Jaecoo J8 vs Audi Q5

What's the difference?

It is hard to argue with the sheer amount of stuff you get in the J8 for the price. And that long warranty and capped price servicing program remove the stress of buying into a new brand.

The J8 might be more car than most people need due to its size and lack of third row seating.

It’s okay to drive but isn’t class leading and no hybrid option will count it out for the ever increasing number of Aussies looking to petrol-electric power.

The J8 is a solid machine and well worth a look if you are after glitz and glamour on a budget.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

The new Q5 does a lot right even if it doesn’t feel as resolved from behind the wheel as I had expected.

It catapults one of the oldest premium SUV nameplates into this decade, and all three of its launch powertrain options are great, so you can’t really go wrong.

Each features the smoothness and efficiency of genuine hybrids backed by punchy turbo combustion thrills, while the increase in standard kit across the entire range is notable at a very reasonable price increase.

The J8 looks familiar but it's hard to remember where you’ve seen it before. There are shades of Mazda, Mercedes-Benz and Range Rover scattered throughout.

The J8 looks more native Jaecoo than the smaller J7, but either way it's a handsome machine in the metal.

Its large, prominent front grille with thick vertical slats gives it presence on the road. This is paired with a big JAECOO badge on the grille and dynamic LED headlights and DRLs.

It has a sleek side profile and does away with gaudy panel creases and sharp edges, which helps project its premium persona. This design is highlighted by its hidden door handles, well integrated roof rails and rear spoiler.

There is a rear light bar, which is the current must have styling item, and connects the tail-lights

Inside is where the action is.

It looks proper luxe, with soft touch and textured inserts all over. We spent the majority of our time in the Ridge AWD and on top of the dash is a type of soft synthetic suede and there are wood veneer-type inserts that give it a touch of class as well as some piano black highlights and plenty of premium feeling materials.

Even in the back seat, where some brands can cut costs, the J8 has a quality feel to it.

It is an impressive space for circa-$50,000.

Proportionally, the new Q5 is quite a departure from its curvaceous predecessors, thanks to a more chiseled bodyline and stronger flares over its wheelarches. While this makes it the biggest stylistic departure for the Q5 ever, embracing its all-new PPC (Premium Platform Combustion) underpinnings, its stylistic motifs are still somehow very familiar.

The traditional Audi grille is maintained, although has been modernised with a geometric pattern and integrated highlight pieces depending on styling package, and even the light profiles manage to be somewhat familiar despite their twinkly new customisable LED elements and contemporary slimline appearance.

A closer look only makes the car feel more contemporary, with strong contours around its face and bumpers, which were absent from its more plain-looking predecessors.

In addition, the brand tells us the Australian market in particular has one of the highest levels of uptake of large wheels, so it offers a range of designs to choose from on the options list, many of which are on the larger side, despite the standard wheel being 19 inches.

The interior is where the biggest changes are. While Audi interiors have been familiar for the longest time, the new Q5’s interior appointments feel dropped directly out of its Q6 e-tron electric alternative.

The result is a completely re-thought approach to the interior design, which is now dominated by huge touchscreens as well as a collection of contemporary shapes and mouldings that transport the Q5 into the current decade.

Still, elements of familiarity are present. The seats feel like Audi seats, the materials are as you’d expect for the brand and the wheel is backed by familiar switchgear.

Having only five seats in a car this big feels like a waste of space, and in reality it is. You’re now driving a very big and bulky car without the people carrying pros.

Very rarely will you need to use the giant 738-litre boot, but the ability to carry children’s friends or extended family is probably a more useful and regular scenario.

Up front there are plenty of storage options with lots of nooks and crannies in the centre console, including a sizeable and deep bin and good size pockets on the doors. Cupholders for both rows are a plus, too.

USB charging points for both rows are great. If you like to connect to Apple CarPlay via a cord and not wirelessly the port is down near the front seat passengers right foot, which is hard to access.

Additionally the wireless device charger is on the passenger side of the console. Both are hallmarks of a car originally designed to be driven on the other side of the road.

The back seat is huge, there is ample leg, shoulder and head room and it can easily accommodate adults or large teenagers.

