2026 Jaecoo 5 and E5: all-new small SUV driven
All-new petrol Jaecoo 5 and pure electric E5 are the first small SUVs from Chinese brand Jaecoo. Here's what they're like to drive.....
On sale October 2025 | Price from £24,505 (Jaecoo 5), £27,505 (E5)
You may not have heard of Jaecoo, but that could change very soon. This new Chinese brand is launching its second of three models this year, the Jaecoo 5 small petrol SUV and its pure electric twin, the E5.
The Jaecoo name is a combined abbreviation of the word 'jaeger' (the German word for hunter) and 'cool', and aims to appeal to young professionals and outdoor enthusiasts who want a small SUV for urban and rural adventures. And, there is substance behind the brand because it’s been created, alongside Omoda, by Chinese car giant, Chery, to gain a foothold in the UK and more widely in Europe.
However, the aspects about the Jaecoo 5 and E5 that are most likely to be noticed by car buyers are that it offers models that are very competitively priced and come with a shed-load of equipment.
The Jaecoo 5 undercuts the cheapest Toyota Yaris Cross and costs significantly less than a comparable Ford Puma by nearly £4000. The E5 looks like even better value, with prices similar to a Renault 4 and being £2500 less than a BYD Atto 2 Boost, and £5000 lower than the Kia EV3.
Low prices aren’t the be-all and end-all, though, so it remains to be seen if this newcomer has what it takes to take the fight to the small SUV establishment - we’ll aim to find out…
What are the new Jaecoo 5 and E5 like to drive?
Jaecoo keeps things simple for buyers by only offering the petrol Jaecoo 5 with a turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine. It pumps out 145bhp, providing reasonable acceleration up to 62mph of 10.2sec and a top speed of 113mph. That’s not as swift as any Ford Puma, but a little faster than all versions of the Yaris Cross.
We don’t yet have official fuel economy figures, but CO2 emissions are high at 159g/km - costing three times more in first year VED than a Ford Puma 125 automatic and sitting in the top 37% bracket for Benefit-in-kind tax (vs 32% for the Puma). The Yaris Cross costs even less in both regards.
On the road, the Jaecoo 5’s engine pulls well from a standstill and cruises quietly once it’s up to speed. However, it is let down by the seven-speed DCT automatic gearbox, which can struggle to perform properly if you ask for a burst of acceleration. When you put your foot down, it changes gear noisily and gruffly, while not providing the acceleration you’re asking for.
The Lexus LBX and Yaris Cross are both better in this respect because their CVT automatic gearboxes don’t have gears, so they provide a much smoother power delivery.
The E5 goes some way to correcting this shortcoming because it has a more responsive power delivery that pulls well from a standstill and a single-speed automatic gearbox that helps it gain speed seamlessly.
Like the Jaecoo 5, the E5 is only offered with one power option: a 202bhp motor powered by a 61kWh (usable capacity) battery. It’ll do 0-62mph in 7.7sec, which beats the Renault 4 and the BYD Atto 2 Boost.
Officially, it will cover 248 miles between charges, which is a little farther than a Puma Gen-E, but not as far as either version of the EV3. Charging isn’t quite up with the best either - the E5’s maximum charging speed is 80kW and it takes 27 minutes to go from 30-80%; both figures are below those for the Puma Gen-E and EV3.
Whether you choose the petrol 5 or electric E5, you’ll find that body lean is fairly well controlled. However, both models suffer from more road and wind noise than rivals, and have the same fairly harsh reaction to road imperfections. When you drive over a pothole or drain cover, there’s a jolt and a noisy thud.
Both variants have a trio of driving modes, controlled by a steering-wheel-mounted button. While these produce a noticeable variation in performance, there isn’t a huge difference in the steering response or the stiffness of the suspension.
What are the new Jaecoo 5 and E5 like inside?
The Jaecoo 5 is one of the biggest models in the small SUV class, being similar in length to a Seat Ateca, while the E5 is longer than the Kia EV3 and BYD Atto 2. That translates to more room for rear seat passengers. There’s plenty of space for two adults to stretch out in the back, although a third sitting in the central seat may find their knees raised a little by the small transmission tunnel and restricted by the rear ventilation controls.
