When you first catch sight of the Jaecoo 5, you’ll have to check the badge. It looks like a £45,000 Range Rover Evoque but the Jaecoo starts at just over £27,500 – and that’s for the fully electric version, the E5.
Jaecoo is already shaking up the UK market with the super-successful Jaecoo 7 already one of the UK’s best-selling cars, and it only went on sale this year. The smaller Jaecoo 5 promises more of the same recipe: style, quality, value, but a bit of an iffy ride and not the most intuitive infotainment – not that those last two points will (or should) put off potential buyers.
The E5 is the all-electric version of Jaecoo’s mid-size SUV. It shares the same dimensions as its petrol-powered sibling – the also-impressive Jaecoo 5 which starts from a barely believable £24,505 – and aside from the (disappointing in my view) lack of the waterfall grille that in the EV is replaced by a sleeker, closed-off front end, it’s largely identical in looks. It’s a handsome thing: squat, planted and modern, with just enough flair to stand out from the Nissan Qashqais and Hyundai Konas of this world.
The Luxury trim tested here costs £30,505 and comes absolutely loaded: panoramic roof, ventilated and heated seats, ambient lighting, adaptive cruise, a huge touchscreen, Level 2 driver assist tech, pet-friendly climate control, even karaoke mode with an outdoor speaker in the front bumper – yes, really. It’s the kind of spec you’d pay double for elsewhere.
The E5 isn’t perfect, though. The ride is a little firm, particularly at low speeds. Steering feel is rubbery and lacks precision, and while the 13.2-inch touchscreen is sharp and responsive, some quirks – like hiding the speedo to the side of the driver display – need sorting. However, for the target buyer, these won’t be deal-breakers.
In truth, most people will be won over the second they climb inside. The quality is leagues ahead of what the price might suggest, and the sense of style is unlike anything we’ve seen at this price point. In a world of generic crossovers, the Jaecoo 5 feels fresh.
Take one for a spin – if the slightly fidgety ride doesn’t bother you, this could be the electric family SUV bargain of the decade.
How we tested
We spent an afternoon testing the Jaecoo 5 on the lanes, motorways, dual carriageways and town streets around Kent, making sure we drove on the sort of roads buyers will use most frequently. We also gave all the tech a thorough workout, from the adaptive cruise control to the Sony stereo, while checking on practicality by filling the boot and riding in the back where your family might be sitting.
Independent rating: 8/10
- Pros: Exceptional value, upscale design, long kit list
- Cons: Firm ride, lacklustre steering, minor touchscreen quirks
Jaecoo 5 specs
- Price range: £27,505 to £30,505
- Battery size: 61kWh
- Maximum claimed range: 248 miles
- Maximum charging rate: 80kW
- Efficiency: 3.8miles/kWh
Battery, range, charging, performance and drive
The Jaecoo E5 is powered by a single 204PS (150kW) electric motor driving the front wheels, with a healthy 288Nm of torque on tap. It’ll do 0–62mph in 7.7 seconds – brisk enough for most – and tops out at 108mph.
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Underneath sits a 61.1kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, good for a claimed maximum range of 248 miles. That figure feels about right based on our testing – 4.0 miles per kWh was achievable in real-world conditions – and careful driving could nudge that higher.
Fast charging maxes out at 80kW DC, allowing a 30–80% top-up in 27 minutes. There’s also an 11kW onboard AC charger for quicker home or office charging – and scheduled charging is available through the Jaecoo app. None of that is class-leading, but it’s perfectly adequate for a compact SUV at this price point.
What lets the side down slightly is the drive. While not uncomfortable, the ride is on the firm side, especially at lower speeds. It settles down on faster roads, but potholes and patchy urban surfaces can unsettle things. It’s not crashy, just a little fidgety.
Steering is similarly underwhelming – light but vague, and a bit too eager to self-centre. There’s little feedback, and even in Normal mode (which is preferable to either Eco or Sport), it lacks precision. For once, I’d avoid the one-pedal driving mode, which feels a bit too aggressive and seems to kick in a bit too early as you’re easing off the throttle. I’d leave it in the lower of the three regen settings and it the braking feels much more natural.
For the average buyer it’ll likely feel fine. The Jaecoo E5 is quick off the mark, and cheap to run. And that’s what matters most to many people.
Interior, practicality and boot space
Step inside the Jaecoo 5 E5 and you’ll be genuinely surprised – in a good way. The cabin has clearly been benchmarked against more premium rivals, with a slick design, quality materials and clever touches throughout.
There’s a definite flair to the design language. From the ‘rock-style’ waterfall dashboard to the tactile soft materials, it all feels a cut above. Luxury trim adds ambient lighting with 16.8 million colours (sorry – I didn’t test them all), synthetic leather seats with heating and ventilation, and a massive panoramic roof that makes the cabin feel brighter than any rival at this price.
