Jaecoo J5 vs Toyota Tundra

What's the difference?

The Jaecoo J5 EV makes a strong first impression and a quieter long-term one. The J5 looks the part, feels comfortable and covers all the basics well, making it an easy choice for buyers who want an affordable, practical EV without too many compromises.

It’s a solid effort overall, though even at this lower price point a few more rear-seat features would be welcome - especially given this is the only grade currently available. However, it hits the right notes when it comes to ownership and value which will be its strongest pull.

The Tundra Platinum is a good-looking and well-engineered RHD full-size US pickup which stands apart from local competitors with its unique hybrid drivetrain and unmatched power/torque outputs. However, it also comes with a conspicuously high purchase price, which given the quality of local Ram, Chevrolet and Ford competition could be a deal-breaker for some.

The Jaecoo J5 EV is a handsome-looking small SUV. Its suite of LED lighting, 18-inch alloy wheels and upright, robust silhouette give it plenty of presence, particularly for something positioned at the affordable end of the EV market. That said, originality isn’t really its strong suit. The design, especially from the rear, feels heavily inspired by a Range Rover. Imitation may be the highest form of flattery but Jaecoo could have pushed the design in a slightly more distinctive direction.

It looks good on the road, though, and inside, the J5 has a genuinely airy feel. Light-coloured synthetic upholstery and the expansive panoramic glass roof help the cabin feel open and welcoming, particularly from the front seats. The design is modern and tech-focused, with the large 13.2-inch display taking centre stage on the dashboard.

The overall layout is clean and undeniably premium in its presentation, though it doesn’t bring a great deal of personality with it. That’s becoming a familiar theme, especially in this part of the EV market, where minimalism and screens often take priority over character.

This is a substantial vehicle with bold, bluff-fronted styling characterised by an enormous grille that has an imposing presence wherever it roams.

Toyota's TNGA-F ladder-frame chassis platform is shared with the LandCruiser 300 Series and Prado models, but the big American has a much longer 3700mm wheelbase, spans almost six metres in length (5955mm) and is more than two metres wide (2040mm). However, it’s less than two metres tall (1985mm), so it can access underground and multi-storey carparks. 

It rides on double-wishbone coil-spring front suspension and a multi-link coil-spring live rear axle, with electric power-assisted rack and pinion steering and big four-wheel disc brakes.

Off-road credentials include 216mm of ground clearance, 23 degrees approach and 21 degrees departure angles – which are ample for accessing rugged worksites – while the turning circle is an expansive 15 metres.

The interior, with its panoramic sunroof, has a spacious and airy ambience, enhanced by contrasting blue stitching on its leather-appointed upholstery.

Although the cabin has a high standard of fit and finish, as you’d expect from Toyota and WAG, it doesn't look and feel quite as lavish as the sumptuous interiors found in its top-shelf US rivals. The centre console lid in particular feels too light and plasticky for a vehicle in this price range.

The Jaecoo J5 EV's cabin is spacious with both rows offering ample head- and legroom. A flat floor also helps the middle rear seat feel more usable than usual, which is always appreciated. Up front, the seats are very comfortable, with their added adjustment, heating and ventilation making a noticeable difference on longer drives. The rear seats are well padded with decent back support, so passengers in the second row shouldn’t feel short-changed.

Access to both rows is good with wide door apertures and an easy step in/step out height. My main quibble here is the keyless entry set-up. Unless you enable proximity unlocking through the multimedia system the doors aren’t truly keyless. Even then, the system can be inconsistent. That means occasionally having to reach for the key fob, which is frustrating when your hands are full.

Storage is one of the J5’s stronger suits. Up front, it’s easy to keep things neat thanks to a large glove box and a deep, if slightly narrow, middle console. There’s also a clever open shelf beneath a centre console that houses cupholders and phone storage, including a wireless charging pad. A small hidden pocket behind the media display adds to the storage count, although I’ll admit I regularly forget it exists.

Rear passengers get a couple of map pockets, drink bottle holders and cupholders. Beyond that, amenities are limited. There’s a single directional air vent and a USB-A port, but not much else to keep older kids or adults entertained.

