Affordable BYD Atto 3 rival arriving soon: 2026 Jaecoo J5 specs announced as it nears Australia to challenge BYD Atto 2, Hyundai Kona and Leapmotor B10

BYD SUV rival landing soon

Jaecoo, the semi-premium arm of Chery, has revealed specifications of its J5 EV compact SUV.

Pricing is yet to be announced, with the new model landing in dealerships in January 2026.

The J5 will be the entry-level to Jaecoo’s line-up, sitting under the mid-size J7 and large J8 SUVs, although the brand has suggested to CarsGuide in the past that it is targeting an early-$40k starting price.

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Affordable Chinese SUV confirmed for Oz
China's Mitsubishi ASX and Kia Seltos rival has just been confirmed for the UK giving us a look at the 2026 Jaecoo J5 SUV ahead of its Aussie arrival
This luxury Chinese SUV is coming to Australia as a cut-price alternative to premium European brands but will it be an Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz rival or a Volkswagen and Skoda challenger?

This would make it competitive with the BYD Atto 3 (39,990 - $44,990) and Geely EX5 ($40,990 - $44,990).

The J5 shares Chery Group's T1X platform, which also underpins the Omoda 5 small SUV already on sale in Australia.

It will be the brand’s first full EV sold in Australia, with Jaecoo’s only other plug-in model currently the J7 plug-in hybrid.

The J5 gets a single electric motor driving the front wheels, producing 155kW and 288Nm. This grants it a 0-100km/h time of 7.7 seconds.

Jaecoo says the J5 has a non-braked trailer maximum towing capacity of 750kg.

The small electric SUV has a driving range of 402km, according to the WLTP testing cycle and can charge from 30 to 80 per cent in 28 minutes when DC fast charging.

Standard items are set to include 18-inch alloy wheels and a power tailgate, along with keyless start and entry and a glass roof.

2026 Jaecoo J5 EV

Moving to the interior, the J5 has a 13.2-inch touchscreen display, complemented by an 8.88-inch digital driver display, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. It also features an eight-speaker sound system.

Other features include a 50W wireless charger, air conditioning memory with remote start and a 360-degree camera.

Seats are trimmed with synthetic leather, with the front seats are heated and ventilated. The brand says the seat trim is designed to be ‘pet-friendly’ and the car is planned to be offered with a range of pet-themed accessories.

Hybrid and petrol versions of the J5 are expected to join the range in March of 2026, extending Jaecoo's offerings down under.

The J7 mid-size SUV has been the brand’s most successful model so far in Australia, with more than 2300 sales so far in its first year.