, which features the glorious panoramic glass roof, wireless phone charging and the Sony audio (which has speakers in the driver’s headrest).
A comfortable place to be then, you would say?
I would and indeed have said that, yes.
What about driving?
As a driving experience, the Jaecoo 5 is somewhat uneventful, but what else did you expect for a £25,000 car. The petrol version is carried along by a 1.6-litre petrol engine that produces 145bhp. This translates into a 0-60mph time of 10.2 seconds and a 113mph top speed. It is not particularly fast and it does not accelerate particularly well, especially when in Eco mode. But also, it’s not a sports car, in case that wasn’t clear.
The steering can be a bit ponderous, and the ride can be a little bright for what is supposed to be a compact SUV. It might look like a luxury European SUV, but it doesn’t ride like one, which is fine, because it’s a lot cheaper than most of them. It is a perfectly reasonable car to travel long distances in, and with an economy of 35mpg, it will go a long way on a single tank. And as previously mentioned, inside, there is plenty to keep you entertained on a long journey.
Is it a fun car to drive? Not particularly, but it will get you to where you need to go.
On the road: Jaecoo 5 ICE
Price: From £24,555
Power: 145bhp
Top speed: 113mph
0-62mph: 10.2 seconds
Economy: 35mpg as tested
Are there other versions?
Yes there are other versions. There is an EV model, as discussed. This has slightly more power at 208bhp, and a range of 248 miles (£27,505 Pure, £30,505 Luxury). There is also soon to be a hybrid version, which will use the Chery brand’s Super-Hybrid System (SHS). I have driven lots of cars powered by the SHS and I think it is one of the most enjoyable and economical engines out there at the price point, so my recommendation would be to get that one when it arrives (from £26,270).
This all seems very reasonable
It’s all very reasonable.
Is there anything you didn’t like?
Nothing that would be an absolute dealbreaker. The automatic gearbox can be a little slow to change down gears, which can make driving around the B-roads a bit louder than it needs to be at times, and I think the engine is a dash underpowered.
But then you must ask yourself what you are buying this car for? As a daily driver, it is everything you could want. It feels durable, has plenty of space and fun features, and won’t cost you a fortune to buy or run. Not everything needs to be a Porsche.
Life would be a lot more fun if everything was a Porsche.
If everything was a Porsche, then nothing would be a Porsche.
That’s a fair point. So you like this car? You would say it’s a good car? You would not laugh or cry if your friends were about to buy one?
I would say it is a good car. It is very well priced for what comes as standard, it looks and feels luxurious, and it will get you round comfortably if not especially quickly. For most people, that will be enough. It wouldn’t look out of place in front of a beautiful country house, which I think is perhaps its best feature. You might not like the fact that you will see lots of them on the road, but you might also not care at all.
If you were to ask me for proper advice, I would probably steer you towards either the EV or the SHS version, and definitely encourage you to shell out for the Luxury trim over the Pure. But with a car like this, you can’t really go too wrong whichever way you want to play it.
