Jaecoo J5 2026 News

A Chinese brand rivalry is heating up in Australia.Chery Group is one of the largest growing carmakers in Australia but it is now facing competition from within its own ranks. Omoda Jaecoo has burst onto the Australian car scene with its Jaecoo J5 small electric SUV, which claimed the best-selling small SUV title for May 2026. It even outsold the Chery Tiggo 4, which is the best-selling SUV so far this year.The Tiggo 4 starts from $23,990 (drive-away), making it the cheapest in its segment. The J5 EV carries on this budget mantra, starting from $36,990 (drive-away).This makes it much cheaper than many of its legacy rivals like the Hyundai Kona Electric ($54,000, before on-road costs). A petrol J5 has just gone on sale and a hybrid is on the way, bringing Omoda Jaecoo’s important model into direct competition with the Tiggo 4. The petrol variant is priced from $25,990 (drive-away), making it $2000 more than the Tiggo 4, but it is marketed as a more premium version of its closely-related sibling.Omoda Jaecoo by Australian Chief Commercial Officer Roy Munoz emphasised the importance of the J5, describing it at the brand's 'hero' model.Munoz said the Chery Group brands need each other to be successful in Australia, but rivalry still exists between them.“There’ll always be competition,” he told CarsGuide.  “We can’t win them all. They can’t win them all, but together we can win a big share of the market.“So as long as we’re still both up there, that’ll keep everyone happy.”The Chery Group rivalry will heat up further in the coming months with the arrival of Lepas that will debut in Australia with its L6 electric mid-size SUV. Lepas will be joined by Freelander and iCaur from 2027 as the Chery Group sub-brand collection grows. Chery Group subsidiary Jetour has also been confirmed for Australia, but it will operate under its own steam as opposed to forming part of what has already been established Down Under. 

This Aussie favourite budget SUV is getting hybrid power.Jaecoo has announced a hybrid version of its J5 small SUV will join the electric and purely petrol variants from August.It will start from $34,990, drive-away, meaning it is only $2000 less than the hugely-successful EV, but $9000 more than the base petrol-powered J5.This new J5 will be more expensive than hybrid variants of the Chery Tiggo 4, GWM Haval Jolion and MG ZS that are all available from $29,990.Omoda Jaecoo is a sub-brand of Chery and is pitched as a semi-premium alternative to traditional budget Chinese carmakers.The car comes in a single ‘Summit’ grade, with no plans to introduce a cheaper hybrid grade of the J5 in the future.Prices for petrol-powered and EV examples will stay the same despite the addition of a hybrid option.It has a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and electric motor set-up, producing 165kW and 295Nm, making it the most powerful J5 in the lineup.It has substantially more performance than its petrol sibling (108kW/210Nm) and represents a marginal increase on the 155kW/288Nm in the EV.Its performance also trumps its closest competitors.The new set-up is also more efficient, reducing fuel consumption to 5.6L/100km from 7.5/100km on the petrol-only car.The car will be front-wheel drive like the rest of the J5 lineup. Omoda Jaecoo said this improved efficiency and performance is courtesy of a new iteration of Chery's hybrid technology.  A spokesperson for Omoda Jaecoo Australia would not confirm whether this is a version of its next-generation ‘Super Hybrid’ DHT160 set-up announced earlier this year. The J5 Hybrid has a similar exterior look to the petrol variant, but has been given a different design for its 18-inch alloy wheels. Its interior features synthetic leather seats, with the front ones heated and ventilated, as well as a fixed panoramic sunroof. There is a 13.2-inch central touchscreen and 8.8-inch digital driver display, as well as a 50W wireless phone charger.The car boasts other convenience features such as a powered tailgate and 360-degree camera.This hybrid variant completes the J5 lineup in Australia for Omoda Jaecoo. The EV is the strongest-selling J5 variant, with cheaper recently-launched petrol-powered variant having a positive start to life in Australia as well.

