All Electric Jaecoo J6

Exterior

The Jaecoo J6 features a geometric, upright silhouette that is highlighted by rugged plastic flared fenders, flush pop-out door handles, and a distinctive - faux spare wheel – rear-mounted storage compartment. The front sports a striking, futuristic look characterized by "I-motif" boomerang-shaped LED headlights that light up in a unique sequence. The lower bumper is framed by a rugged black plastic cladding, brushed aluminium accents, and integrated LED fog lamps. Our tester’s looks are further uplifted by its green paint job; if that’s not your thing, four other colours are also available, namely black, white, silver and grey.

The rear of the vehicle continues the blocky aesthetic with a side-hinged "barn-door" style tailgate. The rectangular-shaped rear storage compartment is perfect for stowing away dirty gear or charging cables. The taillights mirror the front’s "I-motif" design. The J6 features an aerodynamic set of 18-inch alloy wheels, and its structural setup is geared towards light off-roading, offering a solid 225 mm of ground clearance, alongside a highly rigid, chassis. Overall, the J6 cuts a very box-like stance. It’s just over 4.4 metres long, making it quite compact for Sri Lankan users. But, at over 1.9 metres wide, it requires a little care when driving down narrow streets.

Interior

The J6 cabin features a retro-modern, angular design that perfectly matches its boxy exterior. Combining rugged off-road cues with plush, high-end comforts, the space is airy and tech-forward. Drivers and passengers are treated to a minimalist layout heavily dominated by a central touchscreen. The dashboard is clean, relying almost entirely on the massive central infotainment system. Many vehicle operations, including climate control and seat settings, are routed through this display rather than physical buttons.

Touches like exposed screw heads on the door panels and sturdy centre console grab handles give the cabin a tough, adventurous vibe. The seats are wrapped in a soft synthetic leather and both front seats and rear seats are ventilated! Meanwhile, the front seat head rests feature aircraft-style adjustable ‘wings’ for added head bolstering.

The interior features custom geometric ambient lighting and a glowing "I" motif beneath the main screen. Despite the rugged silhouette, legroom and headroom are generous. The cabin feels bright and open thanks to a large, functional panoramic sunroof. The cabin boasts intelligent software and some environment settings, including "Nap Mode" and "Pet Mode," along with a decent speaker system.

Driving the J6

The J6 doesn't just look like it can tackle various types of terrain - it has the potential to do so. Powering the rear wheels is an electric motor that produces a total of 135kW and 220Nm of torque. It is said that it can go from 0 to 100km/h in some 10 seconds. Combined with the tall ride height, Traction Control System (TCS), Body Stability Control (ESC), Hill Start Assist Control (HAC) & Hill Descent Control (HDC), one could be confident that it will get you back to civilization in case you encounter unexpected adverse weather or difficult terrain… 

Our day of driving the J6 started from the Jaecoo Showroom where the good folk from Hayleys Mobility started that Saturday morning with some 93% battery charge. I was picked up from Thalawathugoda after they had picked up my colleagues Ashraaq and Mahen on the way. Our destination – Galle, via the Southern Expressway.

The driving seat of the J6 is a comfortable, relaxed, and distinctive place. The seats are very ergonomic and offers a commanding view in front of you. By the time we reached the entrance to the Southern Expressway at Athurugiriya it registered some 86% charge and an indicated range of some 390 kms.

On the Expressway at 100km/h, the J6 was whisper-quiet; so much so that I had to check several times to check that we were in fact doing 100km/h. While it is not a sports car, the J6 acceleration is smooth, linear, and perfectly adequate for navigating local traffic and safe highway overtaking. When on the open road, I had several opportunities to check some of the unique features of the J6. I checked out the Intelligent Voice Assistant (Hello Jaecoo!) by asking it to reset the temperature of the cabin, opening and closing the sunroof and changing the radio station. We also checked out the Lane Departure Prevention (LDP) system by purposely drifting towards lane markings. If the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane without the turn signal activated, the system provides visual/audible alerts and applies corrective steering or braking to gently guide the car back to safety.