Technology is fairly straightforward, although almost everything is accessed through the touchscreen. The multimedia system is crisp and responsive, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto working well, however it misses out on built-in satellite navigation and any meaningful apps. That said, there is a karaoke app tucked away in the system, which will undoubtedly delight someone, somewhere.

Charging options up front include a USB-A and USB-C port, along with a 12-volt socket. There’s also a USB-A port near the rear-view mirror, which is handy if you’re planning to install an aftermarket dash cam.

Jaecoo pitches the J5 as pet-friendly, with upholstery designed to be easy to clean and resistant to wear. In practice, I’d say that claim comes with caveats. Jaecoo clearly hasn’t met my son or my German Shepherd, and it took a fair bit of elbow grease to properly clean the cabin. Staying on top of messes will be key if you want the interior to keep looking fresh.

The boot offers up to 480L of capacity, which is strong for the class, and the flat load floor makes it easy to slide items in and out. There are no power ports or sockets, which feels like an odd omission for an EV. You also get a repair kit instead of a spare tyre, despite there being enough space to accommodate one. A 35L frunk adds some extra storage flexibility, and the powered tailgate is a welcome inclusion.

With its 2834kg kerb weight and 3536kg GVM, the Platinum has a 702kg payload limit which is modest compared to smaller 4x4 utes with genuine one-tonne-plus capabilities.

However, it’s rated to tow up to 4500kg of braked trailer on a 70mm ball and with its substantial 7980kg GCM (or how much weight it can legally carry and tow at the same time) that would require only a small drop in payload from 702kg to 646kg to avoid exceeding the GCM. So, that’s a practical set of numbers if you ever need to tow the maximum 4.5 tonnes.

The load tub is 1660mm long, 1491mm wide and 531mm deep, with 1237mm between its rear wheel-housings allowing either a standard Aussie or Euro pallet. It’s accessed through a power tailgate, which can be operated from the driver’s seat if required.

The tub’s internal surfaces are protected by a composite drop-in liner, with handy slots moulded into each side for vertically inserting planks of wood to serve as lateral load-dividers if required.

The Platinum's tub also has unique hooded LED lighting in each sidewall, plus there’s fixed load-anchorage points front and rear at mid-height (would be better if just above floor height) and rails with adjustable sliding anchorages along the top of the front and side walls for securing taller loads.

Cabin storage includes two 600mL bottle-holders and storage bins in each front door plus a decent-sized single glovebox, a 12V dash socket and an overhead glasses-holder.

The centre console offers open storage up front including a wireless phone-charging pad, plus a pair of small-bottle/cupholders in the centre and a large lidded box at the back containing USB ports.

The large rear doors, with pull-up privacy screens on their windows, provide wide entry to the rear bench seat. There’s enough shoulder room for three adults and even tall passengers enjoy ample legroom, although those seats in the centre must contend with a transmission hump, which is absent in its flat-floored rivals.

There’s two 600mL bottle-holders and a bin in each rear door, plus large pockets on each front seat backrest and two more bottle/cupholders at the rear of the centre console, which also has controls for rear seat heating/cooling, plus USB ports and adjustable air-vents.

If travelling with two, the centre seat backrest folds down to provide a comfortable armrest and two more bottle/cupholders (that's 14 in total), so drink storage is well catered for in this cabin.

The rear seat’s 60/40-split base cushions can also swing up and be stored vertically for more internal luggage space, but there’s no storage compartments underneath as this space is occupied by the hybrid drivetrain’s battery, with large vents on either side providing it with ample ventilation.

Our only criticism of the rear seating is limited headroom for tall people, caused by a deep contour in the roof-lining to accommodate the Platinum’s sunroof.

This contour sits very close to foreheads and limits head space. So, if you have tall passengers, they might get cranky on long drives, particularly those seated in the slightly higher centre position with (like me) the top of their head pressed firmly into the roof lining.

Our recently launched Platinum test vehicle is, like its Limited sibling, available only with Toyota’s ‘i-FORCE MAX’ hybrid powertrain, which combines a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, electric motor-generator, traction battery and 10-speed automatic transmission, for a list price of $172,990 plus on-road costs.

