Popular SUV’s upmarket makeover: Jaecoo J5 2026 is Chery Tiggo 4’s cousin with hybrid, petrol and electric power to rival GWM Haval Jolion, MG ZS, BYD Atto 2 and more
2 hours ago
Lukas Foyle
Contributor
Glamorous sister to Chery’s Tiggo 4 revealed: Meet the Jaecoo J5
Jaecoo Australia has confirmed its new J5 small SUV will launch locally in February next year.
The Jaecoo J5 is effectively an upmarket version of the Chery Tiggo 4, currently Australia’s cheapest and most popular small SUV.
With the Tiggo 4 starting at $23,990 driveaway, we anticipate its ritzier relation to enter at around $28,000 mirroring the Jaecoo J7’s step up from its related Chery Tiggo 7 base car.
The Jaecoo J5 will get the same petrol and hybrid powertrains of the Tiggo 4, meaning a 108kW/210Nm 1.5L turbo-petrol four-cylinder driving the front wheels, or a more efficient hybrid version based around a non-turbo four-cylinder with around 150kW.
A battery electric (BEV) version of the J5 has also been confirmed. No details have been revealed for this model beyond a driving range of 402km (WLTP).
We anticipate the BEV J5 to be closely related to the Chery E5 small SUV. That car produces a maximum of 155kW, drives the front wheels, has a range of 430km (WLTP) and charges from 30-80 percent in 28 minutes. E5 pricing starts from $38,990 drive-away.
Unlike the Tiggo 4 which touts all-out value as a unique selling point against rivals, the ‘budget luxury’ Jaecoo J5 will want to move beyond the GWM Haval Jolion and MG ZS.
Instead, Jaecoo will want to contend with the Hyundai Kona, Volkswagen T-Roc and Toyota Corolla Cross.
In South Africa, the J5 measures 4380mm long, 1860mm wide and 1650mm tall — 73mm longer and 35mm wider than the Tiggo 4, with a 10mm longer wheelbase. Dimensions are yet to be confirmed for Australia.
Resultantly, the J5 boasts more cabin space, with comfortable seating for five adults, says Chery. Boot space also increases, up from 380 litres in the Tiggo 4 to 480 litres.
While the J5’s touchscreen is bigger, measuring 13.2 inches, and the speaker count is six as standard, the 8.0-inch digital driver’s display is smaller than the Tiggo 4’s 10.25-inch item.
More specifications and details of the upcoming Jaecoo J5 small SUV will be revealed closer to its February 2026 launch. We anticipate pricing to start from $27,990 driveaway.
Nissan Navara 2026: Future Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger rival will make its global debut in November
7 hours ago
Lukas Foyle
Contributor
The new generation of Nissan Navara is right around the corner. Here’s what you need to know
Today, Nissan confirmed that the next generation of Navara will be publicly revealed to global markets on the 19th of November. The Japanese automaker also confirmed that Aussies and Kiwis will be able to order a fifth-generation Navara by mid-2025.
The announcement was paired with a short teaser video, which details the history of Nissan utes in Australia, and claims the next-generation model will ‘defy ordinary’.
What’s been promised is a purpose-built ute for the Australian market, one that builds on the capability and robustness of previous generations, its maker claims. What we know is that the new Navara will be largely based on the current-generation Mitsubishi Triton.
Already confirmed for the next generation of Navara is a one-tonne payload capability, a fresh new face, a new “enhanced” infotainment system, and a suite of new driver assistance options not offered in the current generation.
That’s a sales pitch we’ve heard before, with Toyota’s hotly anticipated next-generation Hilux also looking to be a comprehensive facelift rather than an entirely new beast.
Both of these beloved Japanese utes will need to prove themselves against competent fresh-blood rivals Ford Ranger, Kia Tasman, and the BYD Shark 6, which will become more and more relevant as a PHEV ute benchmark following tighter emission laws.
We can tell from the silhouette that the next-gen Navara will continue to market as a dual-cab, tub-tray, full-size ute, and we’re betting on either Mitsubishi’s upmarket 150kW/470Nm ‘four or Nissan’s 140kW/450Nm ‘four to be under the bonnet. Both engines are turbo-diesels.
Nissan hasn’t revealed which gearbox will prevail in the next-generation Navara. Across Mitsubishi and Nissan, there’s a choice of six- or seven-speed automatics, or a six-speed manual. Expect available options to be paired with a rugged four-wheel-drive system, naturally.
Both the Navara and Triton have been toying with the idea of plug-in power, and a next-generation could be the kick in the pants to see this idea come to light. We’ve already seen a fully operational Nissan PHEV ute on display at Auto Shanghai.
That ute, known as the Frontier Pro, has no ties to Mitsubishi, and instead appears a competent re-modelling of China’s Dongfeng Z9. We’ll soon see if this powerplant is on the cards.
In Mitsubishi’s case, the Triton PHEV is an idea that has been publicly acknowledged, with a Mitsubishi spokesperson telling Chasing Cars last year that “PHEV and other forms of hybridisation are under study for Triton”.
Chasing Cars anticipates that many powertrain, styling, and vehicle dynamics questions will be answered when the Navara is officially revealed on the 19th of November this year.