Electric cars are finally having their mainstream moment in Australia, and now make up over 16 per cent of Australia’s new car market.Sales have significantly jumped year-on-year, helped along by a much wider availability of more affordable models, but also an unprecedented fuel crisis, which has made the cost of running a petrol- or diesel-powered vehicle front of mind for many.This surge of new options has also seen the list of top-selling electric cars undergo a significant re-shuffle, with new brands featuring heavily.Tesla notably takes the crown for the best selling EV in Australia for the first half of 2026, with its Model Y achieving 20,396 total registrations according to Electric Vehicle Council data. This is due to an eyebrow-raising 8072 unit tally in June thanks to a literal boatload of cars arriving.Next down the charts is BYD with its smash-hit Sealion 7 mid-size SUV. The Sealion 7, which is a key rival to the Model Y, can be had at a more keen $54,990 price-point with similar specs to the Tesla that starts from $58,900 before on-roads.Alongside the plug-in hybrid Shark 6, the Sealion 7 is a major part of BYD’s success story in Australia over the past year.The next two players down compete at the entry-level to their respective segments.Geely’s EX5 clocked up 6756 registrations in the first half of 2026, a quiet achiever in an extremely competitive part of the market. While it goes into battle against a range of rivals in the $40,000 price bracket, it has more than doubled the sales of its closest rival, the previously-popular BYD Atto 3, and it sold 20 times the volume of the similar Leapmotor C10.Below the EX5 is the Jaecoo J5. While this model is now available with petrol power, it is the EV version that has been on sale longer and managed to secure fourth position for the first half of the year, racking up 6113 units.This is no doubt largely thanks to the electric version’s extremely keen $36,990 before on-roads price-tag and generous dimensions for a small SUV, making it the sweet spot for many first time EV adopters. It also undercuts the Atto 3 and Leapmotor B10, and has good visibility in the market thanks to Omoda Jaecoo’s rapidly expanding dealer network.Rounding out the top five electric cars in Australia for the first half of 2026 is the Zeekr 7X. A smash hit for Geely’s premium arm. The 7X stands out for its radical design and strong specs at a generous price point (from $57,900 before on-roads). As a result, the brand tells us that it is attracting not only aspirational buyers, but also buyers who were previously driving BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes.Previous top-sellers, the Model 3 and BYD Atto 3, have now dropped out of the top five, amassing a little over 3000 sales each. Kia’s also-popular EV5 mid-size and EV3 SUVs fell short of the list with less than 3000 sales each.All of the electric cars in the top five for the first half of the year were built in China, with the exception of the Performance grade of the Tesla Model Y (which would account for only a small proportion of its sales), showing the country’s leadership in the electric car space.Mainstream brands are struggling on the EV front, with cars like the Toyota bZ4X mid-size SUV amassing just 1718 sales. Volkswagen is in a similar position, with its similar ID.4 amassing just 1183 sales.Even MG, which was the original Chinese-backed success story in Australia, has tumbled down the charts. Its MG4 hatch has lost hundreds of sales year-on-year. Its S5 and S6 electric SUVs are struggling to compete with newer players, amassing just 1713 and 647 sales respectively.The share of EV sales in the Australian market will inevitably grow as tough new emissions laws start to shape the line-ups of most brands.