That pricing is $17,000 more than the Limited and considerably higher than Australian premium-grade RHD rivals including the Ford F-150 Lariat LWB ($140,945), Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2 ($141,500) and Ram 1500 Limited ($159,950). Note the F-150 has temporarily been withdrawn from sale in Australia due to an ADR compliance issue.

The Tundra Platinum shares numerous standard features with the Limited, including 20-inch alloy wheels (although the Platinum’s wheel design is unique) with 265/60R20 tyres and a 245/75R18 ‘space saver’ spare (to optimise its underfloor-mounted ground clearance), LED lighting, heated door mirrors, an automatic ‘active’ front spoiler, side steps, a power tailgate, a tub liner, a 3500kg towing kit and front/rear parking sensors to name a few.

The cabin has smart entry/start, dual-zone climate, front seat heating/cooling, a leather-accented steering wheel and shifter, a 12.3-inch driver’s digital instrument cluster, a 12-speaker JBL audio system with a 14-inch multimedia touchscreen and multiple connectivity including Apple/Android devices, wireless phone charging, power sliding rear glass, five USB ports and more.

The Platinum adds not only its unique black-painted alloy wheels but also a bold mesh grille design with dark chrome surround, black body detailing, tailgate spoiler and rain-sensing wipers.

The cabin gets a full-length panoramic sunroof and leather-accented trim, with the front seats equipped with 10-way power adjustment including a massage function. There’s also heating/cooling for the outer rear seats, heated steering wheel with power tilt-reach adjustment and 10.9-inch colour head-up display.

The Jaecoo J5 EV is powered by a single electric motor sending 155kW/288Nm to the front wheels. That’s enough to see it sprint from 0-100km/h in a claimed 7.7 seconds. Those figures stack up well relative to the J5's positioning in the segment.

This isn’t a performance-led EV and it doesn’t pretend to be. Instead, the J5 delivers its power in a way that feels competent and predictable rather than 'exciting'.

The Tundra’s powertrain consists of a 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine that produces 290kW of power at 5200rpm and 649Nm of torque between 2400-3600rpm.

This is paired with an electric motor mounted directly behind, which produces 36kW/250Nm and draws its electrons from a 6.5Ahr Ni-MH (nickel metal hydride) battery located beneath the rear seat.

Their combined output is 326kW and 790Nm, which is more power and torque than any of its local rivals and therefore appealing for those who need to haul and/or tow heavy loads.

Its refined 10-speed torque converter automatic offers the choice of sequential manual-shifting, a dedicated Tow/Haul setting and three drive modes comprising Normal (default), Sport and Eco.

The 4WD system is part-time, dual-range with 2H (2WD High Range), 4H (4WD High Range) and 4L (4WD Low Range). There’s also an automatic limited-slip rear differential, but unlike its competitors no full-time AWD mode is available.

The Jaecoo J5 EV uses a Type 2 CCS charging port and can accept up to 10.3kW on AC power via a three-phase connection, along with DC fast charging speeds of up to 130kW. On a suitable fast charger, Jaecoo claims a 30 to 80 per cent charge can be completed in as little as 28 minutes. That’s a solid result for this segment, with only the MG S5 EV offering higher DC charging capacity and quicker top-up times.

The J5 has a 58.9kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery and a 402km (WLTP) driving range. Both its sister model, the Chery E5, and the MG have slightly longer ranges. It's not surprising but it means it's an EV better suited to the city where you can keep it regularly topped up.

Official energy consumption is listed at 14.3kWh/100km. After a mix of longer drives and urban running, my average settled around 15.4kWh/100km, which is a respectable result overall and broadly in line with expectations.

With the Tundra’s GVM rating exceeding 3.5 tonnes, Toyota is not required under current ADRs to publish fuel consumption figures. Even so, we covered a total distance of 298km, which comprised a mix of suburban, city and highway driving of which about one third was hauling a near-maximum payload.

When we stopped to refuel, the dash display was claiming average combined consumption of 14.1L/100km, but our own figure calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings was 15.8, which is in the same ballpark as mid-teen figures we’ve achieved in its six and eight-cylinder rivals.

Therefore, based on our own figure, the Tundra Platinum has a real-world driving range nudging 800km from its big 122-litre tank, which according to Toyota requires minimum 95 RON petrol.

