Mazda 6 vs Jaecoo J5

What's the difference?

So, what did my family think about the Mazda6 20th Anniversary wagon? Firstly, I like that it drives well and how many luxe features are up front. The trims and body paint look divine but there's a disconnect with family practicality in the back seat. Besides the multimedia system, which 100 per cent needs to be improved, I don't mind the retro-feeling elements in the cockpit but my husband's first comment was that it looked old.

It may be better suited to a smaller and older family that isn't carting around a stack of gear but you get a lot of features for your cash in this model. So, this gets a 7.0/10 from me.

My son didn't spend heaps of time in this one but he liked the colour of it and the seats. He gives it a 7.0/10.

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.

At first glance there's not a lot that separates this from its siblings, it's not until you get up close that you notice more shiny chrome accents on the grille, those special anniversary badges on the side and its limited colour options – I hope you like red or white, as those are your only choices!

The wagon manages to look sporty with its 19-inch alloy wheels, full LED exterior lights and the classic protruding nose that Mazda seems known for now.

It's far more obvious in the interior though with the beautiful tan Nappa leather seats, synthetic suede trims and special embossing on the front headrests.

Surprisingly, the dashboard is still headlined by the older 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system. There's also the traditional gear-shifter and buttons/dials to deal with. All of which manage to nod to its long history while starting to feel like relics for such a special edition.

Overall, its pleasant and handsome but don't expect to be wowed, Mazda hasn't broken new ground with this one.

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.

The interior is comfortable and well-proportioned but front passengers will enjoy the most room. You'll still feel like you'll be jostling for premium armrest position, though!

Up front, the individual storage is adequate and the open utility tray is large but my phone slid around in it, making it hard to use the wireless charging pad.

There are enough charging options throughout the car to satisfy four people, with two USB-A ports in each row. Curiously, you can only utilise the backseat USBs when the armrest is down, which makes this feel more suited to a smaller family.

The 8.0-inch touchscreen is small and the graphics aren't super clear. You can use it as a touchscreen or opt for the rotary dial but I found switching between the two awkward. Especially, since the touchscreen is disabled while using the (wireless) Apple CarPlay or (wired) Android Auto.

The back seat is quite lean when it comes to amenities and storage. Although, the heated outboard seats are a nice touch, but again, you can only access the controls when the armrest is down.

You can fit up to three (skinny) child seats but with the low roofline, you might not want to be bending over to buckle them in.  The door apertures are not too wide either but my six-year-old had no trouble climbing in and out.

For this class, the boot is an okay size at 506L. There is a temporary spare wheel under the level loading space and it's great how the cargo-blind lifts up and away from the space because it's attached to the boot lid.

Unfortunately, this doesn't come with a powered tailgate and I did miss having that feature this week.

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.

We’re testing the only Jaecoo J5 EV variant available at the moment, ahead of petrol and hybrid versions due to arrive later this year. Right now, it’s being offered with a limited-time drive-away price of $36,990. Once that offer expires, it reverts to a $35,990 MSRP, which sees it tie with the BYD Atto 2 Premium as the most affordable EV in its segment.

Step up from there and you reach the J5’s sister model, the Chery E5 Ultimate, priced from $40,990 MSRP. The MG S5 EV Essence 62 sits close by, starting from $40,490 MSRP.

On paper, the J5 hits a few more notes than its key rivals and that’s worth acknowledging. There’s a solid list of premium-style features, including electrically adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, a panoramic glass roof, powered tailgate and synthetic leather-style upholstery.

Technology is similarly generous. You get a large 13.2-inch touchscreen multimedia display paired with an 8.88-inch digital instrument cluster, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 360-degree camera system is standard, as are two USB-A ports, a single 12-volt socket up front and a wireless charging pad.

That said, there’s only one USB-C port in the entire cabin, and no charging ports or power sockets in the boot, which feels like an odd omission in an electric SUV. Accessing the vehicle-to-load function also requires an adapter via the external charging port, rather than a more user-friendly internal outlet.

Despite its sharp pricing, the J5 is offered in just one high-spec grade and that raises expectations. In that context, the rear seat feels a little underdone. It misses out on several amenities you’d reasonably expect in a flagship-style model. While that’s not unusual for an EV at this end of the market, it still feels like a missed opportunity to stand out.

This shares the same engine with the Atenza and that's a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol one. It has a max power output of 173kW and 420Nm of torque. Plenty of oomph to get you (and your gear) to where you need to go.

The 20th Anniversary edition is a front-wheel-drive and has a six-speed auto transmission. It's not the smoothest combination at lower speeds but let it stretch its legs and you'll be happy with the results.

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'.

Let's talk about efficiency. It has a combined cycle fuel figure of 7.6L/100km but I only managed to achieve 10.9L. I reckon that's pretty thirsty considering how much open-road driving I did this week but it's not outrageous for a turbo. Expect a higher figure in an urban setting.

Based on the combined figure, you should be able to get a driving range of around 816km, which is perfectly respectable for those wanting to do a road trip.

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.

This is a car that knows what it is and stays in its lane. It's not trying to be the best but it certainly comes close with how it handles itself.

The lower centre of gravity and responsive steering make it hug corners and the car feels firmly situated on the road.

There's enough power that this is a comfy open-roader and you're confident overtaking or getting up to speed but you do feel like you're starting to dig when you hit steeper slopes.

The suspension is a little firm but your backseat passengers will feel that more than you will. Still, it absorbs enough of the bumps that you feel cushioned, even on rough country roads!

The cabin space is fairly quiet but you will get wind noise at higher speeds. Otherwise, all passengers should be able to chat without raising their voices.

I didn't find this to be a bother to park but the 360-degree view camera is terrible. It's very blurry and on the 8.0-inch screen, the image looks small, too.

That said, I love the 11m turning circle and the front and rear parking sensors. Overall, you won't have much trouble parking this one.

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 J5 hasn’t been assessed by ANCAP yet and is unrated but it has a good suite of safety equipment included. There are seven airbags, intelligent seat belt reminders, ISOFIX anchors, three top-tether anchor points, front/rear parking sensors and a 360-degree view camera system.

There’s also blind-spot monitoring, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, forward and rear collision warning, side exit assist, a driver monitoring system, autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. The J5 EV misses out on emergency call capability.

Most of the driver assist systems aren’t intrusive, although the driver attention monitoring can ping more than it’s needed and the adaptive cruise control is best without the assisted steering on.

The ongoing costs match the purchase price for their affordability. This has a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is pretty normal for this class.

However, on the five-year servicing plan, services average $501 per service - which is very competitive for this class! Servicing intervals are also reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.

You're not even getting hit with the fuel pricing you can see on other mid-range models because this accepts a minimum of 91 RON petrol and is even E10 suitable.

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.