New Jaecoo J5 launched in South Africa – Pricing and features

The new Jaecoo J5 has finally landed in South Africa

The J5 is the Chinese carmaker’s new entry-level SUV, slotting below the J7 that made its local debut last year.

It is now available in three specifications with prices starting at R379,900.

For context, the J7 currently starts at R519,900, meaning that the cost of owning a Jaecoo SUV has been lowered by R140,000.

Also worth noting is that the company is offering a promotional discount of R10,000 for the first month, which only applies to the first two trim levels.

Engine

The J5 range is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that develops 115kW and 230Nm.

This is sent to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT), leading to an average fuel consumption of 7.5l/100km.

Interestingly, this is the same setup used by the pre-facelift Omoda C5, though the newer X series C5 models have ditched the CVT for a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

Jaecoo has not said anything about a dual-clutch gearbox for the J5, but it’s possible the option could be added in a later update.

Features

The J5 has a very similar appearance to the J7, with a vertical grille, slim headlights, and horizontal daytime running lights.

The main physical difference comes down to their size, with the J5 being the smaller of the two vehicles.

The following table shows the dimensions of both SUVs:

In terms of equipment, the base J5 Vortex comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, a multifunction steering wheel, cloth seats, a six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat, automatic air conditioning, USB ports, four speakers, voice commands, an 8-inch digital driver display, and a 13.2-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Also included are a number of safety and assistance functions such as cruise control, a speed limiter, ABS, electronic stability control, four airbags, tyre pressure monitoring, traction control, hill start and descent control, rear parking sensors, and a rearview camera.

Upgrading to the mid-range Glacier will add LED headlights, roof rails, a panoramic moonroof, ambient lighting, leather upholstery, an electric driver’s seat, a leather steering wheel, two more speakers (six total), side curtain airbags, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, front collision warning, lane-keep assist, and traffic jam assist.

Finally, the range-topping Inferno brings larger 18-inch alloys, ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a wireless charging pad, an eight-speaker stereo, a 540-degree camera, front parking sensors, rear collision warning, lane-change assist, blind spot detection, and rear cross-traffic alert.

Pricing

The South African pricing for the new Jaecoo J5 is as follows:

• Jaecoo J5 1.5T Vortex – R379,900 (R369,900 with discount)
• Jaecoo J5 1.5T Glacier – R439,900 (R429,900 with discount)
• Jaecoo J5 1.5T Inferno – R479,900

This includes a 5-year/150,000km warranty, a 5-year/75,000km service plan, and a 10-year/1-million kilometre engine warranty valid for the first owner.