While the interior might feel as modern as they come, it also brings with it some of the pitfalls of contemporary design themes.

The most obvious is the over-reliance on touch panels for controls. The most egregious example is the lack of physical buttons for the climate control, which is interacted with via a permanent part of the touchscreen, but it doesn’t end there.

On top of this, there are capacitive gloss finish panels for the steering wheel controls, and even a capacitive panel in the door to control the mirrors and lights. It all looks swish, but isn’t the best to use compared to just… buttons.

Apple CarPlay worked flawlessly in my time with various versions of the car, and the stock software is fast and crisp. Interestingly the digital instrument cluster is the most plain version of Audi’s usually stellar virtual instruments yet. Without the big animated cluster dials it used to have it feels a bit less fun to look at.

Adjustability and space is great for front passengers, as is the amount of visibility on offer, plus the seats are as comfortable as ever in all grades.

Storage is ample in the cabin, with big bottle holders in the centre console, large pockets in each door, and a halfway decent centre console. The phone charger sits tucked away at the front with the USB-C outlets and a volume dial.

The back seat is less impressive. The Q5 never had the most spacious second row in this mid-sized segment, but it’s disappointing to see this new-generation car hardly improves on the formula. It’s spacious enough for me at 182cm tall behind my own driving position, with enough room for my knees and airspace for my head, but it’s certainly not as spacious as many rivals. In addition, the centre position is compromised by a huge rise in the floor, making it a hard pitch for an adult to sit there.

On the plus side, there’s plenty of amenities with bottle holders in each door, a further two in the drop-down armrest, netted pockets on the backs of the front seats, and an entire third rear climate zone with touch panel temperature control and physical air vents. There’s also two USB-C outlets.

One trade-off for the small second row is a large boot. It measures 520 litres with five seats up, or 1473L with the second row down. It also comes with a few neat things like a net and sliding cover.

Unfortunately, while there’s a small amount of underfloor storage, there’s no spare wheel, with Audi only offering a tyre repair kit.

The new Q5 arrives in five variants spread across three powertrain options, and the starting price has copped quite a hike. Audi says that's to account for a steep increase in standard equipment, the inclusion of new hybrid tech and the S-Line styling package across the range.

The new entry-level Q5 is the base front-wheel drive TFSI petrol, which wears a price of $81,000 before on-roads, replacing the previous entry-level Q5 35TDI that started at $73,400.

Included is 19-inch alloys, Matrix LED headlights, LED tail-lights with projection light, an 11.9-inch digital dash and 14.5-inch multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, online connectivity with built-in navigation, eight-speaker, 18-watt sound system, multicolour ambient lighting, leather interior trim with brushed aluminium inlays, wireless phone charging, a 360-degree parking camera, a power adjust driver’s seat with heated front seats, tri-zone climate control, keyless entry and push-start ignition.

This trim level is also available as a TDI quattro with diesel and all-wheel drive at $87,600. Next up is the TDI quattro Sport from $94,100 which adds 20-inch two-tone alloys, a panoramic opening sunroof with shade, S-line front seats, with the S-Line interior package that also features a three-spoke alternate steering wheel design, steel sports pedals and black headlining.

Next is the SQ5 Edition One. The most prominent upgrade for this grade is the return of the 3.0-litre turbo-petrol six-cylinder engine, although this grade also gets its own trim level including 20-inch black metallic alloys, to go with a black pack exterior, red brake callipers, S Sport suspension and privacy glass.

Finally the top-spec SQ5 scores 21-inch alloys, aluminium exterior highlights, acoustic glass, premium leather interior trim, front seat ventilation and message functions, a head-up display, 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium audio and improved outputs for the USB-C connectors. Premium paint options are free (aside from Gold) on the SQ5.

Other option packs include the Premium Package ($5400) which adds the head-up display, Bang & Olufsen sound, improved USB outputs and acoustic glazing, the Tech Pro Package ($5700) which is only available on the TDI quattro Sport and SQ5 adding heated steering, a front passenger display, electrical adjust for the steering column, heated rear outer seats and digital OLED tail-lights.