The Jaecoo J5 EV has plenty of power on hand, with good pick-up when you need it for hills or overtaking. It feels responsive enough for everyday driving, without ever feeling aggressive or overly eager.

Steering is light, and the suspension leans towards the softer side. Around town that works well, offering a comfortable ride. On faster roads or through corners, however, it can feel a little unsettled, and the J5 isn’t particularly convincing on the open road.

Visibility out the front and sides is strong and the driving position gives you a fairly commanding view of the road, which makes day-to-day city driving straightforward.

There are three levels of regenerative braking, but even on the lowest setting it can feel abrupt. Some passengers reported feeling queasy and maintaining a smooth, consistent speed can be tricky as the car has a tendency to lurch.

Parking is generally easy thanks to the J5’s compact footprint and a clear 360-degree camera system. That said, the aggressive regen braking can make low-speed manoeuvres, particularly reversing, more challenging than necessary, as it’s hard to get the car to creep smoothly.

The side steps are set close to the sills and, therefore, a bit narrow for size 12 boots, but big handles on the A and B pillars assist climbing aboard, where you’re rewarded with a spacious driving position with multiple adjustments.

The analogue-flavoured RHD dash module has numerous physical dials, buttons and switches, which thankfully leaves minimal reliance on distracting touchscreen prompts. Some items, like the left-hand-side indicator stalk and HVAC controls, are biased towards LHD, but you soon get used to these idiosyncrasies.

Its excellent steering feel, braking response, supple but responsive four-coil ride quality and effective noise insulation are what we’ve come to expect from WAG’s extensive remanufacturing process. In the Tundra’s case, it uses many original equipment components from existing Toyota 4WD vehicles and OEM suppliers.

The V6 engine produces a meaty V8-style soundtrack, with a melodic throb at idle and a guttural roar at full throttle. From standing starts, the abundant torque gets more than 2.8 tonnes of pickup to triple-digit speeds in about six seconds, which is comparable to Ford's sporty Ranger Raptor.

The hybrid drivetrain displays excellent refinement, as it continuously and seamlessly switches between petrol and electric power to optimise performance and economy. The Tundra is also an effortless highway cruiser, with negligible tyre and wind noise at 110km/h allowing conversations at loungeroom levels.

To test its load-hauling ability we strapped just over 500kg into the load tub, which with our two-man crew equalled a total payload of 675kg that was nudging its GVM limit. The coil-spring rear suspension only compressed 50mm, leaving ample bump-stop clearance and no risk of bottoming-out on our test route.

It made light work of hauling this payload in city and suburban driving and didn’t seem to notice it had anything in the load tub on our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km set-climb at 60km/h.

Engine-braking on the way down, in a manually-selected second gear, wasn’t as robust as expected given the assistance of regenerative braking, but the large four-wheel disc brakes were more than capable of keeping speeds under 60km/h when called upon during the descent.

Like its local US competitors, the RHD Tundra does not have an ANCAP rating but comes with a suite of passive and active safety features. These include eight airbags, AEB with day cyclist detection and day/night pedestrian/oncoming vehicle detection, lane-keeping, trailer sway control, trailer back-up guide with straight path assist (makes reversing a trailer easy and safe), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front/rear parking sensors, panoramic view monitor and more. The rear seat has two ISOFIX and two top-tether child-seat anchorages.

Ownership is one of the J5’s stronger points. The number eight is associated with good fortune in Chinese culture and Jaecoo has clearly leaned into it here!

It's offered with an eight-year/unlimited km warranty, eight years battery cover and roadside assistance, plus eight years of capped-price servicing where workshop visits average a low $190 per visit (which is very good).

Servicing is required every 12 months or 20,000 kilometres and for now the service network is fairly small, with around 50 centres nationwide. They’re mostly found in major cities, which is something to keep in mind depending on where you live.

The Tundra comes with Toyota’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is class-leading.

Scheduled servicing is six months/10,000km whichever occurs first, with capped-pricing of $450 per service for the first five years/100,000km. So, that’s $900 annually, if serviced twice a year as scheduled.

Toyota currently has 275 dealers across its vast network located in metro, rural and regional areas. Toyota dealerships are also service centres.