Space is more than generous for a car of this size. The E5 is shorter than a Qashqai but wider, and it makes the most of that with excellent shoulder room and decent rear legroom. Even taller adults will be fine in the back. The boot is equally impressive: 480 litres with the seats up, expanding to 1,180 litres – enough for a weekend away with all the gear, dogs included.
Those dogs will be happy because the E5 is a pet-friendly car in every sense. A dedicated ‘Pet Mode’ keeps the cabin cool when parked, and washable, scratch-resistant surfaces make it ideal for four-legged travellers. There’s even a catalogue of over 30 Jaecoo pet accessories – from bowls to ramps to a branded dog house.
Elsewhere, there’s clever storage galore – over 35 compartments in total. From the wireless charging pad to hidden cubbies and deep door bins, the E5 is built for family life being thoughtful, practical, and stylish.
Technology, stereo and infotainment
Tech is where the Jaecoo 5 really earns its stripes. The central 13.2-inch portrait touchscreen is clear, bright and responsive – powered by a Snapdragon 8155 chip that keeps everything running smoothly. It handles everything from climate to navigation, audio to phone mirroring, and there’s even full wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.
Voice control is handled by the friendly ‘Hi Jaecoo’ assistant, which works well for most tasks. Ask it to change the temperature, and it responds quickly. There’s OTA (over-the-air) update capability, and the Jaecoo app lets you pre-condition the car, monitor charge status, and schedule charging from your phone.
The driver’s display – an 8.8-inch LCD cluster – is crisp but oddly laid out. The speedo is off to one side rather than centrally placed, which takes some getting used to. It’s a minor frustration but one that might hopefully be fixed with a future software update.
Luxury models get an 8-speaker SONY system which is punchy, clear and good enough for most ears, even if audiophiles might want more bass. The inclusion of karaoke mode (yes, really) and an outdoor speaker in the front bumper two of those delightfully odd features that just adds to the charm – there’s a party flavour to this latest Jaecoo.
Safety tech is extensive. A 540-degree surround-view camera, adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, emergency braking, lane-keep assist and more are all standard.
Once again, things aren’t perfect inside – especially with some functions you might expect to use buttons for taking a few taps of the touchscreen. But for the money, this is one of the best-equipped cars in its class.
Prices and running costs
Here’s where the Jaecoo E5 really blows the competition out the water. Prices start at just £27,505 for the Pure trim and rise to £30,505 for the fully-loaded Luxury model. That includes the big screen, heated seats, panoramic roof and all the driver assist tech you’d expect from a £45k SUV.
Running costs are low. I got close to 4.0mi/kWh efficiency, and with the 61kWh battery expect a cost of around a fiver for a full home charge on an off-peak tariff. The battery is covered by an 8-year/100,000-mile warranty, while the rest of the car enjoys a comprehensive 7-year/100,000-mile cover.
Benefit-in-Kind rates for company car drivers are minimal, and insurance should be reasonable – though we await full group ratings. Servicing intervals are annual or every 10,000 miles, but there’s not much to go wrong on an EV with a simple single-speed drivetrain.
In short, it’s one of the cheapest ways to get into a smart, tech-laden family EV that feels anything but budget.
Jaecoo 5 rivals
FAQs
How long does the Jaecoo E5 take to charge?
Using a rapid DC charger at its maximum rate of 80kW, the Jaecoo E5 can charge from 30% to 80% in around 27 minutes. On a home wallbox, charging times vary depending on the supply. Most UK homes will use a 7kW single-phase wallbox, which will fully charge the E5 in under 10 hours. You can schedule charging and preconditioning via the Jaecoo app to take advantage of cheaper overnight electricity tariffs.
How much does it cost – is it worth it?
For the money, absolutely. The E5 undercuts rivals while offering more standard kit, attractive styling, decent real-world efficiency and thoughtful family features like Pet Mode and Camping Mode. If you can live with the slightly firm ride, it’s a fantastic-value family EV that feels anything but basic
Does Jaecoo replace batteries for free?
Yes – Jaecoo offers a 7-year/100,000-mile warranty on the entire vehicle (with no mileage limit for the first three years), plus a separate 8-year/100,000-mile battery warranty. That makes it one of the most comprehensive packages available at this price point.
Why trust us
Our team of motoring experts have decades of experience driving, reviewing and reporting on the latest EVs and hybrid electric cars, and our verdicts are reached with every kind of driver in mind. We thoroughly test drive every car we recommend, so you can be sure our verdicts are honest, unbiased and authentic.
The verdict: Jaecoo 7
Jaecoo dealers are going to be very busy. The Jaecoo 7 led the way and now the Jaecoo 5 follows suit with a similar blend of style, quality and value. If the ride was a little more comfortable and some of the tech easier to use, I’d be happier, but UK buyers are still going to love this latest Jaecoo.
