It arrived here in electric form in January. Cost a fortune? No, $36,99 drive-away. Then in June Omoda Jaecoo dropped the petrol variants. Now there’s just one ghost in the machine. A hybrid. Coming soon. Or so they say.
If you want the electric version check the other link. This is about the petrol models. The ones trying to be Australia’s bargain bin kings.
Pricing that stings less
Let’s talk numbers. The base J5 Track petrol starts at $25,990 drive-away.
That makes it one of the cheapest SUVs you can buy down here. But it isn’t the absolute bottom. You still have to bow to three other Chinese competitors and one Korean manual transmission anomaly.
Here’s who undercuts the J5 petrol:
- MG ZS Vibe 15L ($22.990)
- Mahindra XUV300 AX5L ($23.990)
- Chery Tiggo 4 ($23.990)*
- GWM Haval Jolion Premium ($23.999)
- Hyundai Venue (manual) currently on special at $25.990*
*Note: Tiggo 4 is from Omoda Jaecos’s sister brand. Technically same family tree.
The Hyundai Venue base is usually $23.750 before on-roads. But right now you can grab it for that same $25.9k. The GWM offer? Base Haval Jolion for $23k. So the J5 Track is sitting pretty near the middle of this budget brawl.
Specs that shouldn’t fit
For $25k you expect to compromise. On comfort. On tech. Maybe both. The Jaecoo says shove that notion in the reverse gear.
Two trims for petrol. Just two. Keep it simple? They claim so.
The base Track trim doesn’t skimp on screens. You get an 888-inch digital cluster and a 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen. Wired or wireless CarPlay and Android Auto come standard. Six speakers. Cloth seats. Cloth is fine.
Heated power-folding mirrors. Automatic high-beams. Rain-sensing wipers. Remote start. Electronic parking brake. These aren’t after-thoughts. They’re on the base model.
Standard safety gear includes adaptive cruise control and a full suite of active drivers aids. Lane keep. Traffic jam assist. Blind-spot monitoring. Even safe exit warnings. Seven airbags cover the cabin.
It’s not been rated by ANCAP or Euro NCAP yet. You drive blind regarding crash stars. But the equipment list reads like a $50k car.
Jump to the Summit and the interior gets interesting. Leatherette. Pet-friendly they call it. Probably because you don’t sweat stains on vinyl as easily. Heated and ventilated front seats. Power seats with memory. Dual-zone climate. Ambient lighting. Panoramic roof. Power tailgate. A 50W wireless charger. Eight speakers. Gloss-black trim. Soft-touch dash.
It’s a lot of plastic that feels expensive.
Mechanicals and service
Under the metal? MacPherson struts in the front. Multi-link out back. Small SUV dimensions. Five seats. Nothing fancy mechanically. Just enough to get you home.
Efficiency figures depend on your driving. But servicing? Cheap and easy. Every 12 months or 1**5,000kms.
And the warranty. Eight years. Unlimited kilometers. Roadside assistance is included for one year. Stick with their network for servicing? Get that roadside aid out to eight years.
Why drive anywhere else when they’ll watch the car for half a decade?
Final thoughts on the paint job
All petrol models get black interiors. No choices there. Exterior colors? Alpine Green is standard. Want Arctic White Carbon Black or Stormy Blue? That’s $600 extra.
The hybrid is missing. The puzzle piece they keep dangling. Is it worth the wait? Maybe. The petrol range is already aggressive. The prices are sharp. The specs are inflated for the cost.
But the competition is moving. The MG Mahindra and Hyundai offers shift daily. The J5 has features to spare but lacks crash data. For now.
You buy the tech or you buy the safety reputation. Which matters more to you when you’re stuck in traffic on the M5?
The car sits on the showroom floor. Cheap. Loaded. Waiting.
