New Jaecoo 5: Ford Puma rival to debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed

The new Jaecoo 5 is set to make its public debut at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed, with the boxy Ford Puma-rivalling small SUV also taking on the famous hillclimb, driven by an all-female racing team.

Due on sale later this year, the Jaecoo 5 will be offered with a choice of petrol and pure-electric power. This will be the Chinese brand’s first zero-emissions offering in the UK, and we’ve been told the EV will offer approximately 250 miles of range, which is on par with some rivals such as the Ford Puma Gen-E, Jeep Avenger and Suzuki e Vitara. However, other competitors, particularly the Kia EV3 and Skoda Elroq, can cover more than 370 miles on a charge, in the right guise. 

So far, the J5 BEV’s range is the only technical detail to be confirmed, but we know that it will use the same platform as the Omoda E5, so it’s likely to feature the same powertrain too. That means a 61.1kWh battery, a 201bhp front-mounted e-motor and 80kW maximum charging speed. 

Meanwhile, the petrol version of the J5 will be powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine presumably paired with the same seven-speed dual-clutch transmission as the Omoda 5. A hybrid will probably follow later using the same engine, but with assistance from an electric motor.

The styling of the Jaecoo 5 is similar to the Jaecoo 7 that launched in the UK earlier this year, with the petrol version featuring the same ‘waterfall’ grille as its big brother. However, the front end appears to be less upright on the J5, while the headlights and bumper have been simplified. Meanwhile, the Jaecoo 5 BEV features a blanked-off front end with a different bumper design, to help improve aerodynamics and range.   

Inside, the Jaecoo 5 features a large portrait touchscreen that flows into the centre console, and a slim instrument panel embedded in the dashboard. Other details include a two-spoke steering wheel, a column-mounted gear selector, lots of ambient lighting and the almost complete lack of physical buttons. 

Pricing and specifications are still being finalised, but we do know there will be two trim levels available – Pure or Luxury – with standard kit including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-speaker Sony audio system and various bits of driver assistance tech. Meanwhile, range-topping cars will feature a panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charger and six-way adjustable, heated and ventilated front seats. 

We expect the Jaecoo 5 to start from around £27,000, considering that the larger Jaecoo 7 is available from just over £30,000 and the closely related Omoda 5 starts from around £25,000. The J5 BEV, meanwhile, will probably cost from closer to £32k.

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