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Jaecoo's first small Hybrid, the Jaecoo 5 SHS-H, should find plenty of takers in our market. It doesn't have the most efficient powertrain of this sort, but it's efficient enough for most to bridge the gap between old fashioned combustion power and the full-EV revolution. And it'll stand out on your driveway.
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Background
Having startled the market with the sales success of its mid-sized models, Jaecoo had high hopes for the fortunes of its more compact SUV, the Jaecoo 5, which was launched in 2025. What this car really needed though, it didn't have at launch - but has now; a full-Hybrid engine.
Which is probably what you'll want if you're temped by the look and the value proposition of a Jaecoo 5. After all, the alternatives are either a notably inefficient base petrol version. Or a somewhat less visually striking all-electric E5 variant. For most customers, this SHS-H Hybrid delivers all the electrification they really need, without all the hassles of the EV revolution. So how does it stack up? Let's take a closer look.
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Range data
| Min | Max |
| Price | 26270 | 29765 |
| CO2 (g/km) | 120 | 120 |
| Max Speed (mph) | 108 | 108 |
| 0-62 mph (s) | 7.9 | 7.9 |
| Min | Max |
| Length (mm) | 4380 | 4380 |
| Width (mm) | 1860 | 1860 |
| Height (mm) | 1650 | 1650 |
| Boot Capacity (l) | 380 | 380 |
Driving experience
The SHS-H 'Super Hybrid System - Hybrid' set-up in use here is much like the one used by the Omoda 5 SHS-S. Which means that it comes from parent group Chery's parts shelf and pairs a turbocharged 1.5-litre four cylinder petrol engine with a compact electric motor energised by tiny 1.83kWh battery pack.
Some rivals in the segment (the Nissan Qashqai e-Power for instance) work as 'series Hybrids', with drive offered only by an electric motor, the engine provided solely to generate energy for the battery. This Jaecoo 5 uses a more conventional Toyota-style full-Hybrid system with the engine and motor working in tandem to power the front wheels. That power works through the Cherry Group's own three-speed 'DHT' auto gearbox ('Dedicated Hybrid Transmission') optimised to work with petrol/electric powertrains. Combined power output is rated at 224PS (considerably more than the 147PS of the base petrol model), with 0-62mph requiring 7.9s en route to 108mph.
Handling was developed in Europe and benchmarked against what the brand sees as this car's closest rival the Hyundai Kona. The suspension, steering and anti-roll bars have all been re-tuned over the Chinese market model to cater for differing European tastes. Don't expect cutting-edge handling or particularly feelsome steering but the drive dynamics are reasonably class competitive.
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Design and build
In SHS-H form, this Jaecoo 5 is much better looking than the other electrified version of this model, the all-electric E5. That full-battery variant loses the brand's signature visual touch, its large front 'waterfall' grille. But that imposing appendage is present and correct with this Hybrid derivative and the car stands out all the more as a result. Like other Jaecoo 5s, this is a compact little thing; there's just 4,380mm of body length, making the car 120mm shorter than the mid-sized Jaecoo 7 SUV.
Jaecoo claims the looks 'take visual cues from nature' with an upright silhouette and wide shoulders apparently inspired by 'mountain ridges and dramatic natural landscapes'. Earlier, we mentioned that distinctive 'waterfall' front grille.
If you've been sold by the look of the outside, you might not be quite as keen on the way that virtually all the cabin functions work from a big central portrait touchscreen. A slim instrument panel is embedded in the dashboard. As in the '7', the design is minimalist, with an almost complete lack of physical buttons. There's also a two-spoke wheel, a high centre console, a column-mounted gear selector and lots of scattered ambient lighting. And it's a practical cabin, with over 35 storage spaces.
Rear seat space will be comfortable for two adults but rather a squash for three. Out back, with the rear seats down, with either powertrain there's a 480-litre boot - and with the rear bench folded, there's up to 1,180-litres of cargo space.
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Market and model
Prices for the Jaecoo 5 in this SHS-H Hybrid form started at launch from just over £26,000 in base 'Pure' spec; there's a big price jump of around £3,500 more if you want the plusher 'Luxury'-spec version. To give you some perspective on that, at the time of this SHS-H variant's launch in Spring 2026, the base petrol Jaecoo 5 was costing from around £24,500, while the E5 EV version was priced from around £27,500. For reference, a mechanically almost-identical Omoda 5 SHS-H costs around £500 less.
As you'd hope, you get lots of kit for your cash. Base 'Pure' spec gives you a 13.2-inch portrait-format touchscreen, a six-speaker SONY audio system, plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, alongside a comprehensive suite of advanced driver assistance systems. 'Luxury' trim builds on this with an eight-speaker SONY audio system, a tilt and slide sunroof measuring 1.45m2, dual-zone climate control, a cooled front storage box, ambient lighting and heated and ventilated front seats.
The SHS-H is available in five exterior colours - Granite White, Graphite Grey, Basalt Black, Copper Green and Lazuli Blue, with two-tone options available on the Granite White and Copper Green.
You might expect a new aspirational electrified brand to be selling online, with agency models and subscription services. But no: Jaecoo sells its cars here via traditional dealerships, which cover most major UK centres and you can find your nearest one by going to jaecoo.co.uk. The brand has lent heavily on advice from its partner Jaguar Land Rover for its establishment in the UK; Jaecoo parent company Chery handles local Chinese production of various JLR models for that Far Eastern market.
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Cost of ownership
You wouldn't expect more recent Chinese brand Hybrid technology to be quite as efficient as that of mainstream rivals who've been developing it for decades - and it isn't. But the differences aren't huge. The Jaecoo 5 SHS-H manages 53mpg on the combined cycle and 120g/km of CO2, a big step up from the 41mpg and 159g/km of the un-electrified petrol Jaecoo 5. But look at the class standard; a rival Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid manages 62.7mpg and 109g/km.
So it's a little adrift, but Jaecoo still reckons the SHS-H will get 650 miles from a tank of fuel. Compare the 250 mile figure of a comparable full-electric Jaecoo E5 and it becomes obvious why customers are hesitating over the EV switch. And why the introduction of this Hybrid model was so crucial to Jaecoo.
Most new brands offer comprehensive warranties and this one is no different. Across the range, a seven-year / 100,000-mile manufacturer's warranty is standard (with no mileage limit for the first three years) and (rather impressively) roadside recovery comes included throughout the seven year period. There's 24/7 RAC roadside assistance too, which renews with each service up to the end of the warranty.
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Summary
Should you be looking for a Jaecoo 5, we'd have no hesitation in recommending this SHS-H Hybrid version over its base petrol and E5 full-electric showroom counterparts. As we said when considering the closely related Omoda 5 SHS-H, this isn't the cheapest family Hybrid small crossover you could choose, but it's the cheapest one that doesn't feel like you've scrimped and saved to get it.
Striking styling has served Jaecoo well in its European markets and like the brand's other models, this car will attract customers who want to stand out a little in the gym car park. Its looks certainly don't smack of the kind of budget brand you might expect to have to settle for to get a full-Hybrid of this size for well under £30,000. True, more expensive rivals have more efficient Hybrid systems but if you don't want to have to find the premium they'll ask you to pay, then you might find quite a lot to like here.
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