Finally two Style Packs exist, adding 20-inch wheels, a black pack, and privacy glass to lower grades ($4900 for the TFSI and TDI, $3400 on the TDI Sport) with the Carbon Style Package only available on the Edition One and SQ5 for $9200, adding carbon mirror claddings, inlays and a roof spoiler.

On the value front the Q5 is more affordable than an entry-level BMW X3 (20 xDrive - $86,800) and Mercedes-Benz GLC (200 4MATIC - $89,000) although both rivals offer all-wheel drive as standard, rather than the front-wheel drive Q5. Outside of the Germans, the Lexus NX (250 FWD) starts at $63,400, while the Genesis GV70 (2.5T Advanced AWD) starts at $78,700.

With that price tag, I’d say the Q5 is priced just-right compared to its rivals.

Power comes from a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine that makes 183kW and 385Nm, which is matched to an eight-speed automatic driving either the front or all four wheels.

That’s a decent amount of grunt and is on par with a Volkswagen Golf GTI, but the J8 weights about 1800kg in 2WD guise with AWD adding 100kg.

Those numbers are also short of the 206kW/422Nm delivered by the Santa Fe’s turbo-petrol motor but are better than the 200kW and 333Nm made by the Sorento’s non-turbo V6.

The lack of a hybrid option at launch, which is popular in rival machines, could prove to be a misstep.

Jaecoo said a plug-in hybrid version was under consideration, but is likely to come at a decent premium.

Here’s where things get interesting. Despite featuring three carryover engine options, the Q5’s big upgrade is the introduction of a hybrid system.

The brand calls this technology MHEV+, which I think is underselling what the system can actually do. Normally a mild hybrid (MHEV) system consists of higher-voltage electrics to assist auxiliary systems and take a small amount of load off the engine, or provide a more robust stop/start system, but this new Audi tech consists of an 18kW/230Nm electric motor placed after the seven-speed transmission that can motivate the entire vehicle under electric power for small periods. It can recapture up to 25kW of energy and is supported by a 1.7kWh battery pack.

The three engine options supported by this include the base TFSI 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo front-wheel drive (150kW/340Nm), the mid-spec TDI 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel (150kW/400Nm) exclusively in all-wheel drive, or the SQ5’s 3.0-litre turbo-petrol V6 (270kW/550Nm).

There’s no disappointments here. All powertrains feel up to the task, and for those of you waiting for an all-wheel drive base petrol or a plug-in hybrid, the brand assures us both are on the way soon.

Jaecoo claims on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle the J8 Track 2WD will drink 8.3L/100km and the Ridge AWD will gulp 8.6L/100km, which is better than its similar sized rivals. But those rivals also have hybrid options that are more powerful and drink less fuel.

It also requires premium unleaded fuel, while the others drink the cheaper stuff.

A 65-litre fuel tank gives it a theoretical driving range of 755km in its thirstiest guise.

We didn’t get to spend enough time behind the wheel to do a thorough real-world test, and the majority of our drive was spent on high-speed arterial roads or motorways where petrol cars are at their most efficient. So we’ll reserve judgement until we undertake a more comprehensive test drive.

All engine options are also relatively efficient, although the total fuel reduction from the introduction of this new MHEV+ hybrid technology is surprisingly small. Audi says it saves up to 0.74L/100km and 17g/100km of C02, which doesn’t sound like a lot for a system that can pull the whole car.

Regardless, fuel consumption is 5.7L/100km for the TFSI 2.0L FWD petrol, 5.4L/100km for the TDI 2.0L AWD diesel, or 7.6L/100km for the 3.0-litre petrol V6 SQ5. The emissions are also relatively low for a premium SUV.

There is a clear line of demarcation between the Chery brand and Jaecoo, and the J8 drives substantially better than Chery’s line of budget-friendly Tiggo SUVs.

We spent most of our time in the Ridge AWD and the fancy active suspension makes a huge impact. It keeps the vehicle in check through corners, exerting excellent body control. It's a bit unnerving how flat the car sits through the bends with next to no body roll.

Despite riding on giant 20-inch wheels the J8 soaks up bumps and road imperfections with ease.

The Track 2WD falls off noticeably in this regard without the active damping.

The steering is light and a bit floaty, which saps confidence when entering corners as there isn’t a lot of feedback on what is happening underneath you.