Up front, there’s also plenty of space for two tall adults. The driving position is fairly lofty and visibility is good. There are plenty of storage cubbies around the front, including a two-phone tray on top of the centre console, a small cubby just below this and a larger one further down.
Although adjustable lumbar support can’t be specified on either model, the front seats are comfortable and supportive.
The front side windows are fairly small, so you feel a bit enclosed in the driver’s seat, although the massive panoramic roof that’s standard on Luxury trim lets in loads of light and helps to counter this. There is also a lower spec Pure trim, but we’ve not experienced this yet.
Both the 5 and E5 have 480 litres of boot space with the rear seats in place. That’s a little larger than the BYD Atto 2, so we’d expect it to accommodate the same six carry-on suitcases under the parcel shelf. However, the E5 doesn’t match the Puma Gen-E, which has an additional underfloor storage compartment that adds some useful extra room. However, like the Puma Gen-E, the E5 also has a small storage area up front under the bonnet.
The boot entrance itself is pretty high up off the ground, but there’s an adjustable boot floor that can be set higher up to eradicate the large load lip at its entrance.
When it comes to interior trim and controls, the Jaecoo 5 and E5 are pretty much identical. Our Luxury spec car had faux leather seats with contrasting coloured stitching that looks classy. There's also faux-leather padding on the dash, but the materials used lower down on the dash and on the doors were more plasticky.
While the 13.2in centrally mounted, portrait-orientated infotainment screen is larger than most, it’s not matched by a sizable digital driver's display. In fact, at 8.8in it feels titchy compared with the Puma Gen-E's and Renault 4's. It’s mounted too low down and many of its icons are small, so they’re not that easy to read at a glance.
The infotainment system has large, bright icons and responds quickly to prods. It’s a shame there aren’t more physical buttons below it for the most frequently-used functions, but you can use the 'Hi Jaecoo' voice control for many commands.
There are haptic-type controls for the audio and other features on the steering wheel, which can be used on the move, but they aren’t easy to press accurately or that quick to react.
When it comes to equipment, Pure comes with all the basics, including air-con, manually adjustable front seats, front and rear parking sensors, voice control and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. Luxury adds a host of extra kit, such as the panoramic roof, a 360-degree parking camera, electrically adjustable heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, Sony audio system and wireless phone charging.
The price difference between Pure and Luxury trim is £3495 for the Jaecoo 5 and £3000 for the E5.
The E5 also has some additional perks: a pet mode that keeps the interior temperature constant while the car is parked, a camping mode that features an on-board karaoke machine, and vehicle-to-load technology so the car’s battery can be used to power small appliances.
Our verdict on the Jaecoo 5 and E5
Competitive pricing, lashings of standard kit and a roomy, well appointed interior make the Jaecoo 5 an appealing addition to the small SUV class. However, the clunky gearbox and harsh ride comfort means it's not as refined as many rivals, including the Lexus LBX and Toyota Yaris Cross. Additionally, the 5’s high CO2 emissions means it will cost more to run.
Like the 5, the E5 represents great value for money and benefits from a long list of standard features (so there’s no need to add any extras) and plenty of space. Its performance is on a par with rivals, such as the Ford Puma Gen-e and Kia EV3, but both of these have more agile handling and a better ride.
What Car? rating Jaecoo 5: 2/5, E5: 3/5
Jaecoo 5
Price from £24,505 Engine 4cyl 1598cc turbocharged petrol Power 145bhp Torque 203lb ft Gearbox 7-spd auto 0-62mph 10.2sec Top speed 113mph Fuel economy TBC CO2, tax 159g/km, 37%
Rivals:
Jaecoo E5
Price from £27,505 Engine electric motor Power 202bhp Torque 212lb ft Gearbox single-spd auto Battery size 61 kWh (usable) 0-62mph 7.7sec Top speed 108mph Official range 248 miles
Rivals:
Read more: The best small SUVs
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here
