Jaecoo J5 vs Subaru Crosstrek

The Jaecoo J5 starts from $36,990 before on-road costs, while the Subaru Crosstrek opens at $36,490. That makes the Subaru Crosstrek the more affordable entry point by $500.

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 $40,689 and $40,139 respectively.

The Jaecoo J5 qualifies for FBT exemption as an electric vehicle, which can dramatically reduce the effective cost for novated lease buyers. The Subaru Crosstrek, as a petrol model, does not qualify.

Both the Jaecoo J5 and Subaru Crosstrek hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Jaecoo J5 packs more ADAS features with 6 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 5 in the Subaru Crosstrek.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 7 in the Jaecoo J5 and 7 in the Subaru Crosstrek. The Jaecoo J5 adds a 360-degree camera that the Subaru Crosstrek misses.

The Jaecoo J5 features a 13.2-inch touchscreen, while the Subaru Crosstrek gets a 11.6-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Jaecoo J5 stands out with ventilated seats and ambient lighting that you will not find on the Subaru Crosstrek. The Subaru Crosstrek counters with panoramic roof. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Jaecoo J5 runs a pure electric powertrain producing 155kW and 288Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 10.5 seconds.

The Subaru Crosstrek lines up making 115kW and 196Nm, paired to a cvt driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 10.9 seconds.

The Jaecoo J5 has the clear power advantage at 155kW vs 115kW. In the real-world sprint, the Jaecoo J5 is 0.4s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Jaecoo J5 measures 4,380mm long on a 2,620mm wheelbase, 115mm shorter than the Subaru Crosstrek at 4,495mm (2,670mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Subaru Crosstrek generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 480L in the Jaecoo J5 and 559L in the Subaru Crosstrek, giving the Subaru Crosstrek a 79L advantage.

For towing, the Jaecoo J5 leads with a 1,500kg braked capacity vs 1,200kg. That 300kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

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

Warranty: 8 years (Jaecoo J5) vs 5 years (Subaru Crosstrek). The Jaecoo J5 has longer coverage.