Chinese carmakers are leading the way went it comes to EVs, but this one brand is flipping the script.Every car in the top 10 best-selling EVs for May 2026 was built in China, including the Jaecoo J5 EV.The J5 EV claimed the title for the best-selling small SUV in May 2026. Omoda Jaecoo’s Australian Chief Commercial Officer Roy Munoz said the brand is not classed as a specialist electric carmaker, despite this result.The J5 EV was one of Chery Group’s first fully-electric models put on sale Down Under, with much of its range adopting petrol or hybrid set-ups. It was the group’s most successful model in May, but Munoz said it is doing so while tackling more EV-specific competition.“Being that Omoda Jaecoo, and I guess Chery as a wider group, is not just an EV brand. We are a traditional car company,” Munoz on CarsGuide.  “It also proves that we are a technology company where an EV is within our capability as well. “To be able to achieve that, not being known as an EV brand is a true testament to the capabilities of Omoda Jaecoo and Chery as a group.”A petrol variant of the J5 recently launched in Australia, with Omoda Jaecoo still eager to cater for an internal combustion engine consumer base. This approach contrasts many of Chery’s key rivals, such as BYD, that does not offer any petrol-only models in Australia. It demonstrates Omoda Jaecoo trying to cover all bases. A plug-less version of the J5 is also due in showrooms before the end of the year. It comes as many legacy brands also phase out petrol-only options for key models. One of the J5’s rivals the Kia Seltos will launch for its new generation with a hybrid offering, ditching its popular pure petrol variant. It will become more difficult for brands to have pure internal combustion engines in their lineups with Australian emissions regulations becoming more stringent in the coming years. Munoz said Omoda Jaecoo is aware of the potential impacts of New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) fines on a strong sales return for the petrol J5. He said the brand would balance to ensure it meets its NVES obligations, with J5 EV acting as a shield to provide credits at this stage. 

New car intenders are on the decline in Australia. While Chinese brands such as BYD and Chery are on the up, many of Australia’s most popular brands are struggling. Total sales for cars in Australia are down more than two per cent for May 2026 compared to May 2025. This decrease grows to nearly five per cent, if sales of the Tesla's Model Y SUV and Model 3 sedan are excluded.This is reflected year-to-date data, which shows a more than one per cent overall drop compared to 2025 so far. The decrease comes after total sales declined slightly in 2025 compared to 2024, with sales already coming off a downturn in the second half of 2024. Even dominant players in the Australian car market like Toyota have experienced a near 25 per cent drop this year compared to 2025 numbers.This has been partly driven by a delay on supply for the new-generation RAV4 SUV, though. Economic factors are key drivers for buyer decline, including the ever-increasing costs of buying a new car, coupled with higher fuel prices. Potential buyers also need to satisfy cost of living pressures before thinking about buying a new car. The impacts of these economic conditions increases the possibility of the Australian market continuing to stagnate.Data provided from Roy Morgan last month showed buying intention to purchase a new car in the next four years has decreased by four per cent, and overall intention has dropped to 47 per cent. “The latest data on car buying intention reflects Australians believe now is not a good time to make big purchase decisions in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis,” Roy Morgan Chief Executive Officer Michele Levine said.The Kia Picanto, Australia’s cheapest new car on sale, remains the only car priced from less than $20,000. The exponential growth of Chinese brands in Australia has been driven by the comparative cheapness to legacy brand alternatives. Cars like the Chery Tiggo 4 and Jaecoo J5 EV small SUVs find themselves in the top 10 best sellers and have a price tag much lower than many of its legacy competition. 

It’s rare for a car brand to introduce a petrol variant after its EV is already flying out of dealerships, especially with fuel prices soaring.Many brands have struggled to get EVs up and running in Australia, despite huge popularity for petrol- and diesel-powered variants. This includes the Hyundai Kona, where the sales split is heavily in favour of petrol and hybrid variants at the expense of the EV.But this has not been the case for the Jaecoo J5 EV, which has been a resounding success so far in Australia.It was crowned the best-selling small SUV, and the second best-selling EV in the country, for May 2026. Deliveries of the petrol J5 are about to begin, with dealers currently receiving demonstrator models. The petrol J5 joins the market at a curious time when pure internal combustion sales are dwindling at an increasingly rapid pace.The continuing fuel crisis has accelerated the decline of petrol power in Australia, and Omoda Jaecoo is paying close attention to this.The J5 petrol has the potential to shoot up the sales charts in a similar way to the J5 EV and the closely-related Chery Tiggo 4, but buyers hesitant over fuel prices could now look elsewhere. It is priced from $25,990 (drive-away), making it $2000 expensive than the Tiggo 4 ($23,990), but more than $10,000 cheaper than the J5 EV ($36,990).Omodoa Jaecoo Chief Commercial Officer Roy Munoz said the fuel crisis is impacting expectations for the petrol J5.“Absolutely,” he said. “Fuel prices can hit in more ways than one.“At this stage it really depends if we hit another fuel crisis, where customers will be swayed more into EV or new energy.”The petrol J5 is also facing other challenges in Australia.If the J5 hits a similar run of success to its EV counterpart, it could leave Omoda Jaecoo exposed to potential New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) fines. Brands incur fines on cars sold that emit CO2 over a certain limit, which the J5 petrol does.Munoz said Omoda Jaecoo was aware of the potential impacts of a huge petrol J5 sales return on the brand’s emissions regulation position.“Potentially it could,” he said.“We are balancing that to ensure we can meet our obligations under NVES. “We’ve sold plenty of J5 EVs to protect us at this stage.” The hybrid J5 is due before the end of the year, and will alter the balance further, offering a more emissions-friendly, but budget-oriented and electrified J5. 