Unlike traditional stiff off roaders, the suspension of the G6 handles road bumps seamlessly. The steering is light without being wayward. The turning circle is highly manageable, making narrow roads and parking in and around the narrow streets of the Galle Fort effortless. However, the width of the vehicle did make for some interesting moments, necessitating a spotter to guide the driver along the tightest streets in this beautiful and historic city without brushing any ancient (or modern) architecture.

The regenerative braking is fairly mild. While "one-pedal" driving is not a strong point, the G6 relies more on mechanical brakes, which keeps the ride smooth and avoids the jerkiness that can occur in heavy traffic. In terms of range, our tester, the 2WD model packs a 65.69 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery. It realistically would achieve around 350 to 400 kms on a single charge depending on traffic and driving habits. It supports DC fast charging and will charge from 30% to 80% in 30 minutes from an 80 kW charger.

Our drive to Galle and back registered some 260 kms, and at the end of it there was some 22% charge left. This is despite some 215 of those kms being on the Expressway with minimal regenerative braking. Expressway driving is any EV’s least efficient mode, so to speak, and the J6 fared pretty well.

Safety and ADAS features

The J6 is equipped with a robust Level 2.5 Advanced Driver-Assistance System (ADAS) and comprehensive passive safety features. There are 4 airbags and in addition to what is mentioned in the “Driving the J6” segment above, there is Traffic Jam Assist (TJA), and a 360-degree panoramic camera. The TJA is an advanced, semi-autonomous driver assistance feature designed to reduce stress in stop-and-go traffic. It combines Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane-Keeping Assist to automatically manage acceleration, braking, and steering at low speeds; thereby not requiring driver inputs to manage stop-go traffic!

The Adaptive Cruise Control automatically maintains a safe distance from the vehicle ahead in traffic. Blind Spot Detection (BSD) monitors and alerts you of vehicles in your blind spots. Another useful feature is Rear Cross Traffic Brake (RCTB) which essentially detects oncoming traffic when reversing and engages automatic braking if a collision is imminent.

Living with the J6

Owning a Jaecoo J6 EV is like driving a head-turning, retro-futuristic compact SUV that blends bold, rugged styling with everyday electric ease. It offers quiet, punchy performance, generous headroom, and modern tech, though the boxy design trades off some highway efficiency. For its size, the J6 drives surprisingly fast. The Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) option that we tested, with a 65.65 kWh battery, is relaxed but effortless around town. Despite its off-roader looks, it drives like a city SUV. It sits lower to the ground than it appears, making it well-balanced in corners, though you will feel some body roll if you corner aggressively. 

The boxy exterior handles outdoor vibes well and stands out. The chunky fenders, flush door handles, and animated light sequences give the car a distinct personality. The interior is highly minimalist, featuring a massive 15.6-inch screen that manages almost everything, including the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. You’ve also got wireless phone charging, plenty of wired ports and an in-built drive recorder for safety.

With no internal combustion engine, packaging is excellent. The 2,715 mm wheelbase ensures plenty of rear legroom, and the second-row seats fold completely flat to create a sleeping area or huge cargo space. In fact, the boot is rated at 450 litres with the rear seats in place. Inside the cabin you’ve got plenty of storage compartments, door pockets, cup holders and the like. The centre console box can even be cooled via the air conditioning to keep your beverages at optimal temperature.

The view from the driver’s seat is excellent. The unabashedly square design never leaves your line of sight or peripheral vision. Peering out over the square bonnet, you will feel like going off the beaten path. The J6 is not intimidating, but it did keep our usually unruly motorists from suddenly cutting into my lane and preventing me from filtering into theirs – much like when I’m driving my ancient Land Rover Defender! That reduces the stresses of daily commutes, making the drive more comfortable.

Final Words

The J6 is a unique and attractive proposition, especially from a design perspective. It's a boxy, hardy-looking compact electric SUV that delivers outdoorsy vibes, has a well-equipped and comfortable interior, and boasts more than enough performance for most buyers. In the Sri Lankan context “range anxiety” associated with an EV is almost non-existent with the J6. Top it up with an 8-year Battery Warranty and a 7 Year Vehicle Warranty, you can put most of your long-term EV ownership worries in to the “forget” basket. So head over to the plush Hayley’s Mobility Flagship showroom in Colombo – supposedly the biggest Omoda and Jaecoo showroom in the Asian Region – and ask the friendly folk there for a test drive…