Jaecoo J5 Inferno review

Jaecoo made its way into the SA new car market with the J7 a few years ago. The Chery sub-brand has since grown to offer a smaller J5 model as well. It’s the latter, Jaecoo J5 Inferno, drove to share these insights with you.

Chery has been one of the breakout stars of the SA new-car market over the last few years. In part, this comes from offering products under a few different badges. These include Chery, Omoda, Lepas and Jaecoo. The latter was first represented locally by the J7. The mid-ish sized SUV, with an uncanny resemblance to a luxury SUV brand from the UK, gained decent acceptance as an alternative to established brands in SA.

However, the bulk of SUV sales take place in the circa-R500k region, which is where the J5 comes in. The smaller sibling to the J7 has the same aesthetic. Glance at the J5 really quickly and you’d be forgiven for mistaking it for a J7, such is the carryover. At any rate, a more compact options was needed at a competitive price and Jaecoo introduced the J5 with a range of powertrain options. So after our first encounter here are…

Five Things We Learned About the Jaecoo J5 Inferno

There are six variants in the J5 range. Four have ‘regular’ internal combustion engines (ICE). Of that line-up the Inferno is top dog. Entry to the range starts with the Core version at sub-R340k. There are also hybrid and full EV versions. Interestingly, the Inferno variant is the second most expensive, slightly more than the hybrid and beat only by the EV.
The reason it is the most expensive is because the Inferno is the most loaded version in the range. As befitting its station it has dual-zone climate control, a panoramic roof, powered tailgate with remote release, electrically adjustable seats that are ventilated, wireless charging, an eight speaker audio system and a 540-degree panoramic camera view. There are also quite a few assisted driving features included as standard. These include lane-keeping assist and an overly sensitive forward collision warning system.
The interior treatment is pretty neat. Leather a soft-touch materials are used in abundance. Four adults can be accommodated and there is a quoted 480 litres of boot volume, which we stacked with a few bags running a few friends to the airport. There is a 13,2-inch central touchscreen that handles just about every function, including HVAC controls. Someone mentioned that the screen reminded them very much of the same in a Mercedes C-class. A little digging reveals that Jaecoo’s global chief designer is formerly of Mercedes-Benz…
ICE versions of the J5 range all have the same powertrain specification. That is to say a 1,5-litre turbocharged engine mated with a continuously variable transmission. The combination generally works well, but we’d prefer a regular auto’ or dual-clutch transmission. The CVT can get a little noisy on the open road, especially under hard acceleration ie when overtaking. Jaecoo’s claimed fuel consumption is 7,5 L/100 km, but we’d be surprised if anyone got that figure below 8.
Our biggest critique of the J5 is its firm ride. It rides on 18-inch alloys and even though the tyres aren’t really that low profile so the the blame can’t lie there. Suspension engineers must have opted for higher spring rates and damping to match, which can leave occupants feeling road imperfections with unwanted clarity. One other smaller dynamic gripe is the over-assisted brake pedal which makes for a lurchy stopping experience, but one can learn to drive around that sensation.

Simmary

To say the Chery group has understood SA new car market demand is a bit of an understatement. The local subsidiary’s monthly sales stats show that the company is offering exactly what local buyers are after. Models such as the Jaecoo J5 are part of that mix. A small-ish SUV with plenty of tech, handsome looks and a perky powertrain are highly desirable to new car buyers. There are J5 options over a wide price range. The Inferno variant is pretty decent, if you can live with its few flaws.

Model: Jaecoo J5 Inferno
Price: R479 900
Engine: 1,5-litre inline-four, turbopetrol
Transmission: CVT, FWD
Max power: 115 kW
Max torque: 230 N.m
Top speed: n/a
0-100 km/h: n/a
Fuel consumption: 7,5 L/100 km claimed (8,7 as reviewed)