“China nailed it this time” – Mat Watson reviews the new Jaecoo 5

This is the new Jaecoo 5, and it’s a bit like an Omega Swatch Watch because it offers a premium look without the premium price.

It looks like a Range Rover, but it starts from just £24,500 for the petrol version, or £27,500 for the electric model. That’s the same as a mid-spec Vauxhall Corsa, but you’re getting something with a lot more kerb appeal.

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In this article…

• Mat Watson reviews the Jaecoo 5 – the good stuff
• Mat Watson reviews the new Jaecoo 5 – annoying quirks
• Mat Watson reviews the new Jaecoo 5 – my final verdict

I spent a few days with the Jaecoo 5, and for the money it’s a seriously impressive bit of kit. Here are some of my personal highlights from my time with the car, plus a few things which aren’t so good. For a full, in-depth look at the new Jaecoo 5, you can check out our full review or watch the video below.

Mat Watson reviews the Jaecoo 5 – the good stuff

The main thing I reckon will draw people to this car is the price. The model I have here is the range-topping electric version, the most expensive Jaecoo 5 you can get, and it costs just over £30,000.

That puts it in-line price-wise with small hatchbacks like the Vauxhall Corsa, Toyota Yaris and Peugeot 208, but you’re getting a bigger SUV with Range Rover-esque styling and a huge amount of standard equipment.

Every car gets adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera and a massive touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Top-spec models also get heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel and a power tailgate.

All the technology is also super easy to use. The portrait touchscreen is fast, bright and responsive, and all the menus are logically laid out. I also like how many settings there are to fiddle with – you can even change the volume of the indicators if you want.

The interior itself also feels much more expensive than the price would suggest. All the controls are solid – I thought the indicator stalks felt better than they do in some new BMWs – and you really have to dig lower down to find any scratchy plastics.

Jaecoo has also done a better job of adjusting the driver assistance systems for the UK. I found out recently that the reason the Jaecoo 7’s driver attention alert is so sensitive is because it’s set up for the Malaysian market, where they’re much more strict. It means that if you so much as glimpse at the screen you’ll get a nannying “You have been distracted!” message on the dashboard.

The Jaecoo 5 is much less paranoid, only stepping in when you’re really taking the mickey. I didn’t even bother switching it off because it was so unobtrusive.

Mat Watson reviews the new Jaecoo 5 – annoying quirks

The driver assistance systems may be good, but the Jaecoo 5’s driving experience is still a little lacking compared to the more mainstream alternatives.

It does have independent rear suspension in place of a cheaper torsion beam setup, and that makes it comfy over bumps and decent through the corners, but the steering feels artificially light, and there’s something about the way it’s set up which makes it completely devoid of any feedback. A Ford Puma is more fun to drive.

Then there’s the quality issue which I spotted on this particular car – there’s mismatched paint on the rear quarter. It looks a completely different shade to the rear bumper, which is not something you expect on a brand new car.

I also found it annoying that the handbrake won’t disengage unless you put your seatbelt on. Of course, I’m always buckled in out on the road, but there were a few times I just wanted to quickly manoeuvre the car on my driveway to get another car out, and faffing around with the belt each time got tiresome after a while.

Mat Watson reviews the new Jaecoo 5 – my final verdict

Minor gripes aside, there’s a lot to like about the Jaecoo 5. It may not be the most engaging car to drive, but for this sort of money I can’t think of any other new car which has this much kit, an interior this posh or a design this stylish.

It really is fantastic value for money, and that’s why I think you should add the Jaecoo 5 to your shortlist.

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