The electric vehicle revolution is in full swing after another standout month in Australia. There were 21,303 EVs sold in May 2026, as they continue to take hold at the expense of petrol- and diesel-powered cars. SUVs remain the dominant player in the electric segment, accounting for nine of the 10 best sellers.Tesla’s smashing May performance was headlined by 5605 sales for its Model Y SUV, cementing its position as the leading EV in Australia.The Model Y also claimed the title for the best-selling car in Australia last month.  The Jaecoo J5 EV had its best month on sale since it hit Aussie showrooms at the start of this year, selling 2126 units, up from less than 700 in April. This makes the J5 the best-selling small SUV in the country currently, even outselling its closely related and cheaper petrol sibling, the Chery Tiggo 4. The Geely EX5 also surged up the sales charts, achieving 1814 sales, while the BYD Sealion 7 experienced another bumper month, with 1538 sales. The Zeekr 7X rounds out the top five following a continued solid performance since its introduction late last year. BYD’s budget EV trio the Atto 3, Atto 2 and Atto 1 shifted more than 2000 units between them.The BYD Seal (580) is the only non-SUV on this list.Every car in the top 10 selling EVs for May is primarily built in China, with none coming from legacy brands. Some of the other EVs to miss out on a top 10 spot include the MG4 as well as Kia's EV3 and EV5 duo.Top selling electric cars May 2026

Jaecoo’s J5 small SUV has been a revelation for the brand since it hit the Australian market at the start of this year, flying up to be the brand’s best-selling car in its line-up.In just three months since its official launch, the electric version of the J5 has sold 1153 units, with the brand reporting more than 5000 orders that need to be filled.These figures have made it the eighth best-selling EV in the country for March, outselling the likes of the BYD Atto 1, Australia's cheapest EV on sale.The J5 has been subject to a staggered launch by Jaecoo, with the EV launching first, followed by the petrol variant due to hit showrooms in the coming weeks. There is also a plug-less hybrid version of the car expected to launch in the third quarter of this year. The introduction of a fully electric version of a car followed by a petrol variant is an unusual pathway in Australia. It seems to have worked a treat for Jaecoo, given the J5 EV's sales success.The plot thickens further now with the petrol J5 launching at a time when soaring fuel prices have boosted electric sales and pushed down petrol ones.Roughly 70 per cent of all orders for Chery vehicles currently are for electric and plug-in hybrid models.This means now might not be the best time to introduce a petrol model in a market favouring electric alternatives.According to Omoda Jaecoo Chief Commercial Officer Roy Munoz, the staggered launch of the J5 range was not by design.“It has exceeded my expectations and it is not lost on me that it is fuelled by the current economic crisis,” Munoz said. “I wish I could say that we planned everything. “It just happened to be that the EV was ready for our market first.”Munoz said there is still space in the market for petrol models, especially as they have a cheaper starting price than EVs generally. The petrol J5 is roughly $10,000 cheaper than the electric version at current drive-away pricing. “Electrification and new energy is definitely growing, but we can’t ignore the fact petrol is still probably the largest segment,” Munoz said. “There are a lot of customers who might not be ready for an EV.“We find that there is still a huge opportunity for petrol, which is why we’re very glad we are releasing this at this time.”Jaecoo plans to add a plug-less hybrid version of the J5 before the end of the year, which will complete the model’s line-up.There are no immediate plans to add a long-range version of the J5 EV to boost its current 402km WLTP driving range. The brand's attentions will turn to Omoda in the second half of this year.

