Chery E5 vs Jaecoo J7

The Chery E5 starts from $37,990 before on-road costs, while the Jaecoo J7 opens at $37,990. Both land at the same RRP, so on-road costs and dealer deals become the real differentiator.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $41,789 and $41,789 respectively.

The Chery E5 qualifies for FBT exemption as an electric vehicle, which can dramatically reduce the effective cost for novated lease buyers. The Jaecoo J7, as a petrol model, does not qualify.

Both the Chery E5 and Jaecoo J7 hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Jaecoo J7 packs more ADAS features with 8 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 5 in the Chery E5.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 7 in the Chery E5 and 8 in the Jaecoo J7.

The Chery E5 features a 12.3-inch touchscreen, while the Jaecoo J7 gets a 13.2-inch display and 10.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Chery E5 stands out with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, heated front seats and Sony audio that you will not find on the Jaecoo J7. The Jaecoo J7 counters with Apple CarPlay and ambient lighting. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Chery E5 runs a pure electric powertrain producing 155kW and 288Nm of torque, sent through a auto to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 7.9 seconds.

The Jaecoo J7 lines up making 130kW and 290Nm, paired to a automatic driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 9.5 seconds.

The Chery E5 has the clear power advantage at 155kW vs 130kW. In the real-world sprint, the Chery E5 is 1.6s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Chery E5 measures 4,424mm long on a 2,610mm wheelbase, 76mm shorter than the Jaecoo J7 at 4,500mm (2,672mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Jaecoo J7 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 400L in the Chery E5 and 431L in the Jaecoo J7, giving the Jaecoo J7 a 31L advantage.

Running cost data is not yet available for both models. We will update when figures are confirmed.

Warranty: 7 years (Chery E5) vs 8 years (Jaecoo J7). The Jaecoo J7 has longer coverage.