Is the Jaecoo J5 South Africa’s best value for money SUV?

In a country obsessed with SUVs, Jaecoo has made a big splash in the marketplace by introducing their new J5 at a price point that could just make this vehicle South Africa’s best value-for-money SUV.

With over 40% of all new cars sold in South Africa being an SUV, the Jaecoo J5 puts itself in a strong position with retail pricing starting from as low as R369 900.

Jaecoo J5 model range

Bringing premium motoring within reach of many more South Africans, the Jaecoo J5 comes in three distinctive trim levels, Vortex, Glacier and Inferno. All of them feature advanced safety, high-end tech, practical space, all backed by a comprehensive aftersales support plan.

Unmistakably a Jaecoo, the J5 boasts a bold front grille flanked by slim, high-mounted headlights. The overall design is minimalistic and clean, with squared-off wheel arches lending a hint of muscularity to the premium design.

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The Vortex and Glacier models come standard with 17-inch wheels, while the Inferno features 18-inch alloys. All three models benefit from a fashionable rear light bar, providing the J5 with a sophisticated presence. LED headlights are standard on the Glacier and Inferno.

Performance

The Jaecoo J5 is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine. This latest generation powerplant delivers 115kW of power at 5 500rpm and 230Nm of torque across a broad band, from as low as 1 750to 4 000rpm. Ensuring flexible performance in everyday driving.

Power is sent to the front wheels via a smooth-shifting continuously variable transmission (CVT), engineered for seamless acceleration and optimal efficiency. Most importantly, the fuel consumption of the Jaecoo J5 is rated at just 7.5-litres per 100km.

Stopping power

Ventilated disc brakes and a MacPherson strut suspension do duty up front, while at the rear the Jaecoo J5 benefits from standard disc brakes and a sophisticated multilink setup, ensuring confident handling and a composed, comfortable ride.

The Jaecoo J5’s generous 2 620mm wheelbase provides a spacious interior, offering ample room for both front and rear passengers. The boot offers 480 litres of luggage space with the rear seats in place, while the 60:40 split-folding rear bench can be folded flat, providing up to 1 284 litres of total cargo capacity.

ALSO READ: Jaecoo J5 introduced at whopping launch price of under R370k

Jaecoo J5 offers convenience

The Jaecoo J5’s cabin comes equipped with a host of luxury and convenience features. The Vortex includes automatic wipers and headlights, black cloth upholstery, a 13.2-inch infotainment display, automatic climate control, power-adjustable side mirrors, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an eight-inch digital driver’s cluster, and a four-speaker audio system. The Glacier builds on this with leather upholstery, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, a six-speaker sound system, and additional upgrades.

The Inferno adds dual-zone climate control, a powered tailgate, ventilated front seats, a wireless charger, and an eight-speaker Jaecoo sound system, along with several other premium features.

Safety and driver assist systems

On the safety front, the Jaecoo J5 comes equipped with anti-lock brakes (ABS), electronic stability program (ESP), brake assist, electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), hill descent control, traction control, and ISOFIX child seat attachments, among other safety features. Dual front and front side airbags are standard on all trims, with the Glacier and Inferno adding side curtain airbags to the package.

The Jaecoo J5 is available with the latest advanced driver assist systems, designed to keep you and other road users safe. Model dependent, the safety suite includes the likes of:

• Reverse Camera
• 540-Degree Panoramic View
• Parking Sensors
• Cruise Control
• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
• Auto Emergency Braking (AEB)
• Lane-Keeping Assist (LKA)
• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
• Lane Departure Prevention (LDP)
• Traffic Jam Assist (TJA)
• Emergency Lane-Keeping (ELK)
• Forward Vehicle Departure Reminder
• Lane Change Assist
• Blind Spot Detection (BSD)
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA)
• Rear Cross-Traffic Collision (RCVC)
• Integrated Cruise Assist (ICA)
• Rear Collision Warning (RCW)
• Door Opening Warning
• Speed Limit Setting

Warranty

Ensuring added peace of mind and enhanced ownership value, the Jaecoo J5 is backed by a comprehensive after-sales support package. This includes a five-year/75 000km service plan, five-year/150 000km warranty and an industry-leading 10-year/1-million km engine warranty (linked to the first owner). Buyers also receive five years of free roadside assistance.

Jaecoo J5 pricing

• Jaecoo J5 Vortex – R379 900 (Launch price R369 900 for the first month)
• Jaecoo J5 Glacier – R439 900 (Launch Price R 429 900 for the first month)
• Jaecoo Inferno – R479 900