In 2023, JAC Motors T9 was meant to hit SA’s shores but due to shipping crises at the Duban Harbour, the launch was postponed.
Enter 2024, the likeable bakkie was launched, and last week had a chance to play with it, by hitting N1 to Venda, for the annual heritage music festival at Nandoni Dam.
What impressed most by this Chinese contender, it gets off to a good start in the looks department. Its big, bold grille and swept-back daytime running light clusters make a statement out on the road.
Locals, uninvited, took opportunities to take snaps and made comparisons to other bakkies, synonymous in mzansi.
It boast BorgWarner part-time 4-wheel-drive system with a low-range transfer case and a rear differential lock. Ground clearance is listed as 210 mm, measuring 5 330 mm long, 1 965 mm wide and 1 920 mm tall, with 3 110 mm separating its axles.
As one of the prototype models, it comes with 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine that offers up to 125kW power and 410Nm torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and low-range gearing and a diff lock.
N1, being long, tiring and toll-gates galore, I found the engine to be a bit ‘slowish’ on pull-off, but once the turbo is spooling, it offers decent acceleration, thus cruises very comfortably and quietly at higher speeds on rural roads and freeways, found in the Limpopo province.
The interior of T9 makes its intention clear: such as the cabin is quilt-patterned leather seats and abundance of faux satin chrome trim on the dashboard and centre console.
The cockpit is dominated by a large 10.4-inch (26.4cm) vertical touchscreen with modern-looking graphics but a separate screen section for the climate controls would make it more user-friendly. Although there are physical buttons for most of the climate functions, you can’t see the temperature or fan speed on the screen. My guest in the passenger seat, struggled with volume button.
Broad array of safety features, includes 6 airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, tyre-pressure monitoring, a surround-view parking camera and ISOfix child-seat anchors.
There was no reach adjustment for the steering wheel, which is positioned relatively close to the dashboard, but one could manoeuvre on that front.
The base model comes with leather seats with electric adjustment for both the driver and passenger, as well as automatic climate control, cruise control, a multi-function steering wheel, and the aforementioned infotainment system.
A ‘Super Lux’ of which I tested, you get a surround-view camera as well as a sunroof, rear privacy glass, and heated front seats with electric adjustment for the front passenger and plugged into Apple CarPlay.
On fuel consumption on open roads hovered around 8.0 L/100 km. However, if you keep your foot on the acceleration mildly, you could save diesel consumption, for a fact I confirm, that also solicited a comment from my friends wife “this is fuel savvy, I think we should consider it, my love”.
Priced from R529,900 and R649,000 through Lux and Super Lux spec grades.
The JAC T9 is sold with a 5-year/100 000 km manufacturer’s warranty, a 5-year/100 000 km service plan and 24-hour roadside assistance programme.
Service intervals are set at 10 000 km.
Verdict
Performance 1-10 (6)
Fuel 1-10 (5)
Top Image SLM (Bold grille. JAC T9 visited Venda, and what a pleasure it was fiddling with it).
