Inexpensive SUV built with spacious interior

NEWS this week of another new SUV out to tempt UK car buyers away from “traditional” European brands at a price to suit their pockets.

Again, it is produced by the Chinese and is another indication that carmakers in China are deadly serious about making inroads into European markets.

The idea is that Jaecoo models are only marketed outside China to support the country’s export strategy.

And as I said last week, UK buyers looking for a large or midsize SUV at a very tempting price cannot fail to be interested in these brands.

The car in question this week is the Jaecoo 5, which has — as revealed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed — an on-the-road starting price of just over £24,000.

The Jaecoo 5 follows the Jaecoo 7, a larger SUV, which became available to order in the UK in January this year.

Jaecoo vehicles went on sale in a first market, Russia, in September 2023 and are now finding their way on to British roads.

So, what do you get for your money with the Jaecoo 5 and why would you prefer it to another more familiar brand?

Well, the obvious first answer to that is a highly competitive price. The Jaecoo 5 is available to order now at £24,505 (on the road) in Pure specification, and £28,000 (on the road) for the Luxury option, through a nationwide dealer network.

Then there is the specification of these cars, which must be appealing. Inside the Jaecoo 5 there is room for five adults to “travel comfortably” with two rear ISOFIX points.

As standard in Pure trim, the spec features automatic halogen headlights, a six-speaker Sony audio system, six-way manually adjustable front seats and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Luxury trim adds an eight-speaker Sony audio system, cooled wireless phone charging, six-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats and enhanced interior finishes.

Additional premium features in the Luxury trim model include ambient lighting, a tilt and slide sunroof, a cooled front storage box and dual-zone climate control.

Power comes from the Chery International-manufactured 1.6-litre turbocharged direct injection engine, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Designed to offer a “dynamic yet composed” drive, the Jaecoo 5 has been developed to be equally suited to urban commuting and longer-distance travel.

There are Eco, Normal and Sport driving modes to adapt to different driving styles. The carmaker says the front-wheel drive platform delivers “reassuring performance”, supported by chassis geometry specifically tuned for UK roads by Chery International’s European research and development centre.

There are 35 storage spaces and up to 1,180 litres of boot space (with the rear seats down) in both model variants of the Jaecoo 5.

Victor Zhang, country director for Jaecoo UK, said: “Following on from the success of the Jaecoo 7, of which we’ve now sold more than 8,000 cars since its launch in January [2025], the Jaecoo 5 is a key addition to our growing UK range – a compact SUV that’s spacious, capable and ready for real life.

“As we recently demonstrated at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, this is a model that stands out in any setting. The Jaecoo 5 proved it’s a car for all occasions.”

One assessment of possibilities in the UK market for the Jaecoo 5 comes from the HonestJohn website which says, in part: “Given the success of the Jaecoo 7, the launch of the new Jaecoo 5 later this summer is set to be a significant one for small SUV buyers.”

Deliveries of the Jaecoo 5 are expected from October 2025. All models come with a seven-year/100,000-mile warranty, whichever comes first, with no mileage limit for the first three years alongside RAC Home Start as standard.

Jaecoo will also offer a pure EV powertrain for the Jaecoo 5. Further details on the 5 EV will be announced soon.