The steering ratio seems a bit wide of the mark, the wheel needing more input than we'd like.

The engine delivers decent grunt and it's tuned for leisurely acceleration rather than performance. 

There was the odd occasion when the transmission and the motor weren't quite in sync and you might get a bit of hesitation and then too much oomph all at once.

It has no problems getting up to speed on the motorway and handles overtaking with ease. 

Jaecoo, and its parent company Chery, have worked hard on the safety tech calibration and it's much less intrusive on the J8 than some earlier models. This applies especially to the lane keep assist, which only steps in when needed. There are far fewer bings and bongs than before.

You sit up nice and high in the J8, which gives you a good view of the road ahead, but the sloped rear window restricts vision out the back compared to boxier shaped SUVs.

It is a big rig and you feel that on the road, even the Jaecoo team said you’d notice the width of the J8 on the road, which might be an issue if you live in compact inner city areas or deal with cramped car spaces.

To drive the Q5 is familiar in some ways and less familiar in others. The initial impression is good, with each variant being relatively quiet on the road, offering a nice adjustability and driving position, with great visibility around the car.

The new powertrain options are all a joy to pilot, with all feeling punchy and smooth-shifting through the seven-speed auto. This smoothness is helped along by the introduction of the new MHEV+ tech, which can push the car along at reasonable speeds without needing the engine to assist.

It might not be quite as punchy as some other hybrid systems in terms of overall assist, but it’s certainly better than other systems we’ve seen on the market that barely help with driving or smoothness, and end up being a cynical emissions-saving device. It’s nice to see this tech is a step forward for the brand.

The familiar Q5 driving points are mostly intact, too, with the most notable upgrade being the ride comfort. This car is much more adept at dealing with road imperfections than its predecessor, with a softer suspension response.

This having been said, I expected more from this ground-up new platform. Each version of this Q5 I sampled felt less dynamically engaging than its predecessor. The usually sharp Audi steering tune feels a bit disconnected in this new car, with a little bit too much electrical and software assist, and the suspension, while more comfortable, isn’t as engaging in the corners.

It, too, lends the car a disconnected feeling over undulations and corrugations, giving the new Q5 an overall less resolved feeling from behind the wheel than I would have liked. The previous car was a bit sharp, but at least it was consistent in the way it responded to the road.

The previous car started to feel old towards the end of its run. Previous Audi owners will enjoy how this new car catapults the nameplate into this decade in terms of its cabin ambiance and general demeanour, it would have just been nice to see the consistency return, too.

A massive list of active safety kit is present in the new Q5, from autobahn-speed auto emergency braking (AEB) to lane departure control as well as the expected blind spot and cross traffic alert features (front and rear).

It also features the newer features, like traffic sign recognition and 360-degree cameras, while the brand’s signature high-end adaptive Matrix headlights are standard across the range.

The systems are well calibrated judging by our brief drive, with only the occasional tug of lane keep assist present. In addition, the adaptive cruise is well behaved.

The Q5 is yet to secure an ANCAP score at the time of writing, but it already has a maximum five stars from Euro NCAP in its home market, which I’m sure the brand is hoping will carry across.

Jaecoo backs its cars for eight years and unlimited km, which is one of the most comprehensive in the business. MG, Mitsubishi and Nissan all have 10 year warranties but are not unlimited km and Mitsubishi and Nissan need you to only service at their dealerships.

Jaecoo backs this up with an eight-year capped priced servicing program, which costs $2952 for the Track 2WD and $3452 for the Ridge AWD. That’s slightly on the expensive side but better than being at the whim of the mechanic after five years.

Keep in mind the fourth and eight year services are biggies, costing $699 and $799 in the Ridge AWD and $499 and $599 in the Track 2WD.

You also get eight years of roadside assistance if you service your car at the dealership.

Audi continues to offer its fairly standard five-year and unlimited kilometre warranty with five years of roadside assist and this is paired with the option of a five-year service plan.

This costs an additional $3520 ($704 per year) for the 2.0-litre variants, or $3560 ($712 per year) for the 3.0-litre V6-powered SQ5. Servicing is required every 1500km or 12 months.