A new budget small SUV player has just emerged, with Chery sub-brand Jaecoo officially unveiling its petrol-powered J5 variant.It will start from $25,990 (drive-away), with the top trim level of the car an extra $4000 at $29,990. This represents a decent price drop on the well-received electric version of the car already on sale in Australia, which starts from $36,990 (drive-away).The new petrol option is $2000 more than the base variant of the popular Chery Tiggo 4, which shares much of the same underpinnings, including the T1X platform.It will be tasked with taking on the likes of the other Chinese rivals, such as the GWM Haval Jolion and the MG ZS which have similar price tags when comparing trim levels. The J5 will also tackle rivals from established brands, including the Mazda CX-30 and petrol variants of the Hyundai Kona, which carry higher price tags.The car comes with Chery’s 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, producing 108kW and 210Nm, with power directed to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission.In addition, a hybrid version of the J5 is due towards the end of this year as part of a staggered roll-out for the small SUV's range.While sharing a similar wheelbase as the Chery Tiggo 4 at 2620mm, the J5 is towards the bigger end of the small SUV scale, measuring at 4380mm long, 1860mm wide and 1650mm tall.On the inside, there is a 13.2-inch central touchscreen display and an 8.8-inch digital driver display, along with cloth seating as standard. The up-spec version of the J5 introduces features such as a panoramic glass roof and a power tailgate, as well as synthetic leather seats.The J5 will arrive in showrooms from early June of this year.2026 Jaecoo J5 pricing Australia 2026 Jaecoo J5 engine and efficiency 2026 Jaecoo J5 standard features Other standard features: Auto headlightsAuto wipersPush button startRemote engine startSummit grade addsPanoramic glass roofPowered sunshadePower tailgateDual zone climate control8-speaker sound system50W wireless phone chargerSynthetic leather seatsPower adjustable front seatsHeated and ventilated front seats2026 Jaecoo J5 safetyThe Jaecoo J5 has not been crash tested yet, but Omoda Jaecoo said it is working on securing a rating for the car. The related Tiggo 4 has a five-star ANCAP rating.Standard safety features: 7 airbagsAuto emergency brakingEmergency lane keep assistAdaptive cruise controlForward collision warning360-degree camera2026 Jaecoo J5 warranty and servicing The J5 comes with an eight-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. It will be available with an eight-year capped price servicing plan, occurring at intervals of 12 months. A full eight-year plan costs a total of $3,326.09  Servicing plan  

Electric vehicle sales are booming in a way they never have before in Australia. Buyer options have increased significantly in 2026, with more affordable choices also appearing more regularly. There were 15839 electric vehicle sales for March in 2026, up from 8385 compared to this time last year, representing a near 89 per cent year-on-year growth. Established SUV players such as the Tesla Model Y lead the way with 2818 sales, along with the BYD Sealion 7 (1970). There are also some new competitors climbing up the sales charts, such as the Zeekr 7X performance SUV, which managed 679 registrations for March, having launched late last year.The Tesla Model 3 sedan (667) continues to be present among the top sellers despite its prolonged downturn.The SUV trend continues as Geely’s EX5 (606) and the Kia EV5 (587) are next on the list, before BYD’s presence resumes with the Atto 2 small SUV (572). Another new EV making an early impression is the Jaecoo J5, which launched at the start of this year and achieved 569 sales last month. The BYD Atto 1 (488) and Atto 2 (466) also make the list along with the Kia EV3 (461). Hatchbacks are proving popular amongst EV buyers as well. The MG4 (451) remains among the strongest selling EVs, as does the BYD Dolphin (373). The Toyota bZ4X is also experiencing an upturn to 447 sales for March and BYD is represented again with its Seal sedan (337) to round out the top 15. Top selling electric cars Australia March 2026