Those who book their Jaecoo J5s before 15th march are actually entitled to another RM 6,000 off.
There’s a new Jaecoo in town, and this one looks set to be even more popular than the increasingly common J7. The all-new J5 has officially arrived in Malaysia as the brand’s smallest offering yet, though the only thing smaller than its size is its RM 108,000 price tag for the sole 2WD variant.
But even that is not the full story yet, as Jaecoo is now rolling out an RM 8,000 launch package valid until March 15, which includes a RM 3,000 duit Raya rebate and a choice between first-year free insurance or an additional RM 3,000 duit Raya incentive. Opt for the latter, and the effective price for the J5 then drops to RM 102,000.
Sweetening the deal further too, early buyers will also receive three complimentary accessories as part of the launch promotion: a boot-mounted subwoofer, a wireless karaoke microphone (alá BYD), and a multifunction flashlight neatly integrated into a dedicated slot in the boot.
Now as for the car itself, the J5 sits squarely in the B-segment SUV space, going up against the Proton X50, Perodua Ativa, and the upcoming Mitsubishi Xforce. Measuring 4,380 mm long, 1,860 mm wide, and 1,650 mm tall, it is, in plain terms, marginally larger than the Proton.
Visually, the baby Range Rover resemblance is hard to ignore with the J5, not least from its massive waterfall grille flanked by slim LED projector headlamps and DRLs. Its boxy, upright profile rides on 18-inch two-tone multi-spoke alloy wheels, while a full-width rear light bar lends it a Velar-esque appearance (from 200 paces anyway).
Under the bonnet of the J5 sits a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 147 PS and 210 Nm of torque. This four-pot is incidentally shared with its Tiggo Cross cousin under the Chery Group umbrella, though the Jaecoo swaps the six-speed dual-clutch transmission for a CVT, which the front wheels only (so much for all that off-road, first class marketing eh?).
The century sprint in the J5 is dispatched in a reasonable 10.2 seconds, before eventually running out of puff at 175 km/h. Fuel consumption is rated at 7.5 litres per 100 km (13.3 km/l). More interestingly though is perhaps that its suspension setup consists of MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link rear, which is relatively uncommon configuration in this price bracket.
Inside, the J5 is as generously equipped as you’d expect from a Chinese car at this price. Highlights include ventilated and power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, double-glazed front windows, a panoramic glass roof, a powered tailgate, and an eight-speaker sound system. Taking centre stage is a 13.2-inch portrait touchscreen, though it is contrasted by an admittedly cheap-looking eight-inch LCD instrument cluster in front of the driver.
Incidentally, in a similar vein to the Leapmotor B10, the J5 also touts a pet-friendly interior: the faux leather upholstery is anti-bacterial, scratch-resistant, and low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with dedicated pet accessories such as nets, mats, and carriers available to purchase.
Finally on the safety front, the J5 comes with a full suite of Level 2 driver assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and lane centring assist. It also features curve speed assist, autonomous emergency braking, evasive steering assist, blind spot monitoring with collision prevention, rear cross traffic alert with auto brake, door opening warning and a 360-degree camera system with transparent view.
Four exterior colours are on offer with the J5: Zircon Grey, Snowy White, Glacier Blue, and Canyon Black. Backing it all up meanwhile is the standard Omoda and Jaecoo package of a seven-year, 150,000 km warranty.
And just as an aside, if you’re wondering where the J6 sits in the line-up, that model now wears an iCaur badge. Such is as the iCaur 03 was actually originally the Jaecoo J6, and was even previewed locally as such at the 2024 Malaysia Autoshow.
